1914 WWI Explosives - Research

[Admirari]

I am a published author of historical fiction, and currently writing my 5th novel set in 1914, Italy, just after the outbreak of WWI. I have a scenario where I need advice on the correct use of explosives to destroy a wooden 73' yacht (Yawl) moored at a jetty in central Italy.

Scenario.
German operatives want to destroy a yacht at a specific moment in a public marina, when the two owners are aboard. It is evening, 9:00pm and dark. The couple return and climb aboard, and the boat explodes with the intent of destroying the yacht and killing the two people. The boat has a diesel engine, with a 100 gallon capacity, situated aft. Presumably there could be paraffin lamps aboard.

Questions
1. What type of explosives were used, and what quantity?
2. Where were the explosives placed? Waterproof?
3. How were the explosives detonated at the exact and correct moment?
4. How large was the blast in relation to the amount of explosives used? Collateral damage?
5. Did the German's have their own technique and method in the use of explosives?
6. Am I missing something?

Thank you for your help. I can change the story to create a realistic scenario, as accuracy is important. I hope someone here has this knowledge to contribute

Thank you .

 

[Ringel05]

I am a published author of historical fiction, and currently writing my 5th novel set in 1914, Italy, just after the outbreak of WWI. I have a scenario where I need advice on the correct use of explosives to destroy a wooden 73' yacht (Yawl) moored at a jetty in central Italy.

Scenario.
German operatives want to destroy a yacht at a specific moment in a public marina, when the two owners are aboard. It is evening, 9:00pm and dark. The couple return and climb aboard, and the boat explodes with the intent of destroying the yacht and killing the two people. The boat has a diesel engine, with a 100 gallon capacity, situated aft. Presumably there could be paraffin lamps aboard.

Questions
1. What type of explosives were used, and what quantity?
2. Where were the explosives placed? Waterproof?
3. How were the explosives detonated at the exact and correct moment?
4. How large was the blast in relation to the amount of explosives used? Collateral damage?
5. Did the German's have their own technique and method in the use of explosives?
6. Am I missing something?

Thank you for your help. I can change the story to create a realistic scenario, as accuracy is important. I hope someone here has this knowledge to contribute

Thank you .

Your best bet is going to be a WWI forum for that type of detailed information. About all I know is they did have timed fuses first introduced in the late 1880s. There were many types of explosives available at the time, this should be of some help.

&#198 Aeragon - Military Explosives

 

[Ernie S.]

I am a published author of historical fiction, and currently writing my 5th novel set in 1914, Italy, just after the outbreak of WWI. I have a scenario where I need advice on the correct use of explosives to destroy a wooden 73' yacht (Yawl) moored at a jetty in central Italy.

Scenario.
German operatives want to destroy a yacht at a specific moment in a public marina, when the two owners are aboard. It is evening, 9:00pm and dark. The couple return and climb aboard, and the boat explodes with the intent of destroying the yacht and killing the two people. The boat has a diesel engine, with a 100 gallon capacity, situated aft. Presumably there could be paraffin lamps aboard.

Questions
1. What type of explosives were used, and what quantity?
2. Where were the explosives placed? Waterproof?
3. How were the explosives detonated at the exact and correct moment?
4. How large was the blast in relation to the amount of explosives used? Collateral damage?
5. Did the German's have their own technique and method in the use of explosives?
6. Am I missing something?

Thank you for your help. I can change the story to create a realistic scenario, as accuracy is important. I hope someone here has this knowledge to contribute

Thank you .

A 73 foot boat with 100 gallons of fuel?

 

[fncceo]

A 73 foot boat with 100 gallons of fuel?

Sailboat

 

[Cellblock2429]

I am a published author of historical fiction, and currently writing my 5th novel set in 1914, Italy, just after the outbreak of WWI. I have a scenario where I need advice on the correct use of explosives to destroy a wooden 73' yacht (Yawl) moored at a jetty in central Italy.

Scenario.
German operatives want to destroy a yacht at a specific moment in a public marina, when the two owners are aboard. It is evening, 9:00pm and dark. The couple return and climb aboard, and the boat explodes with the intent of destroying the yacht and killing the two people. The boat has a diesel engine, with a 100 gallon capacity, situated aft. Presumably there could be paraffin lamps aboard.

Questions
1. What type of explosives were used, and what quantity?
2. Where were the explosives placed? Waterproof?
3. How were the explosives detonated at the exact and correct moment?
4. How large was the blast in relation to the amount of explosives used? Collateral damage?
5. Did the German's have their own technique and method in the use of explosives?
6. Am I missing something?

Thank you for your help. I can change the story to create a realistic scenario, as accuracy is important. I hope someone here has this knowledge to contribute

Thank you .

/---- As with most everything in that era, the bomb would be over engineered, enough to blow up 10 yachts so let your imagination run wild.

 

[fncceo]

How large was the blast in relation to the amount of explosives used?

Fun fact ... modern torpedoes (a word originally used to designate stationary naval mines) don't explode when they hit the ship, they explode under the ship. This creates a vacuum and the keel of the ship is no longer supported by water. Ships keels aren't designed to support the full weight of a ship out of water and will break under the explosion, resulting in almost instantaneous sinking from a much smaller charge.

Not sure if this applies to your research, but it's an awesome thing to see.

 

[Stasha_Sz]

I am a published author of historical fiction, and currently writing my 5th novel set in 1914, Italy, just after the outbreak of WWI. I have a scenario where I need advice on the correct use of explosives to destroy a wooden 73' yacht (Yawl) moored at a jetty in central Italy.

Scenario.
German operatives want to destroy a yacht at a specific moment in a public marina, when the two owners are aboard. It is evening, 9:00pm and dark. The couple return and climb aboard, and the boat explodes with the intent of destroying the yacht and killing the two people. The boat has a diesel engine, with a 100 gallon capacity, situated aft. Presumably there could be paraffin lamps aboard.

Questions
1. What type of explosives were used, and what quantity?
2. Where were the explosives placed? Waterproof?
3. How were the explosives detonated at the exact and correct moment?
4. How large was the blast in relation to the amount of explosives used? Collateral damage?
5. Did the German's have their own technique and method in the use of explosives?
6. Am I missing something?

Thank you for your help. I can change the story to create a realistic scenario, as accuracy is important. I hope someone here has this knowledge to contribute

Thank you .

Not sure if I can help you with all the questions you are asking, but I will have a go. Let me preface this with the comment that in 1914, Italy was still neutral and leaned towards the Central Powers at that stage of the war. Italy did not join the war on the Entente side until May 1915, when the British supplied a particularly toothsome bribe with a post war land grab at the expense of the Ottomans. It would have been particularly stupid for the Germans to antagonize the Italians at that point in the war when they were already in a stalemate on 2 fronts.
That being said, here you go:
1) The Germans used Trotyl in their naval shells, and I presume their torpedoes and mines. In addition, good old TNT, Nitroglycerine and even black powder would have been available.
2) Mines of course are water proof, but could only be fired electronically or by contact in WWI. (electronic also considers a timer charge which would complete an electrical circuit at a set time). See the Italian sinking of the Austrian Viribus Unitis.
SMS Viribus Unitis - Wikipedia
3) see above #2
4) Depends on the size of the charge, the area that the charge is set off in, and any incidental combustible materials that may be present.
5) Yes! See their sabotage of the American supply dump on Black Tom Island.
Sabotage in New York Harbor | History | Smithsonian
My advice would be to move your yacht to Spain if your story requires the action in a neutral country.

Good luck & I hope I helped.

 

[Stasha_Sz]

One other thing...
Diesel was very new technology in the early century. Very few civilian craft were equipped with it at the time. Your 73 footer would most likely have had a steam power plant, probably coal fired. Your yacht would have had a crew besides the two you note. If the boiler was used to power the on board generators, (very likely), there would have been a black watch aboard monitoring the equipment and stoking the fires.