Anti-tank mine from WW II era found in Netanya

A British Mandate-era Mark 2 anti-tank land mine was uncovered by a work crew at a construction site in Netanya on Monday.

The mine, which was found on the grounds of a wedding hall in the coastal city, was disarmed and successfully disposed of by sappers, the Israel Police said.

The Mark 2 land mine was used extensively by the British in World War II in their Middle East campaign against the Germans — particularly during the Battle of El Alamein in Egypt. Following the war, the mine was largely phased out in favor of the more advanced, and larger, Mark 5.

Mark 2 land mines were fitted with a thin brass cover that acted as a pressure plate. When enough pressure was applied to the plate, the mine would explode. Each mine had an explosive charge of 1.8 kg of TNT or Baratol, another explosive mixture.