Exploded WWII mine found on beach

Описание: ​I’ve just stumbled across a significant piece of World War II history hidden in the rocks—the shattered remains of a British Mark XIV Naval Contact Mine. In this video, you can see the "bell" (the main steel casing), shrapnel fragments, and several of the Hertz horns (detonator plungers) and solenoids that once made this a deadly weapon of war.

​The History Behind the Find:
Most people don't realize that between 1941 and 1944, the Great Barrier Reef was one of the most heavily mined areas in the world. The Royal Australian Navy’s specialized minelayer, HMAS Bungaree, was tasked with a top-secret mission to turn the reef into a defensive wall against Japanese submarines.

​Key Facts about the GBR Minefields:
​10,000 Mines: HMAS Bungaree laid nearly 10,000 mines across Australian and Pacific waters.
​6,500+ Mines in the Reef: Over 6,500 of these were placed specifically within the passages of the Great Barrier Reef (like the Trinity Opening near Cairns and Palm Passage) to protect shipping lanes.

​The "Broken Adrift" Mystery: After the war, the Navy conducted massive sweeping operations to clear the fields. However, while thousands were destroyed, over 3,000 mines were never recovered. Many "broke adrift" from their moorings during storms and cyclones, eventually washing up or exploding against the rocks—exactly like the one I’ve found here.

​Operational Names: This mine was likely part of Operation RUBY (the Cairns/Mossman defensive line) or a nearby field designed to funnel enemy ships into "killing zones" monitored by coastal batteries.

​Finding these relics today is a sobering reminder of the "Timeline of the Reef" and the secret battles fought to protect the Australian coastline over 80 years ago.

​#WWIIHistory #GreatBarrierReef #MaritimeArchaeology #HMASBungaree #MilitaryHistory #AustraliaWorldWar2 #HiddenHistory #NavalMine