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LONDON - German saboteurs designed an exploding chocolate bar for a campaign of sabotage against Britain in World War II, according to documents released Monday by the British National Archives. There was no evidence, however, that such lethal treats were ever deployed.
The chocolate bomb was illustrated in documents which also explained that it was intended to blow up seven seconds after someone tried to break off a piece. The sketch of the device, labeled in English, was apparently made by British agents.
"The bomb is made of steel with a thin covering of real chocolate," the note said. "When the piece of chocolate at the end is broken off the canvas shown is pulled, and after a delay of seven seconds the bomb explodes."
Other German designs included bombs disguised as tins of plums, throat lozenges, shaving brushes, batteries, wood, coal and stuffed dogs.
British agents did intercept one bizarre innovation - bombs disguised as cans of peas.
According to documents released two years ago, the pea bombs were intercepted when three Nazi saboteurs were arrested in Ireland in July 1940. The cans contained small slabs of nitrocellulose explosives.
Dismissing the threat, British security agents said the devices were "of the most primitive kind."
The chocolate bomb was illustrated in documents which also explained that it was intended to blow up seven seconds after someone tried to break off a piece. The sketch of the device, labeled in English, was apparently made by British agents.
"The bomb is made of steel with a thin covering of real chocolate," the note said. "When the piece of chocolate at the end is broken off the canvas shown is pulled, and after a delay of seven seconds the bomb explodes."
Other German designs included bombs disguised as tins of plums, throat lozenges, shaving brushes, batteries, wood, coal and stuffed dogs.
British agents did intercept one bizarre innovation - bombs disguised as cans of peas.
According to documents released two years ago, the pea bombs were intercepted when three Nazi saboteurs were arrested in Ireland in July 1940. The cans contained small slabs of nitrocellulose explosives.
Dismissing the threat, British security agents said the devices were "of the most primitive kind."