NEW INCENDIARY BULLET

Southland Times, Issue 23795, 18 April 1939, Page 8

NEW INCENDIARY BULLET

Mr John Pomeroy’s Invention FORMER RESIDENT OF INVERCARGILL STRIP TO UNITED STATES FOR TRIALS , (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 18. A new explosive and incendiary bullet, which is claimed to be capable of destroying even the rubber-coated petrol tanks of the most modern military aeroplane, has been invented by Mr John Pomeroy, of Melbourne, who arrived by the Aorangi on his way to the United States for a series df trials. Mr Pomeroy won fame during the Great War for his invention of a special bullet for the destruction of Zeppelins. Mr Pomeroy was born in Invercargill, but today was the first time he had seen New Zealand for 24 years. "There are no more _ gas-bags, but we have an aeroplane with a new tank to contend with,” said Mr Pomeroy. “The tank has a rubber coating, with the result that although it, has been riddled with ordinary bullets, it will not lose petrol. “I have invented a 50-calibre bullet, with which I can blow anything to pieces. It has a flat trajectory of 600 yards, which means that we can engage an enemy at about 2000 yards effectively. No bullet can do this at present. It is no different from an ordinary bullet to look at and is sharppointed. The bullet has an enormous disruptive effect and really acts like a shrapnel shell. It explodes on impact.

SERVICE TO BRITAIN IN WAR USE OF POMEROY BULLET Mr John Pomeroy, a farmer who invented one of the most effective devices used against airships in the world war, was born in Invercargill and took up farming. Of an ingenious turn of mind and interested in firearms, he invented among other things a new type of explosive bullet which passed tests successfully in 1908. On the outbreak of the war he wrote to the War Office, London, suggesting the use of his invention as a means of bringing down enemy airships, if attempts were made to employ them for raids. The War Office rejected the idea. When, however, the Zeppelin attacks began, Mr Pomeroy sold his farm and, going to England, pressed his proposal in person. Months passed without any progress being made and at last Mr Pomeroy wrote direct to Mr David Lloyd George, the then Prime Minister, complaining of the attitude of the War Office. Mr Lloyd George at once gave instructions that the bullet should be given a thorough trial. When Mr Pomeroy next called at the War Office, he received a patient hearing and was given an order to make a big number of bullets. In order to preserve secrecy the first 5000 of them were made by himself and his wife in a'room at the top of an official building on the Thames Embankment. The first time they wete used Captain Robinson, V.C., brought down a Zeppelin on its way to bomb London. Their manufacture was therefore pressewith the utmost vigour and ultimately 10,000,000 were made. There is no doubt that the

Pomeroy bullet, because of ’the terror / it created among airship crews, did much to end the Zeppelin raids and Mr Pomeroy was awarded the 0.8. E. and given £20,000 for his invention and £lOOO for a device for exploding submerged mines. Half the sum he received, however, had to go to a London financier who bad advanced money when his resources were exhausted. The balance Mr Pomeroy lost in the next few years in experimenting for other inventions, in litigation and in American investments. In May 1931 he was found to be earning a living by running a small night coffee-stall in Melbourne. The daytime he devoted to experimenting with various other inventions he had in hand.