If it sounds funny because the word makes you think of deadly bits of flying metal... then I will blow your mind when I tell you that we get the word from Henry Shrapnel, a British officer who invented an artillery shell packed with musket balls designed to explode over the heads of enemy infantry. This was the 'shrapnel shell', and that's why the name came to be used for any bits of flying metal. Though I'm not aware of John Shrapnel being any relation to Henry...
Great story for a cold winter's night. Thanks very much.
I can understand it from the ghost's point of view, but the annoying stupidity of the inmates beggars belief.
First saw john shrapnel in the tv series The Main Chance long time ago
He'll always be the voice of ITVs Survival wildlife documentaries to me (though to be fair, so will Anthony Valentine and TIm Piggot-Smith).
John Shrapnel??!! 😂
If it sounds funny because the word makes you think of deadly bits of flying metal... then I will blow your mind when I tell you that we get the word from Henry Shrapnel, a British officer who invented an artillery shell packed with musket balls designed to explode over the heads of enemy infantry. This was the 'shrapnel shell', and that's why the name came to be used for any bits of flying metal. Though I'm not aware of John Shrapnel being any relation to Henry...
Yup, mind/blown!