Home People Accidents Bolton Boys Hand Injured by Exploding Cartridge

Bolton Boys Hand Injured by Exploding Cartridge

May 1947

South Yorkshire Times May 31, 1947

Nine year old Harry Baxter, eldest son of Mr and Mrs CH Baxter, 69 The Present, Bolton, is in Mexborough Montagu Hospital with serious injuries to his left hand caused when a cartridge thrown onto a fire exploded.

The bullet which passed through his hand could not be found afterwards, but it is believed to be German machine gun ammunition. It is not known how the cartridge came into the boy’s possession.

Harry and several other boys and made a fire in the backyard of his home on Monday evening when he threw the cartridge into the fire and it exploded. He was standing about 6 feet away from the fire when the bullet shot out at him.

Harry, who is a pupil at Bolton Junior School, had just started to learn to play the piano and is worried because he is missing his lessons.