What were ww2 murder holes?
A murder hole or meurtrière is a hole in the ceiling of a gateway or passageway in a fortification through which the defenders could fire, throw or pour harmful substances or objects such as rocks, arrows, scalding water, hot sand, quicklime, tar, or boiling oil, down on attackers.
What were murder holes on D Day?
Prior to their landing on Omaha Beach, Captain Miller urged his men to avoid “murder holes,” a term used to describe the opening formed by the dropping of the landing craft’s ramp.
What is a murder hole Saving Private Ryan?
Captain Miller tells his men in the landing craft to “clear those murder-holes”. All I’ve been able to find for the definition of murder-hole is that it’s slang for the opening end of the landing craft.
Does the Tower of London have murder holes?
Enter the bloody Tower We have to pass through a few gates with murder holes, to enter the Tower, but don’t worry your guide will keep you safe! It’s hard to miss the Beefeaters as we arrive, these ceremonial guardians look after Tower and its visitors.
What were Machicolations used for?
A machicolation (French: mâchicoulis) is a floor opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement, through which stones or other material, such as boiling water, hot sand, quicklime or boiling cooking oil, could be dropped on attackers at the base of a defensive wall.
What are the holes at the top of a castle called?
The term embrasure, in military architecture, refers to the opening in a crenellation or battlement between the two raised solid portions or merlons, sometimes called a crenel or crenelle. The purpose of embrasures is to allow weapons to be fired out from the fortification while the firer remains under cover.
What are the holes in castle walls?
Putlog holes or putlock holes are small holes made in the walls of structures to receive the ends of poles (small round logs) or beams, called putlogs or putlocks, to support a scaffolding. Putlog holes may extend through a wall to provide staging on both sides of the wall.
Do dungeons have to be underground?
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period.
What are bossed stones?
Bossed stones are cut building stones which are left rough on the external side. Historians used to debate why builders did this. One theory was that it saved money since there was less finishing for the stone mason. Another was that it gave an impression of strength.