[steve19]

I am very surprised given how little machine gun barrels resemble a motar round!

Was your father prosecuted?

Edit: see stefanfisk comment, there is a surprising similarity between one type of wwi motar and wwi machine gun barrels.

[Tech-Noir]

For privacy's sake I won't link to the story, which is not hard to find since the Channel Tunnel doesn't get closed that often, particularly over bomb scares, and I will delete/edit this post if the poster wants, but wow:

    The bomb went undetected as he travelled back to the
    UK through the Tunnel but later, as he attempted to 
    return to France to show the device to a war expert 
    friend, he was stopped for a routine check.

[dx034]

Apparently a Stokes mortar. To be honest, with enough rust I probably wouldn't have recognised it as that either. But doesn't mean it's wise to transport that in your car.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokes_mortar

[stefanfisk]

sometimes the similarities are not too far off http://www.westernfrontmilitaria.com/ourshop/prod_4018094--S...

[BattyMilk]

He was, yes. He received a 9 month sentence suspended for 2yrs.

[steve19]

I am sorry to hear that. That must have been a terrible experience for him and you.