Explosive rat

The explosive rats never saw use, as the first shipment was intercepted by the Germans; however, the resulting search for more booby trapped rats consumed enough German resources for the SOE to conclude that the operation was a success.

During World War II, the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) procured about a hundred rodents, ostensibly for medical experiments.

[3] The idea, developed in 1941,[5] was that when the dead rat was discovered in the boiler room of a locomotive, factory, power station, or similar installation, the stoker tending the boiler would dispose of the unpleasant discovery by shoveling it into the furnace, causing the booby trapped rat to explode.

[2] The first shipment of carcasses was intercepted by the Germans, and the SOE plan was dropped.

Elder Wills claims that nine boilers were damaged in Belgian factories by the rats but is probably a myth.