AstheAlliedtroopsadvancedthroughItalyin1943,thereweresurprisesinstoreforthem.BritishsoldiersoncecameuponahighlydesirablebilletabandonedbytheGermans,itsfrontdoorinvitinglyhalf-open.Enteringthroughawindowtoavoidthelikelyboobytrap,theyapproachedthefrontdoorfrominsideandfoundattachedtoittheexpectedexplosivechargesettogooffwhenthedoorwasmoved.Theyleftthehouseandtiedastringtotheoutsideknobofthefrontdoor,takingcoverinaslittrenchacrosstheroad.Whentheywereallintheslittrench,theypulledthestring.Theslittrenchexploded,killingthemall.
一九四三年，盟軍在意大利推進，頗有出奇之遇。有一次，英兵行經一所軍人臨時宿舍，是德軍遺下的，看來非常舒適，前門半開，似邀行客。英兵擔心落入陷阱，從窗口爬進房子裏，走近前門，發覺門後果然繫着炸藥，安排好門一動就會爆炸。英兵退出房子，用長繩把前門向外一面的圓形把手綁着，到馬路另一邊的散兵坑躲藏，待大夥兒都進了坑裏之後，才拉動繩子。散兵坑隨即爆炸，把他們都炸死了。
【解說】Boobytrap直譯是「呆子陷阱」，軍事上習慣譯作「詭雷」，指隱藏着而一觸即發的爆炸品；軍事以外，則指捉弄人的陷阱，例如：Ididn'tnoticetheboobytrap,andtheemptyboxbalancedontopofthehalf-opendoorfellonmyheadwhenIpushedit（我沒有留意到那機關，一推半開的門，門上放着的空盒就掉在我頭上）。