For a brief period during the latter part of World War II, N. F. Mott, then professor of physics at the University of Bristol (later knighted and a Nobel laureate), undertook an effort to theoretically describe the statistical fragmentation of bodies subjected to intense impulsive loads. Specifically, he focused on fragmentation resulting from the explosive rupture of cylindrical bombs (referred to by Mott as H.E. shells or shell cases). Over a period of about six months in 1943, three internal UK Ministry of Supply reports emerged, which provided the core of his theoretical efforts (Mott and Linfoot, 1943; Mott, 1943a,b). In late 1943 through 1944 three further internal reports (Mott, 1943c; Mott, 1944; Mott et aL, 1944) undertook critical examination and experimental testing of his seminal theory of fragmentation. Sometime later he more formally prepared selected portions of these efforts for open literature publication (Mott, 1947). Finally, apparently under stimulus from an earlier conference on fracture in metals held at Cambridge University, Mott (1948) published an extended note titled by him "Fracture of Metals: Some Theoretical Considerations." Some of his most forward-thinking thoughts on the micromechanical and molecular aspects of fracture are included in this last publication.