17th November 1939: Germans start dropping parachute mines.
23rd November 1939: Lt Ouvery recovers first Magnetic mine at Shoeburyness and successfully defuzes it.
1st May 1940: Home Office Circular 88/40 confirms that war office is responsible for dealing with any UXB
1st May 1940: First UXB committee is held to discuss various ways and devices to tackle unexploded bombs
May/June 1940: First 25 BD sections are formed,comprising of 1 x Lt,1xSgt and 14 other ranks.
June 1940: Steam sterilizer developed to cut a hole in bomb casing and emulsify explosive fill.
13th August 1940: First type (17) fuze recovered by 2nd Lt Mitchell.
17th August 1940: Lt Archer removes a type (50) anti disturbance fuze by hand, this was needed for experiments.
17th August 1940: Lt E.W.Reynolds defuzes bomb in Bristol with a type(17) fuze.
27th August 1940: Lt Archer recovers the first (38) fuze.
2nd September 1940: Lt Archer removes a ticking type(17) fuze to find a new type Zus40 Anti withdrawal fuze underneath, this was successfully removed in tact.
12th September 1940: The steam sterilizer was used for the first time by Capt Kennedy on a live 250Kg bomb in Regents street .
14th September 1940: Lt Robert Davies defuzes a 1,000Kg bomb under St Pauls Cathedral.
16/17th September: Parachute delivered magnetic mines dropped on London, 77 dropped,but 25 failed to explode.
23rd September 1940: King George announces a new decoration for gallantry to be called the GEORGE CROSS.
26th October 1940: First acoustic mine recovered.
28th October 1940: SD2,s Butterfly bombs dropped on Ipswich(this was the first time these bombs were dropped in the UK)
16th November 1940: Fuze Extension cap was found on a bomb in Shaftsbury Ave , fuze could not be identified ! Bomb defuzed by Lt Nevil Newitt
21st December 1940: First 2,500 Kg (max) dropped on Victoria Station, London