Bombfuse.net - Still Finding Them

UXB HELP WANTED

I'm trying to compile a list of Wartime bombs unearthed in the UK since 1960, 'Year', 'Month', 'type of bomb' etc. Perhaps you may have local newspapers mentioning UXB these.

I've updated one incident at Becton gas works in 1996 which lead to 33 regt Royal Engineers receiving 3 QGM to those involved which I will be writing a more detailed account of this incident.

Please Note:
The bombs and mines listed below are those known about by myself. I do keep scrap books dating back from 1969

Live SD2 found in Malta by a farmer at Zurrieq

1969
2nd October: Parachute mine found Burghley Rd Kentish town, cleared by Major fletcher and Sgt Major Stephen Hambrook

1974
3rd August: 1,000kg Hermann East end of london
31st December: V2 rocket found in river Blackwater Essex

1983
12th April: 50kg found found in thames by blackwater station cleared by Major Quinn

1985
10th February: 1,000kg hermann Sheffield cleared By Major Craib

1986
Nov: SC500 single fuze pocket type 15 fuze found in gasometer at Becton Gas works and Cleared by team led by A/major Robbie hall. (More details at foot of page)

1987
1st July: 1,000kg Hermann found near Tower bridge cleared by cpt Chris Goddard and Cpl Gary Fisher

1988
250 Kg found Aspen way Poplar cleared by Captain Crawford and L/cpl Porter
Aug: 250kg SC with (17) + (50) WO Mc Cormick
Oct: 250Sc SC ECR fuze Cpt Moody and L Cpl Whitby
Nov: East India dock 250kg Sc
Nov: St Albans 250 kg SC (15)Fuze Cpt Crawford

Mainz bomb squad with 1,000lb British bomb

1989
4th February: 500kg found Whitechapel East end of London
23rd August: bomb found Dartford Kent

Reports of 2 others found in Darford (Vickers works)

1990
Jan: Plymouth 250kg SC (15) Fuze Cpt Zygmant
Feb: Whitechapel 1,000Sd Esssau 5 series fuze WOs Daly
Feb: Exeter 50kg fuze unknown Cpt Moody
2nd April 250 kg found at Liverpools Walton district ground

1994
24th August: Worksop, 250kg

1995
23rd March: 500kg Portland Dorset Cleared by captain Lobb

1996
13th September: 50kg Perranwell Cornwall

1997
30th October: Rainham, 250kg 17+50 fuzed
No date: Wiltshire, 1,000kg
No date: Wiltshire, 500kg, 17+50

1998
4th August: Stepney 50kg 15 Fuze
No date: Plymouth, 250kg

V1 uxb in field

1999
3rd July: London, 50kg
20th October: Reading,1,000kg

2000
18th April: Bexleyheath, 500kg
5th June: Canvey, Mine?
8th November: Royden, 250kg
7th December: Harlow       500kg

2001
June: Southend, 2X Para mines

2002
7th January: Lingfield    50kg      17 fuze
20th September: Portsmouth, 500kg      17
14th October: Sunderland   500kg     15

2003
29th August: Plymouth, 500kg, 38
5th September: Tattershall, 500kg, 15
9th December: Canvey, mine ?

German bomb lying in field, NOTE fuze cap still in place

2004
13th July: Whitstable, Mine

2005
November: Hainault, 250kg, 15

2006
31st March: Kesgrave, 2x250 kg, 17+50
Unknown: Christchurch, 250kg

2007
14th May: Shoreditch, 250kg, 15
20th June: Dorset, 50kg

2008
2nd June: Bow, 1,000kg, 28
21st August 21: Romford, 250kg

2010
March: Southampton, 50kg
12th June: Plymouth, 70kg
December: Becton, 250kg
Also listed 250kg no details known
Also listed 50kg

Mainz bomb squad posing with bomb

2011
FOI request 4 x SC50kg
1 X Sc500kg

2012
FOI Request 2 X SC50kg
1 X SC250kg

2013
9th June: Formby, Merseyside, 50kg, Fuze unknown
19th July: Herne Bay, GC Mine
7th August: St Eval Cornwall, 50kg, fuze unknown
14th August: St Peter Port, British para mine type A
10th October: St Peter Port, German Depth charge
12th October: Ramsgate, 50kg, Fuze unknown
12th October: Melton Constable, 50kg, fuze unknown

2014
19th January: Exmoor, 50kg, Fuze unknown
FOI request 2X SC50kg details unknown

2015
23rd March: Bermondsey, SC250kg, Fuze unknown,17 50 confirmed
21st May 21: Wembley, SC50kg, believed to be a 5 series
10th August:. Bethnal Green, believed to be a SC250
FOI request 1 X SC250kg details unknown
2 X SD500kg
5 x SC500kg

Digging out a V2 rocket nose cone

2016
22nd April: Lewisham, Boone Road, 50kg, no fuze details
12th May: Bath, 250kg, no other details
September: Portsmouth Harbour, 500kg, No details known
15th November: Portsmouth Harbour 250kg No details known
FOI request 1 X SC50kg no details known

2017
19th January:Westminster Bridge, 50kg, no details known
22nd February: Portsmouth Harbour, 250kg, no details known
2nd March: Kilburn London NW6, 500kg, Sc 15 +17 fuzes
16th May: Birmingham, 250kg, Fuze unidentified

2018
11th February: London George 5th docks, believed to be a 250kg. Navy dealing with it

19th June: Rowan Road, Hendon, SC50kg, believed filled with concrete, no other details known .

2019
June: RAF West Malling, SD50kg, Fuze too bad to ID
Sept: RAF West Malling SD50kg, Fuze too bad to ID

2020
May 5th RAF West Malling, SD50kg, Fuze too bad to ID

NOTE:
This list is by no means complete if you know of any others please let me know so that I can add them.
Thanks
Steve

BECTON GAS WORKS INCIDENT NOV 86 details to follow

The following is from official sources and cover UXB Clearance by RE EOD Units only
1945-49 633 UXB's Cleared
1950-59 140 UXB's Cleared
1960-69 101 UXB's Cleared
1970-79 155 UXB's Cleared
1980-89 90 UXB's Cleared
1990-99 76 UXB's Cleared
2000-09 140 UXB's Cleared

Between 1960 and 2010 some 400,000 UXO were also cleared

I am indebted to Rod MacArthur for allowing me to reproduce these figures

Captain Bowen Sheffield 1,000lb Hermann 9/2/85