Unexploded ordnance - east coast!

[lenseman]

Just received this message from the American Intelligence Agency:

HYDROLANT 26/2010(37).
ENGLAND-EAST COAST. ORDNANCE.

NGA CHART 37053 (1ST ED).
UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE, MARKED BY TWO BUOYS,

IN 51° 58.18N xx001° 28.29E xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (070115Z JAN 2010)

Looks like just off Felixstowe Ferry.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Not that unusual an occurrence.... hear this being reported at least 5 or 6 times a year during the summer... but thanks for the heads up!

 

[DanTribe]

I once heard a VHF call between Thames CG & a fishing boat with what he thought was a mine in his net, off Jaywick.
CG asked him to stay there with it until the bomb disposal arrived.
His reply was " Taint likely boy. I can either dump it now or take it into Brightlingsea and leave it round your aunty's. Which do you prefer?"

 

[bastonjock]

The company that i worked for did a salvage operation on the Lucitania,all sorts of stuff was coming up and one of the guys picked what he thought was a magnum of champagne up,he had it on the deck and was giving it a soft tap when an old salt of a navy diver said"i would not do that,thats a hedgehog mine"

it was carefully floated off and blown up

 

[FullCircle]

I once heard a VHF call between Thames CG & a fishing boat with what he thought was a mine in his net, off Jaywick.
CG asked him to stay there with it until the bomb disposal arrived.
His reply was " Taint likely boy. I can either dump it now or take it into Brightlingsea and leave it round your aunty's. Which do you prefer?"

I remember that conversation on the VHF. I would have laughed out loud except it was a bit serious.

 

[Dazedkipper]

Hmmm, the fact that the 'good ole boys' couldn't spot a guy with a load of TNT wrapped around his todger doesn't fill me with confidence over this announcement!

 

[Cantata]

Being on the local CG we often get involved with small items of WWII ordnance left from 'practice' on the beaches around here by our forefathers (including my Dad) while they were waiting for Hitler armed only with a Lee-Enfield and one round.
2" mortar bombs are a favourite, and I've seen maybe 40-50 of these in my time on the CG.
Usual pattern of events is that a beachcomber finds one, calls us, we inspect it and say yes or no, and if yes the lads from Army bomb disposal are called to deal with it (usually they blow 'em up, just because they can).
One hot summer Sunday morning I was called to one on a private beach near here, the beachcomber had found it some way away but kindly deposited it on a breakwater in front of this row of private beach huts.
Waiting for bomb disposal, I was about to move the thing about a half-mile to a deserted bit of beach, when half of the county's Police turned up, led by the brother of that chap Gene Hunt with the Quattro. They were all fired up, having been told of a 'bomb on the beach', and were expecting to be hunting for terrorists.
So, rather than adopting our calm approach which involves patiently waiting somewhere quiet for EOD, and only then closing off the coastal path for perhaps 15 minutes while they blow the thing up, Mr. Hunt promptly told me that the entire (private) beach must be evacuated to a radius of 300 yards clear of this little rusty lump that had minded its own business under water for 60 years.
I looked at all the kids in the water, all the beach hut owners spread out in deck chairs, looked at my watch and saw that EOD would be at least another 2 hours, and said to Mr. Hunt "I've got to attend another shout, I'll leave you in charge of this" and off I went.
One of my better decisions!

 

[Alfie168]

I read in PBO Dec 09 that there is a memorial at Mundesley in Norfolk to the 26 soldiers who lost their lives clearing ordnance from Norfolk beaches 1945-55.

It can still go bang, and there must still be loads of the stuff out there one way or another. Its amazing there arn't more incidents really.

Tim

 

[bastonjock]

Theres a sign at Hemsby beach in Norfolk claiming that the beach was eventually cleared of ordinance,i think it was 1960,s.

The east coat is litterd with WW2 aircraft,there must still be a fair bit of munitions left rotting away,just dont drop the hook on the stuff

 

[davidfox]

I agree with Cantana, it is a little worrying, when these guys have to 'big time' it and make a lot more of it than they have to, its the risk assessment, H & S mentality and culture that we are in, no one is being allowed to make decisions for themselves anymore and take responsibility for themselves either, stop me someone please ...