Wednesday 3 September 2008

Anyone hear ticking?

Looking through the local paper's website for something else, I was stunned to read that:

During World War 2 it [Aberdeen] was attacked 34 times, earning it the unwanted nickname Siren City.

And now it has emerged that more than 20 live bombs could be buried under the Granite City.

While experts are certain the live bombs are buried beneath the city, no one knows where.

It is though that 10% of the 212 explosive devices dropped on the city are still live. Now they are posing a risk to developers. [full story]

Ah well.

13 comments:

chasrle said...

When a couple of bombs were found in London earlier this year, Londonist came up with a link to a 1996 list of known German UXBs in London - see link in http://londonist.com/2008/06/unexploded_bomb_3.php. Worryingly long. Tread lightly and carefully...

AktoMan said...

"The MoD has said action to make the devices safe would be taken only if it was thought they were unstable, so some of the unexploded bombs listed below may by now have been dug-up and neutralised."

Wow!

The Evening Express reported that something like 138 bombs are handled by the UK's 3 bomb disposal teams annually. And the number found hasn't dropped yet.

tick...tick...tick...
;-)

chasrle said...

...Boom?

Anonymous said...

Duncan I know a website that is selling military surplus tin hats.

Anonymous said...

...bang bang

Anonymous said...

That's a bit alarming. Wouldn't you wonder if your house was sitting over a bomb?

Anonymous said...

Well, my flat looks like a bomb has already hit it

Martin Rye said...

Join the ticking club. Norwich got bombed to bits in the War (can you still mention it) Any way as always, it reminds me to read some Spike Milligan.

Andrew Glazebrook said...

I'd tread very carefully when out ! :) Either that or jump up and down like mad on any bump you see !

AktoMan said...

I used to work in Hull for the Coouncil, and recall a car park being renovated in the town centre. And under one of the bollards was ... yup, a UXB.

Milligan's war years made a good read, and the captions were funny, but I have to admit giving up when he got hospitalised in Italy.

Big Kev said...

I used to live in a fishing village and there was hardly a month went by that one of the trawlers didn't drag up a mine. Or a torpedo, in one case. In fact, the collection box for the Fisherman's Benevolent Fund was a mine casing. One of the big spikey ones.

Somebody even caught a submarine once. They put it back :o)

BG! said...

If I were you, I'd stop making trenches right now before ceasing to be a quadruped. You never know what old ordnance you'll find under the next bit of coffee-stirrer!
http://aktoman.blogspot.com/2008/08/trench-model-continues.html

Anonymous said...

@Big Kev
I used to see these spiky mines around beach-fronts as collection 'boxes'. I haven't seen one in years.

@BG!
LOL. I've just finished painting my final batch of WW1 troops (until I feel the need to order some more), so will need to more onto more trench-building.

Expect a sad post on my painting workflow as I leave the ranks of outdoor bloggers and become a sofa blogger. And end up looking like Jabba the Hutt :(