Explosive discovery! Behind the work of the Royal bomb disposal units
British re-enactment groups preserve WWII bomb disposal history through live demonstrations, honoring Royal Engineers who defused 24,000 UXBs.
When military enthusiasts, including myself, look through lists of events catering to their interest, either on the internet or in one of the specialist publications, we’re typically rewarded with a whole range of shows. If you look long enough, nearly any aspect of a military enthusiast’s interests has a show that caters to it. Vehicle shows, conventions and society meetings, militaria collectors’ fairs and battle re-enactments, they are all there to plan dates in diaries.
In the case of re-enactment events, they fall into a special category, somewhere between these two interests. These events are presented by groups of people with more than just an interest in a particular period of history.
In Britain, one of the most popular themes with small groups of re-enactors is the Home Front, which gives enthusiasts the opportunity to show how civilians survived and contributed during WWII. Displays often show how people coped with the bombings during the Blitz, food rationing and the duties of the emergency services. By extension, that includes the roles of the Air Raid Precaution (ARP), Royal Observer Corps, Women’s Institute (WI) and the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS), which were all vital in keeping the country running.
Some groups have a few members who tell how bomb disposal units dealt with the unexploded bombs, known as “UXBs”. They present displays, usually 15 to 20 minutes in length, to demonstrate the dangerous work using original or authentic-looking tools they have collected.
During my visits to shows I enjoy seeing military vehicles being driven in mobility displays, but there is something fascinating and absorbing about the small, more personal demonstrations. That is where the re-enactors depicting bomb disposal stand apart. Over the years I have seen many such demonstrations and each time I learn something new through talking to the re-enactors. Re-enactors are also militaria collectors and some, like the bomb disposal units, use original items of kit and tools in their displays which they have collected from various sources. These displays will display common items like hammers and spanners (wrenches), all the way up to special equipment developed to remove fuzes from bombs.
My interest in bomb disposal began when I spoke to a re-enactor who gave me a history lesson, explaining how the first bomb disposal squads were formed in September 1939, raised from the Royal Engineers, and trained to deal with UXBs. He related how bomb disposal squads were posted overseas to British bases in places such as Malta, where one unit had dealt with a UXB dropped on a church at Mosta. By coincidence, I knew of the event, having visited the church during a trip to the island.
In the afternoon of April 9, 1942, a 500kg bomb hit the church, piercing the roof and terrifying the congregation of around 300 people. The bomb was dealt with by a Royal engineer bomb disposal unit, which removed the fuze and disposed of the object.
After watching a couple of displays, I decided to further my knowledge of bomb disposal by ordering a couple of books, including Bomb Disposal in WWII by Chris Ranstead and Danger UXB by James Owen, both very good works. As I read more into the subject, my admiration increased for the men who had the courage to take on such work as they went about the task of making safe Britain’s Home Front. I was shocked to learn that from September 1940 to July 1941, they dealt with more than 24,000 UXBs. Between 1940 and 1942, 16 major cities were targeted, including Bristol, London, Coventry, Liverpool, Belfast and Cardiff, with bombs dropped ranging in size from 50kg high-explosive types to a 1,800kg bomb known as “Satan”.
If the bombs did not explode upon hitting the ground, their weight meant they buried themselves. After arriving at a site, the first thing the Sappers had to do was expose the bomb by digging down to it, which sometimes meant removing tons of earth.
A trained officer would then set about defusing the bomb, which was never an easy task. Re-enactment groups presenting displays of this work explain how in the early days basic tools such as screwdrivers and pliers were used. Even doctors’ stethoscopes were used to listen for ticking, which would indicate the bomb was live and armed. Later, a range of specialist items made from non-ferrous metal were developed for the unique purpose of defusing UXBs. The specialist tools used have become collectors’ items with re-enactors searching them out for use in their displays.
Much of the work done by bomb disposal units during the war took place at the bottom of holes where nobody could see what was happening. Modern displays, however, are presented on open ground where visitors can see the proceedings. Events are sometimes held at locations where there are buildings which can be incorporated into the display for realism. With a bit of imagination and organization, along with some extra material such as bricks and rubble, a passable rendering of bomb damage can be created. Add some signs warning — “Danger! Keep Out” — and a barrier to complete the setting and the live action display can begin. A running commentary usually explains what is happening step by step for onlookers.
Following such displays, members of the groups often pass around tools and items of kit for visitors to handle and also answer any questions. Because it is hard to imagine the size of some of the bombs, one obliging re-enactment group has created a large banner-type display to show visitors the scale. They also tell stories of the bravery of individuals such as Sapper George Wylie, Royal Engineers, who was awarded the George Cross for his part in helping recover and safely dispose of a 2,000kg German bomb which had fallen in the vicinity of St Paul’s Cathedral in London in September 1940. Together with his team, it took three days to dig out the bomb. It was finally defused by Lt. Robert Davis, who was also awarded the George Cross.
Today, more than 80 years on, builders and construction crews are still uncovering bombs as they excavate ground for new developments. Apart from the shells of a few bombed-out churches such as in Portsmouth, Coventry and Exeter, there is not much left in the way of surviving evidence to show bomb damage in Britain. This makes the displays presented by re-enactment groups important because they remind people of the bravery of these volunteers who risked their lives every time they handled a UXB incident.
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