# Still Cleaning up...



## gumbyk (Nov 18, 2013)

Its taken almost 100 years, and the Belgians are still cleaning up from WW1. I'm amazed that 30% of all shells were duds though.

The iron harvest: Meet the soldiers tasked with clearing hundreds of tonnes of deadly World War I shells and mines from beneath the fields of Flanders | Mail Online


----------



## vikingBerserker (Nov 18, 2013)

Is that not just amazing.


----------



## meatloaf109 (Nov 18, 2013)

Scary.
Some of those things could still go off.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 18, 2013)

There are literally millions of UXO's from WWI and WW2 buried all over Europe just waiting to be found.


----------



## Vic Balshaw (Nov 19, 2013)

You got to give it to those guys, not an enviable job.


----------



## Wayne Little (Nov 19, 2013)

Unbelievable....


----------



## Capt. Vick (Nov 19, 2013)

Vic Balshaw said:


> You got to give it to those guys, not an enviable job.



I don't know...being outside in the nice weather...no one rushing you...only the presure of instant death hanging over you...sounds quite pleasent.


----------



## Thorlifter (Nov 19, 2013)

Yeah, not a job I would want.


----------



## T Bolt (Nov 19, 2013)

Not a job I'd like to do. My hat's off to them


----------



## Readie (Nov 19, 2013)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> There are literally millions of UXO's from WWI and WW2 buried all over Europe just waiting to be found.




Every demolition, excavation or new building works started in Plymouth since the end of WW2 has unearthed unexploded bombs from the blitz.
Its so common, that it barely warrants a mention in the local news.
God only knows what ordnance lie in German soil... 
I doubt if Europe will ever be free from two world wars worth of ordnance.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 20, 2013)

Readie said:


> Every demolition, excavation or new building works started in Plymouth since the end of WW2 has unearthed unexploded bombs from the blitz.
> Its so common, that it barely warrants a mention in the local news.
> God only knows what ordnance lie in German soil...
> I doubt if Europe will ever be free from two world wars worth of ordnance.



It is a daily thing. We were camping one time down in Bavaria near the alps, and found an unexploded bomb in the camp site. Needless to say we were camping at another location.


----------



## Marcel (Nov 21, 2013)

Yup, here also. Rotterdam is full of the stuff and there are other spots in the country, too. We also find the occasional bomber now-and-then.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## Readie (Nov 22, 2013)

And treat the remains of allied crews with the greatest respect too.
I admire that Marcel.


----------



## Airframes (Nov 22, 2013)

Here's a couple of pics taken by my mate Mick, on the annual pilgrimage of the 'Sutton Pals' to Ypres and 1st World War battle fields in October this year. The shells are in a small museum, one of literally hundreds in villages, towns, farms etc, and the shell cases stacked near a surviving trench behind a cafe!
Once I've had a chance to sit down with Mick and get the details of the all the photos I've filed on my computer for him, I'll post a thread on the visits.

And, If at first you don't succeed, then Bomb Disposal is probably not for you!


----------



## Marcel (Nov 23, 2013)

Readie said:


> And treat the remains of allied crews with the greatest respect too.
> I admire that Marcel.


Well, not only for the allied crews. We also find german aircraft with their crews. I don't believe we make any distinction in that anymore. Used to be different, but time heals all wounds obviously.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Nov 23, 2013)

Marcel said:


> Well, not only for the allied crews. We also find german aircraft with their crews. I don't believe we make any distinction in that anymore. Used to be different, but time heals all wounds obviously.



Well said my friend!

Blue skies and tail winds to all of them.

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


----------



## N4521U (Nov 23, 2013)

These guys seem to be the modern day heros of the World Wars.

Just was thinking, how many bombs in WWII set off hidden UXO's from WWI?


----------

