A piece of suspected ordnance has been destroyed by means of a controlled explosion on the beach at Compton this afternoon (Sunday).
Bomb Disposal experts from the Royal Navy, who travelled across the Solent from Portsmouth, responded to the West Wight at around midday having been alerted to the explosive find yesterday evening (Saturday).
Due to the tides, the experts were unable to attend any earlier.
The Needles Coastguard Rescue Team joined the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team on the beach at Compton, off Military Road, this afternoon where a sterile environment was created with the beach partially evacuated.
At around 14:20, the explosive charge was ignited and the controlled explosion took place with a loud bang heard from miles around.
The moment was captured on camera by Anthony Redmile…
@HMCoastguard carrying out a controlled explosion on @nationaltrust #Comptonbeach #IsleofWight @islandecho @ITVNewsMeridian pic.twitter.com/n2ZUcMvdas
— Anthony Redmile Ltd (@anthonyredmile) March 27, 2022
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What price the ‘feel good’ factor?
Just how many pieces of ordanance have ‘exploded’ by accident ever here since the two wars ?
None I would wager, despite a thousand storms and two hurricanes tossing these thing around on rocky seabeds, and, as time passes these rusty wet devices imo are even more likely to become less of a risk of doing so.
Yet the ‘just in case’ mentality of modern society cost thousands in bringing someone from the mainland to explode the damp squibs.
Nice to imagine you have averted a tragic event, yet imo truth is just a waste of cash as as harmless as a wet boulder.
And you are a munitions expert?
Are YOU?
I know enough to know the facts, that cordite, gunpowder, primers etc don’t become more ‘unstable’ as they are soaked in sea water or rain.
Thousands of bombs are ploughed up in France etc on WW! battel fields, hit by iron plough shares to no ill effect.
People watch too many movies where untable nitro glycerine etc is tranported and treated with care.
Some iron bomb, which never exploded when dropped from thousands of feet when new, is unlike to go off now, with contents wet, prmers inactive and casing holed.
THINK.
Ahhh you are an armchair expert. Perfect. Carry on.
No, he (or she ) is no expert, not too bright either. Far better to be safe than sorry.
No, I’m with Art on this one.
So many people are scared of there own shadows. And so many people, love a bit of drama, because they have nothing else to do.
Ti’s the IW.