Today, in Berlin
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Europe
Age: 51
Posts: 91
Today, in Berlin
A couple of British tourists, apparently irritated, ask a local why the subway train doesn‘t stop at Hauptbahnhof (central station).
Local guy: Because they‘re defusing a bomb.
British tourist: Seriously, a bomb? Do they know who planted it?
Local guy: The Royal Air Force.
😏
Local guy: Because they‘re defusing a bomb.
British tourist: Seriously, a bomb? Do they know who planted it?
Local guy: The Royal Air Force.
😏
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: I wouldn't know.
Posts: 3,934
Well, it is a very good reason to have some extremely experienced and well trained ordnance disposal experts. All over the country. Sadly every once in a while something goes wrong and they need to train a few replacements.
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida
Posts: 5,079
Well, it is a very good reason to have some extremely experienced and well trained ordnance disposal experts. All over the country. Sadly every once in a while something goes wrong and they need to train a few replacements.
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: apogee
Age: 64
Posts: 59
In business class to Heathrow from Vancouver one day, sitting next to a youngish bloke and as is my norm, I'm not overly talkative so just did the basics.
Told me he was with the UN and on his way to Afghanistan.
Said he was a miner.
Took me a few minutes but it dawned on me he was going out there to remove them.
A career he apparently had selected.
Told me he was with the UN and on his way to Afghanistan.
Said he was a miner.
Took me a few minutes but it dawned on me he was going out there to remove them.
A career he apparently had selected.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SW England
Age: 72
Posts: 3,700
Reminds me of the scene in Auf Wiedersehen Pet when they dig up a bomb in their German building site
Oz (proudly) "that's a British bomb, that is"
Herr Ulrich (sarcastically) "yes Osborne, it did not explode!"
Oz (proudly) "that's a British bomb, that is"
Herr Ulrich (sarcastically) "yes Osborne, it did not explode!"
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Everett, WA
Age: 64
Posts: 2,331
I seem to recall a gift from the Luftwaffe being discovered not too long ago in London while they were working on a new underground line...
Disarming a 75 year old bomb - yikes. Given how unstable explosives can become over time I'm a little surprised there hasn't been the odd spontaneous explosion around various parts of Germany and the UK (not to mention France, Belgium, etc.).
Disarming a 75 year old bomb - yikes. Given how unstable explosives can become over time I'm a little surprised there hasn't been the odd spontaneous explosion around various parts of Germany and the UK (not to mention France, Belgium, etc.).
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 918
Originally Posted by tdracer
I seem to recall a gift from the Luftwaffe being discovered not too long ago in London while they were working on a new underground line...
Disarming a 75 year old bomb - yikes. Given how unstable explosives can become over time I'm a little surprised there hasn't been the odd spontaneous explosion around various parts of Germany and the UK (not to mention France, Belgium, etc.).
Disarming a 75 year old bomb - yikes. Given how unstable explosives can become over time I'm a little surprised there hasn't been the odd spontaneous explosion around various parts of Germany and the UK (not to mention France, Belgium, etc.).
However, there are times when, well, with some locations hope doth springeth eternal as to the possibilities of these little gifts performing as intended.....
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/new...ssway-13040492
Last edited by Krystal n chips; 21st Apr 2018 at 10:53.
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Europe
Posts: 1,116
Originally Posted by tdracer
Given how unstable explosives can become over time I'm a little surprised there hasn't been the odd spontaneous explosion around various parts of Germany and the UK (not to mention France, Belgium, etc.).
ORAC, I used to say the same thing.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 76
Posts: 16,570
Farmer near where I worked turned up a 'bomb'. Only a 25lb practice bomb, no tail, said my manager knocking mud off with a crow bar. Wrong colour says I. Wrong shape says I, and we takes steps to have it removed.
Next day, when EOD arrive, the farmer had laid a second one with it. Our brave EOD team put them in the back of the truck on same bags then, no police presence, drive them off for disposal. Bloody big bang when they did.
Now where there were two UX shells there must be more. I don't remember if they had been fired or simply lost.
Next day, when EOD arrive, the farmer had laid a second one with it. Our brave EOD team put them in the back of the truck on same bags then, no police presence, drive them off for disposal. Bloody big bang when they did.
Now where there were two UX shells there must be more. I don't remember if they had been fired or simply lost.
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: XFW, Germany
Posts: 119
Originally Posted by Rengineer
A couple of British tourists, apparently irritated, ask a local why the subway train doesn‘t stop at Hauptbahnhof (central station).
Local guy: Because they‘re defusing a bomb.
British tourist: Seriously, a bomb? Do they know who planted it?
Local guy: The Royal Air Force.
Local guy: Because they‘re defusing a bomb.
British tourist: Seriously, a bomb? Do they know who planted it?
Local guy: The Royal Air Force.
Tourist: Oh, sorry about that
Local: Well, you did liberate us from fascism, so that's okay.
Tourist: Maybe you will have to return the favour soon.
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Surrey
Posts: 155
Talking of Belgium......when they blew the mines under Messines Ridge in WW1 not all of them went off. In the 50s one of them blew up, detonated by a chance lightning strike during a storm. But others remain......
https://simonjoneshistorian.com/2017...s-of-messines/
https://simonjoneshistorian.com/2017...s-of-messines/
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Herts, UK
Posts: 470
Originally Posted by meadowrun
In business class to Heathrow from Vancouver one day, sitting next to a youngish bloke....
Told me he was with the UN and on his way to Afghanistan.
Told me he was with the UN and on his way to Afghanistan.
I've never met a deminer who flew business... I think he was quite probably pulling your leg.
FX Guru
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Greenwich
Age: 62
Posts: 900
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: No longer in Jurassic Park eating Toblerone....
Posts: 2,652
Many moons ago whilst on a contract with London Underground I saw a map on the wall of one of their offices. I asked the chap I was with what the red dots were. UXBs came the reply. I was stunned by how many there were.
This map by Bombsight shows just how much ordnance was dropped on London: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...don-Blitz.html
This map by Bombsight shows just how much ordnance was dropped on London: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...don-Blitz.html
