THIS WEEK IN 1981: Dredger brings up unexploded bomb

By The Newsroom
Published 4th Apr 2018, 07:00 BST
Two members of the Portsmouth and Medway Clearance Diving Team at HMS Vernon with the 250lb German bomb which was dredged up at Albert Johnson Quay. On the left LS(D) M O'Learey with some of the high explosive content of the bomb and AB C Carr with the fuseTwo members of the Portsmouth and Medway Clearance Diving Team at HMS Vernon with the 250lb German bomb which was dredged up at Albert Johnson Quay. On the left LS(D) M O'Learey with some of the high explosive content of the bomb and AB C Carr with the fuse
Two members of the Portsmouth and Medway Clearance Diving Team at HMS Vernon with the 250lb German bomb which was dredged up at Albert Johnson Quay. On the left LS(D) M O'Learey with some of the high explosive content of the bomb and AB C Carr with the fuse

As the dredger’s grab had cracked the bomb-case open, and it was still live, naval bomb disposal experts were sent on board to defuse it.

The drama began as the dredger, Clyde Bay, was deepening the harbour bed off Albert Johnson Quay.

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The bomb – 3ft long and a foot across – was jammed in one of the dredger’s grabs – and the crew left it exactly where it was.

Portsmouth and Medway clearance diving team’s bomb disposal experts, led by Lieut D Ellis, were called in.

They defused the bomb after two hours.

‘This was certainly a German bomb dropped during World War II,’ said a naval spokesman.

Related topics:Portsmouth