The British Army say in a release that bomb disposal experts have dealt with a large historic bomb found in a field in Oxfordshire.
Since the Second World War, specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) support has been provided by the military to the emergency services on a Military Aid to Civil Authorities (MACA) basis – the same arrangements as the military’s current work to support efforts to respond to the coronavirus outbreak say the Army.
“The vast majority of the approximately 2,500 EOD jobs every year arise from people finding old bombs and ammunition, but service personnel also support the police responding to criminal and terrorist threats – both false alarms caused by suspect packages and, the rare, genuine incidents.
The Army’s UK EOD tasks fall to 11 EOD & Search Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, part of 29 EOD & Search Group (29 EOD&S Gp) who are also responsible for providing all of the Army’s EOD, Search, Military Working Dog and specialist C-CBRN Capability both for UK and overseas operations. The UK response is supported by Royal Navy EOD teams trained and equipped to a common standard, with Royal Navy Clearance Divers providing underwater EOD capability.”
On Sunday the 5th of April, a farmer raised the alarm after finding a large aircraft bomb while digging over fields just outside Drayton near Abingdon.
“Thames Valley Police requested EOD support and a specialist team was scrambled from 621 EOD Squadron, 11 EOD & Search Regiment RLC. The item was initially identified as one of the RAF’s Medium Capacity 500lb Bombs, believed to have been dropped on the fields when they were used as a bombing range during the Second World War. After sappers from MACA Troop, 29 EOD&S Group Support Unit built a large sandbag structure around the bomb to contain the blast, it was destroyed in a controlled explosion on the following Tuesday morning.”
Good work guys.