World War II Shell Blast Kills Russian Boy

[Jim O]

A shell left over from World War II exploded in southern Russia, killing an 11-year-old boy who was apparently trying to take it apart, authorities said Monday, Associated Press news agency reports.

The 72-mm shell exploded after the boy found it on the outskirts of the city Volgograd and brought it home, the regional Interior Ministry branch said.

It said the boy, who was home alone, apparently was trying to dismantle the shell when it blew up.

Mines and shells from the second world war are scattered across much of western Russia, and accidents, often involving children, are common.

Source: MOSNEWS.COM

[Hobilar]

Not just in Russia either. Only a few weeks ago the River Mersey at Liverpool had to be closed to shipping whilst an unexploded German bomb was towed out to sea to be detonated safely.

[Klaus]

I always find it hard to believe that these old bombs still work. Amazing.
In Austria an Germany there are 5 to 6 reports a year of old bombs. Mostly they are found when a new building is errected.

[Helmut Von Moltke]

Ouch. About old mines and bombs, there are still millions left in Egypt, left from Rommel's campaigns, Arab Israeli wars, etc.

K

[Jim O]

Live WWII bombs, mines, and unexploded shells are still all over the place:

From Chicago airman's remains to be buried in D.C.:

In August 2002, a team from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, responsible for accounting for missing servicemen, was told that a French aircraft wreckage-hunting group had found a crash site near the village where the B-17G went down. The U.S. team surveyed the site, excavated it in July 2004 and recovered human remains, personal effects and crew-related materials in the wreckage. Also found were six unexploded 250-pound bombs.

[Hobilar]

I heard a story about somebody who discovered an unexploded piece of ordnance dating from the American Civil War. This guy decided that it would make a nice ornament in his house but decided to first paint it so that it would fit in with his decor.

Sometime later he redecorated the room, so decided to again repaint his trophy. Unfortunartely he set about removing the old paint with a blowtorch.

He didn't do that AGAIN

[Lancer44]

In Poland is nearly the same like in Russia and Germany. Every excavation in Warsaw bring unexploded shells, mortar bombs and sometimes large stacks of ammo. Lucky findings like ex Home Army hidden weapons stores are another matter - they all go to museums. Original Stens are rarity.

I spent my time in the army in late 70's. In AAA. I remember two funny stories.
Once when having our tour on the airfield, me and two other blokes went to nearby farm to buy some fresh milk.
Waiting for farmers wife to bring milk, we were standing outside.
In one moment farmer opened the shed, took out a few buckets of steamed potatoes and emptied them to the larger container.
Then went back to the shed, come back with panzerfaust and started mashing potatoes for his pigs...
All three of us ducked behind the corner of the house. When we told grandpa that "this thing may go off at any time", he laughed at us and told to f..k off. For him we were kids, he was about seventy.
We reported things to our CO and he called cops and sappers. When they arrived he went with them to show the place.

When back, he told us that grandpa was furious when they took that panzerfaust. He was swearing loudly that they stealing the best potato masher he ever had... "Bloody government want me to feed bloody pigs to feed bloody beaurocrats in Warsaw, but they stealing my best potato masher!"
Sappers exploded it with two small sticks of TNT and it went off with a quite a big bang.

Another story is even better.
Our regiment CO bought horse and proudly rode every morning.
One day horse lost horse shoe and blacksmith was needed.
It was not far away. He told his so called "personal" private to walk the horse to the blacksmith.
Bloke come back and said that blacksmith in a village is hammering hot irons on the body of the large bomb.

He was right, sappers unearthed 500 kg bomb half buried in the ground.
Blacksmith was not very happy... He said that it was pretty solid, stable and excellent tool to hammer bigger pieces like rods for the gates and fencing.

Our airfield was used by German bombers during war. Most probably bomb was dropped when disabled bomber was trying to land and had to get rid of unused bombs.
It was German type as sappers told us later.
The whole operation of digging it out, lifting by a crane, placing on a truck and then driving with speed of 5km/hour to the place wher they exploded it, took the whole day.
They could not remove fuse, because blacksmith was using a lot of water in his shop and the whole piece underground rusted.
Village had to be evacuated and road closed. Farmers and their families were our regiment guests. For one day our cooks were feeding kids and cooked diet dishes for old grandmas.

Cost of removing unexploded ordnance in Russia, Germany, France, Poland and basically every country where more or less fighting occured during WWII is still high after 60 years. Training of sappers, neccessity of maintaining special military units and so on.
I think that NATO policy now is to pass these tasks to specialised private companies run by former sappers - (nice bonus for early retirement) - it takes the burden from the army and costs are not affecting military budgets - specialists charge for explosives removal and disposal.

Local councils, owners of the land or investors which hired excavation company pay for the service.
And because of insurance costs for "private sappers" and charges which they have to pay army for using army land to explode their findings, they pay a fortune.

War, even finished 60 years ago is always a business.

Cheers,

Lancer44

[Jim O]

As if on cue, sadly we have the following from the Philippines yesterday:

WWII bomb explodes, kills 5 fishermen

By Marlon Alexander Luistro
Inquirer

Posted date: August 28, 2006

CAMP MIGUEL MALVAR, BATANGAS CITY—Five fishermen were blown into pieces after a vintage bomb exploded at Barangay Payapa, Nasugbu, Batangas around 6:20 p.m., Sunday.

The Nasugbu police identified the victims as Jose Alvarez, 30, a fisherman and Cafgu member, Alberto Malig-on, 40, fisherman—both residents of Barangay Payapa; Eugenio Kaagay, 55, a native of Mariveles, Bataan, a certain “Enteng” and a certain “Bayong.”

Police reports said that around 6:20 p.m., Sunday, the fishermen were cutting metals from a vintage bomb they gathered in the sea of Sitio Cabaong, a kilometer away from Payapa, when it suddenly exploded at the seashore.

Elorde Belen, lone survivor of the explosion, was reported still missing, said SPO1 Benito Bay, desk officer of Nasugbu police.

Bay told the Inquirer that Sitio Cabaong is home to sunken World War II Japanese ships that contain several vintage bombs.

The victims were believed divers of a junk shop who usually sell gun powder gathered from vintage bombs to Manila traders.

Members of the Explosives and Ordnance Disposal team from the 730th Philippine Air Force Combat Group immediately defused the remaining bombs in the area.

Source: WWII bomb explodes, kills 5 fishermen - INQ7.net