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Now for a test, to see if anyone out there is awake! I was born in Cambridge, and there are a couple of items where I want some input. One place and one incident. Firstly, the place. During WW2 there was some interesting activity in an old chalk working on the edge of town. This quarry is still there, in Limekiln Road, Cherryhinton. It is now a Caravan Club site, and is called West Pit. When I was a kid, it was derelict and I and many other local kids loved to explore it, and I saw the old military buildings and the far more interesting remains of two tunnels at the lowest point in the quarry. I know from eyewitness reports, from reliable sources, that there were rails leading into these tunnels, and trolleys were placed on them with metal plates. Projectiles were fired at these plates from field guns. This was either to test the plates, or the ammunition. Anyone know more? I know a bit more, but I don't want to prompt anyone too much! Email me if you want to add anything or compare notes!! David Farrant

Next, something a lot more interesting, but I am not going to make this at all obvious. If you know anything, then you will know what I am on about, but if not it will just seem like a mystery. This is another WW2 incident and happened in the centre of Cambridge in April 1941. This has been mentioned in a few publications, but it has without exception been wrongly attributed and misrepresented. I know a great deal about this one, and I am just fishing to check details. If you know something useful I can tell you an amazing story about this. Look at the picture, do you know this man, and what he was, and what he was up to? What precisely happened to him?
David Farrant




Britain unable to make bombs and other munitions? Not a silly story, it may soon be fact, read on...

I recently became aware of the proposed closure of the former Royal Ordnance factory located between Puriton and Woolavington in Somerset. Why should this be of interest or concern? Its not the size or even the interesting history of this plant. Its that it is just about the only place that makes the high explosive and propellant that is required in many of our military munitions. It is not just the loss of 130 jobs which is of concern, although that is a tragedy in itself, it is that we will be dependant on foreign suppliers for our defence, maybe for the first time in our long history. This factory produces high quality and highly specialised explosives which even the USA buys because they are the best available. Those of you old enough to remember the Falklands war will possibly remember the fiasco when our armed forces had to beg for small arms ammunition, because we could not supply enough. Our people went cap in hand to the Americans to beg for Sidewinder missiles that actually worked against the Argentine air force, unlike what we had in stock. Our Navy used 4.5 inch guns that are not a standard NATO calibre and ammunition manufacture was contracted to a German based company, who sub-contracted to a Belgian company that refused to supply, as they did not agree with the conflict! Since then, the Cold War has ended, and we have rushed headlong to throw away all of our defensive capability to the point where we are in a very much worse situation than that now. Ask yourself if the military forces we have left should be allowed to actually have any explosive, and bullets. If so, read the transcript below of the speech made to Parliament by the MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, in whose constituency the factory is located. See his website here>> http://www.liddellgrainger.org.uk/local/SAVETHEBOMBFACTORY.html
If you then feel as I do that this is way beyond the last straw, I would urge you to contact your own MP about the matter and ask what is being done to preserve the ability of this country to adequately defend itself? Write also to the Ministry of Defence, and the Prime Minister. Keep at 'em! It seems a small price to pay to save this facility so that we still have at least a chance to make our own munitions when necessary. Do it now!

(text of speech made by MP Ian Liddell-Grainger during special parliamentary debate on Defence procurement on March 7th 2006)

I am indebted to the House for the opportunity to raise this matter. Defence is a genuine interest of mine. I used to be an adviser to Army Land Command. I maintain the rank of Major and I remain on the reserve list.

But, most important of all, I represent a constituency with a proud history of providing our army, navy and air force with the real means to do the job.

In Bridgwater we make bombs.

We have done so efficiently, economically and successfully for over fifty years. Some of my constituents are the best legal bomb-makers in the business. They are true specialists, dedicated to their work.

But next year there may be no more work for them to do. Next year the people who now own the Royal Ordnance Factory just outside Puriton intend to close the place.

They reckon they can buy what Britain needs elsewhere in the world. And cheaper.

I think they are misguided. And I am not alone.

One hundred and thirty highly-skilled people agree with me. So does my Parliamentary predecessor the former Defence Secretary Lord King, as do many people with a real understanding of ordnance supplies.

To shut the plant would be much more than a local blow. It would be a national disgrace. It could put the very defence of the realm at risk.

We started making armaments in Bridgwater during the last war. It was a question of genuine necessity. Germany was stretching our military capabilities to the limits. So building the new factory became a money-no-object operation..

They even dug a complete canal system from the Bristol Channel to provide coolant.

Over the years this discreet little plant has churned out bombs and bullets for every theatre of conflict.

It was in my local ROF that the famous bouncing bombs designed to destroy the Ruhr dams were loaded.

Their inventor, Sir Barnes Wallis is probably rotating in his grave at news that the factory is doomed.

The bombs that were aimed at Saddam Hussein's bunkers were also primed in Puriton. The final charges for all our Trident Missiles are made and loaded in my back yard.

The workforce was, and remains, extra special. Originally they were recruited from all over Britain - experts with cool heads. Such people are rare but essential to the dangerous business of handling high explosives.

So the ROF maintained an enviable reputation for safety.

When it became part of BAE Systems the employees faced change with their typical "can do" attitude. Even when the plant was under threat of closure a couple of years ago everyone volunteered extra productivity.

I know because I worked alongside the trade unions and the local management to keep the factory in business.

Now crude economics are beating sound common sense.

BAE is rationalising - for hard commercial reasons.

But no Government should treat defence like commerce. And no government should be held hostage by a big company like Bae.

Who will pack our bombs in future ? Who will load our bullets ?

These are sensible questions, to which I have not so far been given any sensible answers. I have had correspondence with Ministers and held one detailed face-to-face session at the Ministry, but all I can report is what I am told - not very much:

"There is nothing to worry about", is the official line. "Bae Systems is confident that there is no risk to supply".

Well - in the manner of Mandy Rice-Davies - they would say that. Wouldn't they?!

Bae Systems probably can't be bothered with a little bomb factory that ticks over nicely but will never make a real bomb - in the financial sense.

The land on which the factory stands is close to the M5 and might fetch a packet if sold for housing. Has that thought crept in the Bae accountants heads ?
I sincerely hope not. And I'll fight like fury if it happens.

National security should never depend on commercial decisions.

I am told, for example, that the US Navy is seriously worried about future supplies because the Puriton factory produces a particular type of explosive that is hard to obtain from any other source.

Rumour has it that the Pentagon is trying to persuade my local plant to make more of the stuff so the American's can stockpile it ! The Americans are well aware of our skills. And they certainly have no intention of shopping round the world.

Naturally you can buy things that go bang in all corners of the globe. But the secret is to buy quality. You don't want any of it going bang unexpectedly. And you certainly don't want it to fail to go bang.

A few years ago the British army tried to save cash buying bullets made in the Far East. But riflemen with rifles that refuse to fire aren't any use to any army. The foreign goods were quietly, and expensively, scrapped. My factory made up the shortfall.

But I have an abiding distrust of the process of defence procurement.

How was it, for example, that the highly trained experts responsible for RAF Yeovilton managed to order an expensive new control tower from which it proved impossible to see the aircraft ?

And those of us with contacts in the Military well remember the nickname for Operation Sharp Sword. It was a huge training exercise in the gulf. Army boots started to melt. And Tanks and helicopters instantly clogged up with sand.

The lads on the ground renamed Sharp Sword - "Operation Broken Penknife" !

Rumour also has it that France could become the new source of future supplies.

The French produce splendid cheese and magnificent wine. But I wouldn't bank on their ability to keep us in weapons or explosives. The French record of safety and security trails way behind ours.

I am told that a consignment of explosives was recently shipped from France to Somerset so that the experts at Puriton could have a good look at it.

The product was passable. But the security at the French depot where we collected it was almost non-existant.

No wonder the Americans are getting twitchy.

But why aren't we ? This is no time or place for complacency.

If Somerset's only ordnance plant was now facing closure because of the peace dividend nobody at all would grumble.

But this sad saga is really about price, not peace.

I believe that making weapons is far too important to leave to the market-place.

Closing our arms factory would be a bitter blow to Bridgwater and a very dangerous step for our national security. I appeal to the Minister to intervene, to use his muscle, and to do so before it is too late.





For decades, since the 1950's, the British Government has continually denied the existence of an underground emergency headquarters for the government and associated functions during time of war, at Corsham in Wiltshire. Variously named BURLINGTON, TURNSTILE, SUBTERFUGE and probably others. This huge complex of mines included various ammunition stores and arms factories from WW2 and has been used for other functions, parts being frequently explored by various civilians over the years. Rumours about what had happened to the government hideaway have been rife for years. Now it is not only admitted, but for sale!
25th November 1998, on BBC Radio 4, there was a program about British Chemical weapons and the fact that huge amounts of them were simply dumped and will come back to haunt us. The program mentioned Risely (Melchbourne, Coppice Wood) near Bedford and the famous dumping ground of Beauforts Dyke between Northern Ireland and South West Scotland. There are many other places with potential problems not mentioned! Bomb disposal operatives were quoted as saying that even now, after at least two "clearances" of Riseley there are still large amounts of metal objects to be removed and certified safe. One man said that because the records of these places were in most cases deliberately destroyed, he and his colleagues never knew what they would come across. It was common to find chemical bombs up to 500lbs still armed and fused. A nice way to make a living! When a gas pipeline was laid across the enormous dumping ground off the North West coast of England, at, and sometimes around, Beauforts Dyke, in 1995, over 4000 phosporous incendiary bombs washed up on beaches in the area. Fishermen caught them and boats and even road vehicles were damaged. Now they want to put two electricity cables through the area! This area contains not only mustard agent, phosgene and more ordinary explosive devices, but many thousands of tons of WW2 German nerve agent. I would rather not think about what will happen if there is a big explosion there. There has already been an explosion measured at 2 on the richter scale after the 1995 disturbance.
Interestingly there was mention that there were other sites with problems but no names were given. You can read about one in the Nuclear and Chemical Weapon section of this site. I was born literaly within the shadow of another, Lords Bridge near Cambridge. This one was a FFD like Melchbourne, but it had a slightly more lively history after WW2. In 1955, it had three huge underground tanks, 25feet deep and 25feet in diameter. They contained many tons of mustard agent in benzene solvent. A nice recipe! Benzene is highly flammable and a worker using an acetylene torch managed to cause an explosion. A huge cloud of black smoke drifted off towards Cambridge and a certain amount of panic set in. The bravery of one man who donned his protective gear and put foam on the fire for some time at no little risk to himself was the only bright spot in this whole event.. RAF fireman Corporal John Saunders was awarded the George Medal for his courage that day and the site commander, Flight Lieutenant Edward Campbell was awarded the MBE. The local population was awarded a huge toxic cloud!
Perhaps another type of item might be of interest. While looking up some information I came upon this rather lively bit of history. Where was the loudest place in Britain? On the 27th November 1944 it was without doubt RAF Fauld (21 MU) near the village of Hanbury in Staffordshire, England. Here in an underground store, which used to be a gypsum mine, there was an estimated 18,000 tons of high explosive bombs in store. This wartime bomb depot was one of several around the country which acted as supply stores for the many RAF airfields. At about ten past eleven in the morning on this day there was a huge explosion here. Between 3,500 and 4,000 tons of the bombs exploded. The cause is unknown but various theories have been put forward from sabotage to someone using a brass punch on a bomb fuse. The village of Hanbury was almost completely destroyed, a farm along with a number of cattle, wagons, horses and six farm workers vanished. In total more than seventy people, workers in the bomb store, villagers, farm workers and passers by died in the explosion. A hole 300 feet deep and a quarter of a mile across was left in the ground. Yet this was lucky in a way. Had the entire 18,000 tons of munitions exploded, then the effect would have been very much of the order of the Hiroshima bomb. Today the site is still Ministry property and remains closed to the public due to the unexploded bombs still present in the tunnels. This was such an impressive bang that the Germans tried to claim it was one of their V weapons!


Overhead photo of the Fauld crater




September 2000. Sad news this month, on the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. One of the few surviving radar masts from that era is no more. On 21st September the single remaining mast at Bawdsey was demolished. This grade II listed structure was found to be severely corroded during a routine inspection and was declared unsafe to climb. This site was the original home of radar, as it was developed here and at Orford Ness. This mast was therefore of some historic interest. The structure was owned by HM Coast Guards who purchased the site from the MOD in 1993 to enhance their radio coverage in the area. Their antennae on the mast required regular maintenance, hence the need for it to be regularly climbed. The old mast will be replaced by a modern 60metre mast. *See Cold war relics page for picture of mast!*