Stokes Mortar 2nd find in less than a year!

[dave4997]

Right, it's a slightly long story and I'm a bit annoyed at the local constabulary at the minute, but here we go.

Last summer whilst out walking my dogs in the New forest, I came across a rusty piece of steel tube in an unusual place (a long way from the nearest road or track) upon closer inspection I realized it might be a bomb complete with both end caps, so after some deliberation I phoned 999. The local officer turned out and agreed that it might be a bomb so called Eod from Tidworth. The bomb turned out to be a 4" Stokes mortar which was taken away and dealt with quite quickly.

Last night whilst out walking my dogs I found a 3" Stokes Mortar less than 1/2 a mile from the first find, so I called the police who sent an officer, who turned up with no torch! No problem I have two. He then mumbles about getting wet feet but after some encouragement walks the 1/2 mile through the cratered landscape and looks at the mortar. Oh yes it could be a bomb he says, so I explain my previous discovery and show him some of the shrapnel thats lying around and explain a little bit about the area's history. Ok he says if its been there since 1916 one more night won't hurt it, Eod can come out tomorrow. So he marks the location with a traffic cone (so the whole world can see it) and asks if it would be ok for Eod to contact me tomorrow and then reports everything back by radio. By about 15:00 today I have recieved no phonecall, but have driven past the site several times during work, so I phone the police to enquire progress. Yes Eod have attended and it's been dealt with, ok I thought thats good but I'll just go and check. To my suprise the road cone and shrapnel have gone but the mortar is still lying in its pool of water. I the phone the police again to explain what's happened. Some 3 hours later and after another phone call to find if I'm needed to show the location again I've heard nothing from them.

Is it just me or do the police seem a little incompetent?

Should I try and contact EOD at Tidworth directly?

The Mortar looks to be in quite good condition, complete with fuze

Dave

 

[spotter]

i would phone them again and TELL THEM it is FUZED and is likely to cause death or injury if someone else comes across it who does not recognise it as a piece of ordnance,,,do they want that on there conciences as im sure you dont,,also have alook on bocn for 3 inch stokes,,copy any pics you find showing what a fuzed one looks like so you can show the police what one looks like..
hope this turns out well
allan

 

[exat808]

Agree with Spotter.
JSEODRC will not take taskings direct from the public. It must be via a Police control room or other agency such as Coastguards.

 

[dave4997]

Ok thanks for the support, it turns out that 1 bad police officer couldn't be bothered to do his job and caused the whole problem. After enough phonecalls from me, a police Inspector got involved and agreed that it was a Stokes Mortar and called for Eod. Whilst waiting for Eod we discovered two more. Eod decided that one was quite volitile so all three where destroyed in place this afternoon.

My next concern is how many more are there if I have now found 4 lying around on the surface in the last 6-8 months?

Only time will tell but as these where discovered within 1/3 of a mile of a campsite thats full of families during the summer, I'm really quite worried.

Thanks

Dave.

 

[smle2009]

Hi Dave,
regarding your concerns of 'how many more are there',the New forest is 'littered' with ordnance from both wars and finding ordnance there today is far from unusual.
There is a (geographically unnamed by myself) lorry park and cafe where the surrounding area still has 'do not touch' warning signs along the open access 'nature trails' in this area.

All the best
Tony

 

[bacarnal]

Don't forget that if it is buried, it can likely come back to the surface through an action called "frost heave". Cheers, y'all, Bruce.

 

[Edwardc]

pictures would be cool. Just as a record. Glad it got sorted though, perhaps people dont take old munitions seriously because they dont know the consequences of not.