1500 Miles of Bombs

[TomH]

Interesting clip showing the scale of surplus munitions in Britain post WWII. How many thousands of tons have the Government dumped in the sea over the years?

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/1500- ... in+the+sea

[25Pdr]

A poster on our Club wall mentions that after the War Clubs were sold 303 ammo for two pounds ten shillings (£2.50) for a box of 1246 rounds.

[TomH]

A poster on our Club wall mentions that after the War Clubs were sold 303 ammo for two pounds ten shillings (£2.50) for a box of 1246 rounds.

That would be £5.87 per 100 rounds I reckon in today's money. (using this calculator http://www.moneysorter.co.uk/calculator ... calculator )

[25Pdr]

A poster on our Club wall mentions that after the War Clubs were sold 303 ammo for two pounds ten shillings (£2.50) for a box of 1246 rounds.

That would be £5.87 per 100 rounds I reckon in today's money. (using this calculator http://www.moneysorter.co.uk/calculator ... calculator )

If only...

[Daryll]

Unlike the 1.2 million (IIRC) rnds of 5.56 that were destroyed when they dismantled Camp Bastion, as it was un-economical to ship it back...and they said they were "out of date", being 6 months old..!!

[TomH]

Unlike the 1.2 million (IIRC) rnds of 5.56 that were destroyed when they dismantled Camp Bastion, as it was un-economical to ship it back...and they said they were "out of date", being 6 months old..!!

WTF? And presumably equally big piles of most other munitions used?

[snayperskaya]

Unlike the 1.2 million (IIRC) rnds of 5.56 that were destroyed when they dismantled Camp Bastion, as it was un-economical to ship it back...and they said they were "out of date", being 6 months old..!!

And there's me with 1967 dated Russian 7.62x39 milsurp that goes bang every time!.

I used to work with a bloke years ago who worked on the railways in the 50s' and I remember him telling me how for years he used to lug trainloads of bombs and ammunition up to Stranraer where it would be put on ships and dumped in the Irish Sea.He used to joke that they dumped that much he was surprised it didn't form a new island!.

[waterford103]

In the late 60's I bought an almost new No4 for £7/10 shillings - it came with 200rds of ammo , the shop in Blackpool was crammed with boxes of it.

[Countryman]

One of the biggest stores of aerial bombs in the country was not far from me. Far from being dumped in the sea I understand much of this elderly bomb stockpile was dumped on Iraq during the gulf war. Pretty much cleared out.