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1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 6:31 am
by 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
Re: 1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:05 am
by 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.

Re: 1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:09 am
by TomH
25Pdr wrote: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 )
Re: 1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:19 am
by 25Pdr
TomH wrote:25Pdr wrote: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...

Re: 1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:19 am
by 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were destroyed when they dismantled Camp Bastion, as it was un-economical to ship it back...and they said they were "out of date", being 6 months old..!!
Re: 1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 10:53 am
by TomH
Daryll wrote: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were destroyed when they dismantled Camp Bastion, as it was un-economical to ship it back...and they said they were "out of date", being 6 months old..!!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?
Re: 1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 11:58 am
by snayperskaya
Daryll wrote: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were destroyed when they dismantled Camp Bastion, as it was un-economical to ship it back...and they said they were "out of date", being 6 months old..!!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!.
Re: 1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 2:14 pm
by 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.
Re: 1500 Miles of Bombs
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2015 8:23 am
by 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.