A small EOD task in the Thames estuary

[Tony Williams]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17513286

If you write it as 1.4 kT it doesn't look like that much HE, does it?
:tinysmile_grin_t:

 

[TimG]

From "REPORT ON THE WRECK OF THE SS RICHARD MONTGOMERY" Maritime and Coastguard Agency

MUNITIONS REMAINING ABOARD SS RICHARD MONTGOMERY
DERA in their summary report have listed the best estimates of the munitions which remain aboard the SS Richard Montgomery. The weights given in the table below are those of the
explosive content of the cargo and not the shipped weight.
LOCATION TYPE OF MUNITIONS EXPLOSIVE
WEIGHTS (TONNES)
HOLD NO1
Deep tanks Aft
79 cases signals 3 (pyrotechnics)
1429 cases wp 100lb smoke bombs 65 (white phosphorus)
Deep tanks Forward
30 Boxes boosters 31 (pyrotechnics)
786 boxes signals
Lower hold/tween deck
1407 500lb bombs TNT AN M64A1 167
850 1000lb bombs TNT AN M65 208
1500 250lb bombs TNT AN M57 84
HOLD NO 2
Lower hold
1068 1000lb SAP bombs TNT AW-M59 140
574 500lb SAP bombs AN M58 41
286 2000lb GP TNT AN-M66 144
588 1000lb AN M65 140
Tween deck
521-580 B260lb fragmentation bombs AN M81 9
2297 cases of fragmentation bomb clusters 9
AN M1A1 (6 x 20lb fused)
and/or AN M4A1 (3 x 23lb unfused)
and/or AN-M81 B260lb
HOLD NO 3
Lower hold/tween deck
1170 SAP 1000lb bombs 163
406 GP 1000lb bombs 99
1351 SAP 500lb bombs 97
TOTAL 1400 tonnes

TimG

 

[Millsman]

Thanks for the list. I've lived in Kent all my life and quite a few people of a certain age are still nervous about this wreck. I had a relative who lived in Leigh-On-Sea on the North shore of the estuary opposite and he estimated that if it went off he would lose at least the roof of his house (he was an structural engineer, so did the maths).

I think the government should donate this wreck to BOCN and let our EOD qualified members empty it and sell the contents to the members?? Good idea?? John:wink: