A UXB in Exeter

My understanding from a qualified source is that the fuse was too corroded to even identify, let alone attempt removal.

Conveniently, the range of German electrical fuzes had the Type number stamped onto the head of the fuze visible after it had been installed. Being cylindrical, they were slid into the fuze pocket and retained by a screwed locking ring. Being made from aluminium alloy, they tend to resist corrosion but the soil in this area is probably acidic and corroded the top. Even if the fuze was identifiable you would not know if an optional anti-handling device had been slid down into the fuze pocket before the main fuze was fitted. This was so designed that any attempt to lift out the main fuze would trigger detonation. An X-Ray would have indicated this is fitted. The SC 1000 'Hermann' had a single fuze pocket.

An alternative is use of a special trepanning machine positioned over the fuze to cut a disc out of the bomb case and remove the fuze, anti-removal and the fuze pocket as one unit and destroy it separately. This can be done remotely but, of course, required the bomb to be uncovered, fuze uppermost. No guarantee that the fuze would not fire due to vibration!

Given the proximity of surrounding buildings and the need to get the evacuated population back to their homes, it was demolished where it lay after revetting it with what appear to have been HESCO barriers filled with sand. Some of the photos below show remnants of these twisted steel mesh and fabric containers fallen from the sky following the detonation.

The bomb appears to have been dropped on the night of the 24/25th April 1942, in the Baedeker Raids.This particular raid appears to have developed from the west and the bombs in the stick were identified as 14/2, 15/2 and 16/2 on the official bomb maps for Exeter.The aircraft (supposed Junkers Ju88) were carrying up to 4 large bombs or a similar assemblage amounting to roughly 2000kg.  Several aircraft that dropped bombs early to the west can be seen to have dropped 4No. 500kg bombs.  This stick (Fig.) looks rather light, until the 1000kg UXB came to light.This appears to fill a gap and brings the total weight to 1800kg.  It is unknown whether any incendiaries were included in the load.

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