Demolition expert ‘will go to the nationals’ over unexploded WW2 bombs

Ben Remfrey, a former army demolition specialist who is now managing director of Praedium Consulting Malta, and the MAT Kosovo EOD & ERW Training Establishment, has written directly to Home Affairs president Rob Prow setting out the reasons as to why a previous non-intrusive survey of the area commissioned by Home Affairs in 2019 was insufficient in providing a decisive location of the bombs.

‘Unless a full intrusive survey takes place, I will accept UK broadsheet newspaper approaches for them to cover this regrettable story,’ Mr Remfrey said, adding that one paper he had been in touch with had told him the story would portray Guernsey as an offshore jurisdiction with a ‘village, head in the sand’ mentality.

In his letter to Deputy Prow, Mr Remfrey said that Home Affairs commissioned a ‘wholly inappropriate’ unexploded ordnance non-intrusive survey in 2019 for the area adjacent to the Wellington Close housing development, despite knowing from documented historic evidence that the bombs were buried at least 26 feet deep.

But the Office of Home Affairs is standing by its position that appropriate checks had been carried out.

‘We recognise Mr Remfrey’s strength of feeling about this issue, but consider it is essential that we reassure the community about the steps taken by the States of Guernsey, which have been proportionate and have been tested with experts in this specific field,’ a spokesman said.

‘Emotive language is being used and accusations being made, and we are concerned that it has generated anxiety to residents living in the area, and matters have been, and are not being, proportionately and accurately represented.’

He added that the 2019 survey was carried out on the advice of the Ministry of Defence, which recommended a specialist contractor.

This led to a blocking on future development on the field as a precautionary measure.

‘This was undertaken based on the evidence that no ordnances were found within two to three metres of the surface and therefore, and, if there are any, they are at a significant depth,’ he said.

‘We are not closed-minded about this issue, but guided by the expert advice received and the lack of evidence of risk to public safety.

‘Throughout this process, the MOD and the specialist contractor were fully engaged. In light of this matter being raised we have again sought advice from the MOD and private contractor to ask them to reaffirm their initial advice remains up to date and proportionate.

‘However, we stress again that we are not closed off to the potential to take further action if any new evidence emerges. To date, we have not received any new evidence.’

Mr Remfrey and Home Affairs have both confirmed they were open to meet to discuss the matter.