Residents ‘long for closure’ on unexploded bombs survey

A survey of the area in June located three ‘anomalies’, thought to be unexploded ordnance eight metres beneath the field’s surface.

States Emergency Planning has said that it hoped that the results would finally be ready in two months’ time.

‘The survey results from the summer are still with the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory – the branch of the military analysing the results and preparing a report for us,’ said a spokesman.

‘We are now expecting the results of this analysis in February, following a delay which was out of our control. We have updated the residents with this information who remain supportive and will continue to remain in close contact with them.’

The deep cone penetration testing survey conducted in June by contractor 6 Alpha Associates took two weeks to complete and results were expected to be published by the end of the summer.

The States then said in October that results should be available within ‘four to six weeks’.

Local bomb disposal expert Ben Remfrey, managing director of world-leading bomb disposal training company Praedium Consulting Malta and the MAT Kosovo EOD & ERW Training Establishment, has been critical of the delays.

‘In my opinion this delay is due to the lack of urgency or priority given to this issue by Emergency Planning and Home Affairs,’ he said. ‘The residents and landowners are frustrated by the time elapse and excuses given by Home Affairs, passing the buck onto DSTL who will act when commissioned to, which was delayed in the first place.’

‘They are frustrated and want this issue dealt with sooner rather than later,’ he said. ‘They want the report concluded then they want these bombs dealt with once and for all.

‘It will soon be nine months spent on this in which time nothing has been achieved apart from a report from DTSL stating that a threat remains while these bombs are in situ.’

Wendy Hales, who along with her husband owns the field, said she was amazed that nothing was done before the nearby houses were built around four years ago, when the initial survey showed that the bombs were very close to the development.

‘As I understand it, the survey also confirmed that each bomb is twice as large as originally thought,’ she said. ‘And if one goes off they all will. I long for closure in this matter and to know that we will all be safe.’

The bombs are believed to have been dropped in March 1941 by the Royal Air Force who were targeting the German Naval headquarters in St Jacques.

Missing their target, they landed opposite Le Foulon Cemetery.

One bomb went off, while three hit soft ground and penetrated without detonating.

A previous survey of the field commissioned by the States in 2019 found no evidence of any anomalies.

However, that survey only probed to a depth of 4m, and was heavily criticised by Mr Remfrey who went public with his concerns in October 2024.