States are “gambling with public safety” over Route Isabelle bombs investigation

Tuesday 29 October 2024

Locating and dealing with three unexploded WW2 bombs at Route Isabelle should be given the highest priority, an expert has said after meeting with officials earlier today to discuss his case.

Authorities continue to stress there has been no change to any public risk should the ordnance be there, but that they will now talk again to the UK’s Ministry of Defence about the issue.

The States and Police have said that there was no evidence found of the bombs in a private field, but critics point out that the survey from 2019 they rely on did not go deep enough.

Bomb disposal expert Ben Remfrey went public at the start of October, saying there was documented evidence that bombs were at 26ft - well beyond the non-intrusive survey the States commissioned.

He believes three 1,000lbs bombs lie under a field adjacent to Wellington Close after being dropped from a Vickers Wellington Bomber on 3 March 1941 - another bomb exploded.

Pictured: Mr Remfrey has overlayed a sketch map from a report of March 1941 to show the location of the evidence of the bombs striking the area, and the holes left by the three bombs which failed to detonate.

"I appreciated the opportunity to meet with the team at Home Affairs and the States of Guernsey today," said Mr Remfrey.

"There is conclusive evidence, in my view, that three air dropped weapons remain in situ in Route Isabelle, and I believe, with my Subject Matter Expertise, that these devices pose a threat to the community.

"It is important to understand that to locate and deal with these items should be a matter of the highest priority. As we stand - and without locating these devices - it is to gamble with public safety, therefore we are in a no-control situation, and relying on the devices not to spontaneously detonate is dangerous in the extreme.

"We have to control and be preventative to the potential of the threat posed, to protect the community.

"Therefore, in my view we have no alternative but to conduct an intrusive deep survey of the site. We have a duty of care to locate the bombs, and we need to render these devices safe once and for all.

"Bombs of this age (80-years plus) are spontaneously detonating increasingly; we must address the problem before it addresses us."

Police not closed to further action

Head of Law Enforcement, Chief Officer Ruari Hardy, said they had a very constructive and positive meeting.

"We are now awaiting a file of evidence from him, which we will of course consider in an appropriate and proportionate way.

"It is important for us to listen to all experts in a matter such as this, and we now better understand Mr Remfrey's position, and will be able to reflect that to the Ministry of Defence.

"We have said all along that we have not been closed off to the potential of further action should new evidence emerge, or the advice from our partners in the UK change.

"While not seeking to minimise this matter, I would also like to reassure the community living in the area that while we do understand the risks Mr Remfrey has raised, there has been nothing in recent years to specifically increase any risk there may be if the ordnance is there.

"If that changes, or the advice changes in light of the information shared today, the responsible authorities will always step up to ensure public safety."

One of the diary entries that could be key

Mr Remfrey has released a diary entry from the time which documents the bombing:

Diary Entry - "Monday, March 3rd" 1941

"At 22.22hrs an aircraft was heard flying high over the island in a Southerly direction when four very heavy thuds or dull explosions were heard and houses shook considerably. It was raining heavily at the time, & dark, but no searchlights went on nor was there anti-aircraft fire."

"The following morning it was reported that 4 bombs had fallen on land just off the Route Isabelle, some on Lihou's Farm, one bomb was said to have exploded & the others not, and they had buried themselves 18feet deep in the soft earth. They were subsequently filled in and covered over. I was later shown a piece of the bomb which exploded by Captain Henderson & informed that the bombs were British, though they may not necessarily have come from a British plane."