From BBC Radio 4 this morning - Open Country - Fauld Gypsum mine and the Hanbury Explosion



In the Staffordshire countryside, just a few miles from Burton-on-Trent, a wire fence surrounds a deep crater measuring over half a mile wide. Nearby signs warn passers by of the sudden drop and that the land contains unexploded bombs which, in the event of an explosion, could cause injury or death. This is where what is widely believed to be the UK's largest explosion occurred on November 27th 1944 when an underground ammunition store at nearby Fauld blew up detonating 3-4,000 tons of explosives and devastating acres of countryside, killing 70 people, hundreds of sheep and cattle and completely obliterating a nearby farm. The Cock Inn in Hanbury was so badly damaged that it had to be completely rebuilt. For 18 people whose bodies were never found the crater remains their graves, marked by a granite memorial stone close to the perimeter fence.

On the 65th anniversary of the explosion, Helen Mark visits Hanbury, the scene of this wartime tragedy, and talks to local people and survivors about their memories of that day and how the explosion changed their lives and the landscape around them forever. For over 40 years, nothing would grow in what became known to locals as the 'bomb hole' until slowly nature began to reclaim the Hanbury Crater. Helen is joined by the Time Team's Professor Mick Aston and together they visit the crater and go underground at Fauld Gypsum Mine, which dates back to Roman times. The mine was connected to the ill-fated ammunitions store by the reservoir supplying the steam to operate a nearby plastic factory. The greatest loss of life occurred among the factory workers and those underground, who were either drowned or gassed as tonnes of mud and toxic fumes engulfed them. How could such a tragedy happen?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nwvx2 

Good link:-

http://www.monkton-farleigh.co.uk/Fauld%20pictures%20eleven.htm 

Despite it being a mass grave (see along the lines of East Rose, Levant) I would like to have a go at one of the vent shafts. I gather, despite being refurbished, post bang, it has only since become a memorial site.

Legend has it there is a shaft open in the middle of the crater.

Interesting stuff.

Good link:-

Legend has it there is a shaft open in the middle of the crater.

Interesting stuff.

Nothing in the crater , but there was an air shaft near by, it is mentioned in the last part of the pdf.

http://www.emgs.org.uk/files/local_geology/15(2)_fauld_crater.pdf 

Thanks for that link Stuey, good photos , not seem them before.

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Wonder if this is the shaft referred to?

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.843755&lon=-1.731809&z=18.9&r=0&src=msl 

Another interesting website to visit concerning the Fauld explosion is:-

http://www.carolyn.topmum.net/tutbury/fauld/fauldcrater.htm 

Being a schoolgirl and living in Derby at the time of the explosion (Monday, 27th November, 1944 at 11.11 a.m.) I clearly remember this event, we heard the bang and felt the blast as buildings shook, and wondered what on earth it could be. As news was heavily censored in those days (the closing days of the war, D.Day having happened on the 6th June, 1944) we only were told as much as the Government of the Day wanted the public to know, so never got the whole story until years later.

Locally it was known as the Dump and my mine exploration group did have a poke around the area in 1959 (the leader then living in Tutbury who knew the area well), but we didn't find anything, I have a couple of black and white photos of a collapsed level near the Dump which I will put up on AN. A few years later in the early 1960's PDMHS had an evening visit into the working Fauld gypsum mine, then owned by ICI, which we were lucky to get places on, and it was a very interesting trip.

Don't forget that bombs were also stored underground by the RAF at Harpur Hill, Buxton throughout the war, and Harpur Hill RAF station did not close until the 1950's. Nellie Kirkham told me that when she visited the Monyash/Taddington area during the war, there were hugh stacks of undetonated bombs stored on the grass verges all around that area, and she mentioned in particular the lanes around Lathkill Dale, Magpie and Horse Lane (which is part of the old Hassop/Newcastle-under-Lyne Turnpike that runs from Magpie to Monyash and was used for the transport of chert for use in the Potteries - Josiah Wedgewood being one of the partners of the Turnpike Trust).

Out of respect for the site, and also the possible danger of there still being unexploded bombs and ammunition, I would suggest it's best to leave the site along. Just my opinion, but say it was a sunken wreck that had been declared a grave, that wreck site would be left alone, similarly I think this site should also receive the same respect.

Wonder if this is the shaft referred to?

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.843755&lon=-1.731809&z=18.9&r=0&src=msl 

That's one of them with associated fan house structure, but it's been slabbed over inside. There are a few tell tale features which are indicative of more shafts. Having a poke around would confirm.

Just my opinion, but say it was a sunken wreck that had been declared a grave, that wreck site would be left alone, similarly I think this site should also receive the same respect.

The other reason for giving this a miss is, as you say in another way, the 'Richard Montgomery' factor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Richard_Montgomery 

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Although I doubt anyone here would be as stupid as the explorers of the partially demolished German Cross Channel Guns in the Pas-de-Calais.

The emplacement in question had been the subject of an attempt at demolition, with the ammunition still in place (indeed, it was wired as part of the demolition), after the end of WWII. Not everything went off and the emplacement was left in situ as to dangerous to enter.

Explorers got in the habit of using the cordite sticks from the broken propellant charges as flares for light. The inevitable very large bang occured some time in the early sixties IIRC.

Rick

Rick

Must admit to agreeing with Sougher, that part of the mine is a war grave & realy should be respected as such.
Got a permited trip in the working mine about 5 yrs back as I knew one of the shift managers at the time (he's since left so no point in asking unfortunatly).
Here's a sample of the Gypsum collected on that trip[photo]Personal-Album-1036-Image-43925[/photo]

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/benjaminbexson/2449970864/in/set-72157617995652362/ 

I think that's the collared hole in question in the crater.

I gather the old and new mines are on separate horizons.

I find it odd how it was designated as a war grave, despite being refurbished and reused afterwards. I assume this was post closing of that part of the site.

I read (in a book somewhere) that the clearup was very thorough indeed. I also gather that despite the signs, there are a fair few paths/dog walks through the crater.

It's too far up north for me to go and see.

I gather there is a way in and people have been in there. I also think that despite being in a different horizon to the newer workings, the actual bit that was hugely damaged was very well sealed off.