17/10/2024 Canada (Canadà), Ontario, Ottawa
“If you ever come across anything suspicious like this item, please do not pick it up, contact your local law and/or enforcement agency for assistance”
Story by David Pugliese
Large numbers of high explosive bombs from the Second World War are still sitting in the Mer Bleue bog, according to newly declassified documents. But military experts believe the 500-pound and 1,000-pound bombs pose a low risk as long as they remain undisturbed by the public, the records obtained by the Ottawa Citizen point out. It has been previously known in some military circles that unexploded ordnance or UXOs were believed to be still in the bog, which during the Second World War was a Royal Canadian Air Force bombing range. The newly released records, obtained through an access to information request, provide more details than previously made public about the popular hiking and conservation area in the greenbelt. “During the site’s active years 500 to 1,000 pound bombs were dropped on the site using the small islands in the center [sic] of the bog as targets,” outlined a March 26, 2004 letter from Susan Home, a realty research officer for Director of Realty Assets and Plans at the Department of National Defence (DND). “It is believed that there are many unexploded bombs sunk in the mud of the bog.” Home was responding to a query from the National Capital Commission (NCC) for the defence department to search its records for more details about the bombs. Another DND report from 1973 concluded: “A large number of high explosive bombs were dropped on this range which failed to function. The number and location of these unexploded ordnance could not be determined.” Added another undated military document which was recently declassified: “Because they could not be located and destroyed (the bombs) have remained where they fell ever since.”
Mounties are reminding anyone who comes across explosives or live ammunition to call police for assistance and to not handle them yourself.
Dear editors, Biography of a bomb is aimed at highlighting the danger caused by unexploded bombs. Moreover, the most important aspect is that we work completely non profit, what drives us is raising awerness about this topic. We make use of your pictures and articles, but we need them to put a context in how findings are done. We trust in your understanding. We will (and we always do) cite the source and the author. We thank you for your comprehension.
