photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Derek Slater | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> The Fauld Explosion tree view | thumbnails | slideshow | map

The Fauld Explosion

On November 27th 1944, at 11 a.m. there was the largest single explosion this country has ever known. In the 2nd world war it was only exceeded by the nuclear explosions in Japan. Between 3,500 and 4,000 tons of munitions stored in the gypsum mine set into the Needwood plateau were detonated, probably by someone working on returned stores, this blew through the roof of the mine releasing the waters from a reservoir that was there to add to the destruction. Official figures stated up to 90 dead, now revised to around 70, including civilians, RAF personnel and Italian prisoners of war who also worked in the munitions store. Not all the store exploded, only around one third detonated, leaving some very tricky work to be carried out with giant slabs of rock resting on top of live bombs.
The site continued to be used for bomb storage up until the 1970's when BRS were involved in the moving of the remaining bombs to American bases further east.
Today the 68th anniversary of the event I was alone for a while and at 11 am stopped and read aloud the names of all those listed on the memorial stone.
On my return across the fields to the car I was thrilled to meet three people on their way to the site, one of whom was an actual witness to the explosion. Ron was serving his one weeks notice for Staffordshire Farmers prior to his call up for military service and was unloading grain when the dump went up; "it looked like a volcano" he told me this morning. I felt privileged to have met one of the luckier people who were around that day.

2014, saw the 70th anniversary of the Fauld Explosion and whilst we made our way across the fields to the crater rim a new memorial with easier access was being dedicated to the families affected down in the valley near the entrance to the on-going mining works, set amongst trees bearing poppies.
70th Anniversary -7898.jpg
70th Anniversary -7898.jpg
70th Anniversary -7897.jpg
70th Anniversary -7897.jpg
70th Anniversary -7896.jpg
70th Anniversary -7896.jpg
70th Anniversary -Oops
70th Anniversary -Oops
70th Anniversary -7892.jpg
70th Anniversary -7892.jpg
70th Anniversary -7889.jpg
70th Anniversary -7889.jpg
70th Anniversary -7888.jpg
70th Anniversary -7888.jpg
70th Anniversary -7887.jpg
70th Anniversary -7887.jpg
70th Anniversary -7882.jpg
70th Anniversary -7882.jpg
70th Anniversary -7881.jpg
70th Anniversary -7881.jpg
70th Anniversary -7878.jpg
70th Anniversary -7878.jpg
70th Anniversary -7872.jpg
70th Anniversary -7872.jpg
70th Anniversary -7869.jpg
70th Anniversary -7869.jpg
70th Anniversary -7868.jpg
70th Anniversary -7868.jpg
70th Anniversary -7862.jpg
70th Anniversary -7862.jpg
70th Anniversary -7861.jpg
70th Anniversary -7861.jpg
70th Anniversary -7859.jpg
70th Anniversary -7859.jpg
70th Anniversary -7858.jpg
70th Anniversary -7858.jpg
70th Anniversary -7857.jpg
70th Anniversary -7857.jpg
70th Anniversary -7855.jpg
70th Anniversary -7855.jpg
70th Anniversary -7853.jpg
70th Anniversary -7853.jpg
70th Anniversary -7852.jpg
70th Anniversary -7852.jpg
70th Anniversary -7849.jpg
70th Anniversary -7849.jpg
70th Anniversary -7848.jpg
70th Anniversary -7848.jpg
68 years . to the minute
68 years . to the minute
Blocked Path
Blocked Path
P1010393.JPG
P1010393.JPG
IMG_0390.JPG
IMG_0390.JPG
IMG_0363.JPG
IMG_0363.JPG
IMG_0360.JPG
IMG_0360.JPG
IMG_0357.JPG
IMG_0357.JPG
IMG_0356.JPG
IMG_0356.JPG
Lewis Frow RIP
Lewis Frow RIP
Air shaft
Air shaft
IMG_0373.JPG
IMG_0373.JPG
Looking North
Looking North
Tom Ron and Michael
Tom Ron and Michael
Looking east over the crater.
Looking east over the crater.
P1010318.JPG
P1010318.JPG
IMG_0340.JPG
IMG_0340.JPG
IMG_0368.JPG
IMG_0368.JPG
IMG_0339.JPG
IMG_0339.JPG
P1010266.JPG
P1010266.JPG