Keep It Under Your Hat

addicted · April 6, 2017

The finding of an old world war 2 unexploded bomb in London over the weekend reminded of an incident that occurred a few years ago. The small building company I was involved in running was working on the refurbishment of an old house in Edmonton North London. the previous occupant had obviously been elderly as the house as pretty much as it had been built the late 19th century. We sent a labourer in ahead of everyone else to strip it all out. . In a garden shed full of detritus he found what he recognised to be a bomb. He reported to me and I phoned the police who said they would send in the bomb squad. While we were waiting for them to arrive a police constable turned up. Our labourer had meanwhile continued to work inside the house stripping it out. the constable said to him "I must ask you to stop doing that as you may disturb the bomb and cause it to explode." I can't just stand around said the labourer" "and anyway I' m nowhere near it". He carried on working a and a few minutes later he saw the constable emerge from the shed carrying the bomb, he then placed it in the middle of the lawn and placed his helmet over it! " that's better " he said you can carry on now. The bomb squad arrived and took it away.

Carole