Post-war Beach Clearance of Mines 

Transcribed courtesy of the Eastern Daily Press, 30 Jan. 2005

Mines were scattered all around the coast, on the orders of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, when the threat of a German invasion loomed.

But when the war was almost won he ordered them to be removed so local people could enjoy the beaches again.

It involved bomb disposal crews combing the sands – and scores of deaths as they carried out their perilous task.

“The position of the mines were put on charts. But the plans were lost, and the mines moved anyway because of erosion and weather.

“So you had to lie on your tummy, poking a 2ft-long rod into the ground. If you hit something, you had to clear all around the mine, put a pin back in its safety device and remove it.”

But sometimes the 45lb, 14inch diameter explosives went off.

THE HORSEY HEROES

The role of honour (date, casualty, age):

Feb 26 1945 – Cpl Frank A Violet (39)

April 23 1945 – Cpl Thomas Campbell (34)

April 23 1945 – Lance Cpl Albert H Harrison (35)

May 22 1945 – Cpl Sam Dougherty (45), Cpl George Jones (28)

July 31 1945 – Sapper Stanley James Sullivan (19), Sapper Walter Kenneth Gilbert (23)

July 31 1946 – Cpl Arthur F Rackett (22)

Waxham, Feb 5 1945 – Cpl William Vaughan (29), Lance Sgt Leslie G Holbrook (32), Lance Cpl George W Sweetman (31)

For many years there has been no memorial for these brave men....Now there is – and researches discovered a total of twenty-six local land mine clearance victims, all of whom are now honoured with a cliff-top memorial at Mundesley, dedicated on May 2, 2004.

Photo: www.pauldamen.co.uk  

A 1000lb bomb case with plaques bearing all their names was unveiled at a ceremony attended by civic leaders and relatives.

Copyright © 2005 Archant Regional. All rights reserved.