Storm Exposes WWII Era UXO

Devon, England Recent storm Emma that pounded Slapton Beach caused severe erosion exposing at least two UXO items including a US M1AI AT mine and a WWII era bomb (exact nomenclature not reported). The two finds were found over a two day period.

Slapton Sands was the location for Operation Tiger, the code name for one in a series of large-scale rehearsals for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, which was conducted in April 1944. Live naval and artillery ammunition was used during the exercise to make it as real as possible in an attempt to accustom the soldiers to what they were about to experience.

However, during the training exercise, two Allied ships were sunk by German torpedo boats claiming the lives of 749 U.S. soldiers and sailors. The Coastguard responded to the call and cordoned off the area along with Kingsbridge Police. A bomb squad was called in to dispose of the UXO.

Storm Emma took a toll on the area including toppling down an old WWII era lookout tower and severely damaging nearby Slapton Line road.