RAF Fauld Underground Munition Tunnels, Staffordshire, 2013. RAF Fauld was a Royal Air Force underground munitions storage depot located miles ( km) south west of Tutbury, Staffordshire and miles ( km) north east of Rugeley, Staffordshire, England and the site was controlled by No. 21 Maintenance Unit RAF which stored munitions underground. On Monday, 27 November 1944 between 3,500 and 4,000 tonnes of ordnance exploded — mostly comprising high explosive (HE)-filled bombs, but including a variety of other types of weapons and including 500 million rounds of rifle ammunition.
RAF Fauld Underground Munition Tunnels, Staffordshire, 2013. RAF Fauld was a Royal Air Force underground munitions storage depot located miles ( km) south west of Tutbury, Staffordshire and miles ( km) north east of Rugeley, Staffordshire, England and the site was controlled by No. 21 Maintenance Unit RAF which stored munitions underground. On Monday, 27 November 1944 between 3,500 and 4,000 tonnes of ordnance exploded — mostly comprising high explosive (HE)-filled bombs, but including a variety of other types of weapons and including 500 million rounds of rifle ammunition. The resulting crater was 120 metres (400 ft) deep and 1,200 metres ( miles) across and is still clearly visible just south of the village of Fauld, to the west of Hanbury Hill in Staffordshire, England. A nearby reservoir containing 450,000 cubic metres of water was obliterated in the incident, along with a number of buildings including a complete farm. Flooding caused by destruction of the reservoir added to the damage directly caused by the explosion. The exact death toll is uncertain; it appears that about 70 people died in the explosion. The depot was used until 1966 when the site was closed however in late 1966 when France withdrew from NATO's integrated military structure the site was briefly used between 1967 and 1973. Credit: Sam Holiday/Alamy Live News
Size: 4252px × 2824px
Location: Fauld, Staffordshire
Photo credit: © Michael Scott / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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