An unexploded bomb from World War II suddenly detonated in a small English town on Friday while military crews were working to defuse it.
According to the New York Post, a contractor in Great Yarmouth discovered the bomb while working on a river crossing.
Three days later, Norfolk Police confirmed that there had been an “unplanned” explosion.
In a statement on Twitter, police said, “The unexploded bomb in [Great Yarmouth] detonated earlier during work to disarm it. Our drone captured the moment. We can confirm that no one was injured.”
The unexploded bomb in #GreatYarmouth detonated earlier during work to disarm it. Our drone captured the moment. We can confirm that no one was injured. Public safety has been at the heart of our decision making all the way through this operation, which we know has been lengthy. pic.twitter.com/9SaeYmHkrb
— Norfolk Police (@NorfolkPolice) February 10, 2023
“This has been a painstakingly long process but public safety and that of the people involved in the operation has been at the heart of decision-making,” Assistant Chief Constable Nick Davison said. “This was the final phase of a delicate operation which has caused much disruption in the town.”
First of all, this incident should remind us how blessed America was to have escaped the worst of the destruction that swept so many other nations during the Second World War.
With the exception of Pearl Harbor and a Japanese balloon explosion in Oregon that killed six people, the U.S. was never bombed during the war, and thus most of our cities and infrastructure remained intact.
Can you imagine for a moment living in London during the Blitz and having bombs falling on you night after night?
We should also bear in mind that there are still thousands of unexploded bombs from the war lying all over Europe, meaning that Europeans live with the real possibility of finding an 80-year-old explosive in their backyard. That is something that we Americans are fortunate to have avoided.
But this incident should also give us a greater appreciation for our military veterans and those currently in the service.
Imagine having to deal with explosions like this on the battlefield day after day. If you can, you might begin to understand why so many veterans develop mental disorders such as PTSD after coming home from war.
But you might also realize why we take such pains to honor our veterans with parades and holidays.
We honor our veterans because they are willing to sacrifice their own safety and security so that our nation can be free.
We ask our service members to put their lives on the line and expose themselves to dangers that we cannot begin to imagine in order that our nation may prosper and our people may be safe.
Incidents like the one in Great Yarmouth should remind us just how real the danger is that our men and women in uniform face every day, and should stir in us a greater respect for them.
CORRECTION, Feb. 15, 2023: An earlier version of this article failed to include a deadly 1945 Japanese balloon explosion in Oregon among the bombings of the United States during World War II.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.