200 Shells Found at Former Royal Ordnance Factory Site in Staffordshire

Approximately 200 WWII-era shells have been uncovered during building works at Cold Meece in Staffordshire.  The site is part of the former Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) Swynnerton, operational during and after WWII.

The prime function of ROF Swynnerton (see inset) was the filling of ammunition, shells and other devices, the filled product being stored in nine semi-sunken earth covered magazines.  Filling was undertaken in lightly constructed ‘laboratories’ within earth revetments dispersed over several areas.  If one building was destroyed the revetments were designed to contain the blast without affecting adjacent buildings.

After WWII, ROF Swynnerton was used for the demilitarisation of unwanted ordnance, the aim being to salvage the metal components of bombs and shells by removing the explosive content.

An Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team attended site and destroyed the shells in a controlled explosion.

See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-59670943