WWI Stokes Mortar Found in the New Forest

A woman who retrieved a WWI Stokes mortar from a pond in the New Forest was given the honour of detonating it in a controlled explosion. Having realised the explosive nature of her find by searching online, the woman left the device in situ and called the Police.  A Royal Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was quickly mobilised.

The mortar was assessed as being live and after a security cordon was put in place the EOD team arranged for a controlled explosion, with the discoverer of the item getting to press the all-important detonation button.

Large tracts of the New Forest were used by the British Army for military training during WWI and, despite having spent over a century in the ground, ordnance relating to this training remains a viable hazard in the area.

See: https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/988436/woman-detonates-ww1-bomb-from-a-pond