Joke failed to diffuse situation

READING the article detailing the bombs that fell on Hinckley during the Second World War and the unexploded land mine at the back of the railway station; I was reminded of a story told to me by the late Tom Cleaver. Tom was, for many years, the chief cost and works clerk to the Hinckley Urban District Council.

“With the discovery of the bomb an immediate call was put out to the military. When the bomb disposal officer arrived to de-activate the land mine, he discovered that the fuse could not be reached without turning the mine over. Due to the number of disposal experts needed in the area that day, especially in Coventry, he was working without a support team. He called the Council for assistance and three middle aged labourers volunteered to assist. In order to turn the mine a number of long ropes, totalling about 100 yards, were tied together and attached to the mine. The three workmen were instructed by the officer to listen to his three commands. Two were PULL or STOP and the other was to LIE DOWN. He explained that if the mine’s clock began ticking again then it would explode quite quickly.

“So, if he shouted LIE DOWN, they must not run but do just that and they would most likely survive the blast. All went well and after the mine was de-activated the officer, indulging in a spot of gallows humour, shouted LIE DOWN. He later related that the three hapless workers disappeared over the horizon at a speed that would not have disgraced international sprinters and were not seen again that day.” Noel Manchester Hinckley