Mervyn Base has the distinction of being a member of one of the first RAF Bomb Disposal squads to be formed during the Battle of Britain in 1940. The dangerous work carried out by these squads kept RAF airfields operational and was a major factor in our eventual victory over the Luftwaffe.
Mervyn describes many hair-raising episodes and narrow escapes that were an occupational hazard for anyone working in bomb disposal, although he modestly points out that much of the work was simply routine and involved a lot of digging with a shovel!
When the Battle of Britain was over, Mervyn continued with his bomb disposal work in the Middle East and Italy.
His recollections offer a valuable insight into the activities of wartime bomb disposal squads and contain a wealth of information of potential value to historians and researchers although there is plenty to enjoy for anyone with an interest in the Second World War.