Voices from the Explosion : RAF Fauld, the World's Largest Accidental Blast, 1944

The story, told for the first time from eyewitness accounts, of the world's largest manmade pre-nuclear explosion. It happened at R.A.F. Fauld bomb store on 27th November 1944 and killed 70 people. The author's family farm was damaged in the blast but the family survived. Neighbouring friends, and their farm, disappeared forever. Today, a massive crater survives as a lasting reminder of the nearly 4,000 tons of bombs and shells that blew up, registering on seismographs as far away as Casablanca. Six million gallons of reservoir water turned 90 feet of solid earth falling from the sky into mud, which engulfed a plaster works and its workers. In this fascinating and expertly researched book, author Valerie Hardy crafts a compelling and unforgettable read. Bringing eyewitness stories together, the tragedy is relived and provides an extraordinary insight into the disaster that unfolded that winter morning.