POLICE assisted by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife staff recovered a third World War 2 bomb on Thursday during a metal detector search on the dried-up bed of Lake Mzingazi.
Also found were the remains of ‘smoke floats’, devices dropped from Catalina flying aircraft to pinpoint the presence of enemy U-boats.
Other items discovered of interest to historians included numerous shell and bullet casings, detonator caps, a Zippo lighter, cables, a hammer head, chains, a large undetermined machined copper part and plenty of rusted nuts and bolts.
Given the fact that the items have been underwater for about 70 years, their overall condition was amazingly good and all the bombs found were still live.
Photos of all finds have been sent to the Air Force Museum and have sparked large interest in the history of the Lake Mzingazi Catalina Base, which was established in 1944 as a springboard for attacks against Allied shipping off the east coast of Africa.
i think police support should have been given to this crime wave we seem to find ourselves in. those relics have been there for years, theyre not going anywhere, people are being shot, or shot at but the police are picking up rusted nuts and bolts and undetermined machined copper part… prioritize…