Ian Melville wrote:.. searching the SE England for butterfly bombs dropped by the Germans. They were littered all over the place , often caught in tree branches. They were still causing casualties in the 50's. They used German labour, one of which was killed by a mine.
There were special units of the (IIRC) Pioneer Corps formed after WW2 from enemy PoWs originally recruited/forcibly conscripted by the Wehrmacht from the occupied countries of Eastern Europe who after VE Day, prudently, did not want to be repatriated back to their native lands, now under Soviet occupation
These were trained in the detection of residual explosives, allied (eg potential invasion beaches, military training areas) and enemy; British military personnel were then used to make them safe. The Pioneers suffered quite a few casualties, I believe. They were paid at a basic UK military rate, usually lived 'on base' within their units, then retired, often to dedicated homes nearby, when they reached a certain age (60 ?). There was still such a camp, still being actively used, within the MoD base at Bicester as late as the early '70s. There was a possibly related 'Ukrainian Club' in Chektenham in the '70s. Since many had been conscripted young (early teens) by the Wehrmacht, and were then well fed and given good military care by the British Army, I expect there are still some alive. I do not know when the last such unit was disbanded.
(mere guide at) Jet Age Museum, Gloucestershire Airport
http://www.jetagemuseum.org/TripAdvisor Excellence Award 2015
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