Bombfuze.net - About Us

WELCOME to BOMBFUZE.NET
Formally Bombfuze collectors net

My Name is Stephen Venus.
I am a collector of German Bomb fuzes and a historian specialising in bomb disposal history.
Some of you may have seen my reviews (Fuzeman) on eBay - "A Layman's Guide to Fuzes" and "Fuzes and Their Uses", and recently, "How to spot fake Crabtree dischargers".
I've supplied fuzes and advice to both the BBC and to Channel 4 television and I am currently advising several authors with their memoirs.

Recently, I was contacted by a worried house owner in Blackpool, who, upon lifting up some kitchen floorboards, found two pots with cylindrical objects in them. Fearing them to be bombs, she googled them before contacting me. The objects were declared safe by the Royal Logistics Corps who were called out by the police after taking my advice. Some of the collection has been seen on Channel 4, on Blitz Street, on Foyles war, and on Call the Midwife Xmas Special.

Recently, I was asked to supply information on WW2 ordnance to the Channel Islands Police Bomb Squad. I have also supplied training aids to the Royal Logistics Corps and other training organisations, both in the UK and abroad.

I have appeared on the BBC ONE SHOW about the St Pauls’ bomb of September 1940 and I have supplied fuzes for filming.

I am very pleased to have supplied exhibits to the John Lewis Department Store as part of their 150th anniversary celebrations. It was during the early hours of September 18^th, 1940 that John Lewis Oxford Street was destroyed during the Blitz.

I am an Associate Member of the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal branch, and an Associate Member of the Bomb Disposal Officers Club. I am also an Honorary Member of The Royal Air Force Bomb Disposal Association and a Custodian of Bomb Disposal exhibits at Brenzett Aeronautical Museum

I am available to give talks on wartime bomb disposal and to help and advise television producers, publishers and researchers. I also offer advice to collectors old and new.

A couple of stills taken whilst being filmed for an updated DVD documentary on the 1970's TV series Danger UXB filmed here in June2008

(Bottom image) Fitting a Crabtree

I have been very fortunate over the past 30 years to have met many people, and have forged a good friendships with, amongst others:
   * Colonel Stuart Archer after obtaining the first Zus40 anti-withdrawl fuze.
   * Lt Col Eric Wakeling, who dealt with SD2 butterfly bombs in Grimsby in 1943 and who was an expert on these bombs.

   * Major Stephen Hambrook MBE, who dealt with a bomb by hand, as he felt there was no other option as blowing up the bomb would have destroyed Stanley Airfield. Read more about Major Hambrook HERE

   * Major Arthur Hogben, a retired Bomb Disposal Officer, who won his QGM dealing with a bomb in London , Arthur has been a great source of information, not just to me, but to all who have had the pleasure of meeting him. His book, Designed to Kill, is still the finest book written on the history of bomb disposal.
Read more about Arthur Hogben HERE

   * Captain Harry Beckingham, who was part of Task force 135 and helped clear up the Channel Island of Guernsey after 5 years of German Occupation in 1945.

   * Captain John Hannaford, one of the last surviving Bomb Disposal Officers of WW2.

   * Captain Sandy Sanderson, MBE, who I met some 20 years ago when he was First Assistant at EODTIC Lodge Hill, and who later became Custodian. Sandy was a great character and had an immense wealth of knowledge on all things bomb-wise. Sadly, Sandy died in 2018.

LOOKING FOR GERMAN INCENDIARY BOMBS AND COMPONENTS FROM THEM.

I am always interested in buying single fuzes or complete collections. I am also interested in swaps or exchanges,
so please contact me.

Those that have dealt with me know that I am honest, reliable and very passionate about my hobby.
I have collected and specialised in this field for over 30 years.

UXB HELP WANTED
I am trying to compile a list of wartime bombs unearthed in the UK since 1960 – including the year and month of discovery, type of bomb etc. Perhaps you may have local newspapers mentioning unexploded bombs. I would love to hear from you.

I have already updated one incident at Becton Gasworks in 1996, which led to 33 Regiment Royal Engineers receiving 3 Queen’s Gallantry Medals. I will soon be writing a more detailed account of this incident.

Thank You,
Steve Venus