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Tuesday October 26, 2010

30 WWII bombs uncovered at Gemas rail project site

By SARBAN SINGH
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

GEMAS: Construction workers involved in the Seremban-Gemas double tracking project near here have stumbled upon 30 World War II bombs. The bombs are believed to have been left behind by either the Japanese or British troops. The workers also found several hundred rounds of ammunition when they began digging along Sg Gemas near here early yesterday.

Tampin OCPD Supt Wooi Kooi Cheang said workers found the cache buried at several locations near the riverbank located close to the Negri Sembilan-Johor border. “A team of officers was immediately sent to the area and it has been helping to look for more bombs. We believe there is more such ammunition buried in the area as the bombs were found several metres apart,” he said.

The area where the explosives were found is located close to the Gemas railway station, which was one of Keretapi Tanah Melayu’s main hubs. However, train services were not disrupted by the find. It is understood that Gemas saw fierce fighting between advancing Japanese and British troops. Bombs were used to destroy several train bridges along the stretch.

Supt Wooi said his officers would destroy the bombs at a nearby location to ensure they did not pose any danger to the public. “We will bury the bombs separately and then destroy them one by one,” he said. He said although there was a row of shoplots some 50m from where the explosives were found, there was no immediate danger to the people. “My men have closed the area and advised the residents to stay away. No one has been allowed to come close to the area,” he said.