It was a discovery that sent a shiver down the spines of Southampton residents, a stark reminder of the perils they faced during the Second World War, even though the conflict had ended more than a year ago. 

In August 1946, the town held its breath as bomb disposal experts uncovered Southampton's largest unexploded bomb at Hanover Buildings, near the Bargate.

Five years earlier, on the night of March 11-12, 1941, German bombers had unleashed a barrage of explosives on the already battered electrical showrooms of FW Cook's shop.

Among the deadly cargo was a massive bomb that, by a cruel twist of fate, had failed to detonate.

The threat posed by this ticking time bomb was immediate. A bomb disposal squad was dispatched to the site and began digging down to a depth of 39 feet, hoping to locate and neutralize the device. 

However, despite their best efforts, the bomb remained elusive.

Over the following years, numerous attempts were made to recover the unexploded bomb (UXB), but all were unsuccessful. 

It wasn't until a year after peace had returned that the authorities decided that something had to be done. A team of experts from the Army's Royal Engineers was once again tasked with the dangerous mission.

After burrowing down to a depth of 40 feet, just 12 inches deeper than the previous attempt, the soldiers made a chilling discovery. The bomb was not the 'Hermann'-type they had anticipated but a potentially lethal, armour-piercing Esau device.

A Royal Engineers officer explained the grave danger posed by the 2,400-pound bomb. Designed for pinpoint attacks on battleships and heavily reinforced structures, the Esau would send a massive blast straight upwards due to the depth of the shaft, and shrapnel fragments would be the primary threat.

The bomb disposal team, which included German prisoners of war, faced a constant battle against water seeping into the deep pit. 

Heavy rain on the following day hampered their efforts, flooding the pit and submerging the bomb just as they were about to attach sensitive microphones to monitor any changes within the device.

On the third day, top-secret equipment arrived from London, and the sappers attached a cable to the bomb, preparing to lift it clear once it was defused. 

As the delicate operation began, there was a heart-stopping moment when the bomb shifted and sank further into the mud.

To avoid disturbing the device further, the experts decided to let it settle over the weekend. However, with time running out, the decision was made that the fuse had to be removed.

At 6pm on Tuesday, August 27, 1946, 'Zero Hour' arrived. The town nervously held its breath as the bomb disposal experts moved in to perform the delicate task of defusing the device.

As reported by the Daily Echo, a lar  amount of police arrived to clear the area. 

Many people had their evening meals interrupted and were evacuated for their own safety.

Even the air raid shelters in the nearby park were pressed into service.

From a safe distance, hundreds of Southampton residents watched the operation unfold

With a deafening pop, the bomb was hauled out of the thick mud after the fuse had been safely removed. 

The crane then carefully lifted it out of the pit and transported it to the New Forest, where it was detonated.