Archival Research

Because munitions dumped at sea are generally relics of past conflicts, fieldwork greatly benefits from the accurate reconstruction of historical disposal practices, with archival research playing a crucial role in locating and interpreting these sites. Therefore, before any scientific investigation, salvage operation or hazard-prevention measure can begin, it is important to establish a reliable historical baseline. By examining wartime and post-war documents, such as transport manifests, technical specifications and disposal orders, archival research provides the framework that guides subsequent fieldwork and helps ensure that investigations are both safe and effective.

Archival Research Workflow

Archival research begins by clearly defining the scope of inquiry, specifying ammunition and packaging types, explosive quantities and compositions, ignition mechanisms and all relevant technical construction documents. Furthermore, all data on the quantity of ammunition produced, consumption and the whereabouts of residual ammunition must be recorded. Changes in the production of ammunition, such as a reduction or increase in the quantity of explosives or the use of other or newer explosives, must also be documented.

A collection of data on the transportation of ammunition to current storage or disposal sites must also be compiled. Often the necessary logistics data are not recorded in a single document, so additional sources must be sought and evaluated across national, military and specialist archives. Primary sources such as the original ordnance orders, factory blueprints and transport manifests are located and then catalogued with a unique reference signature to ensure traceability. Handwritten originals are digitised, with every annotation and revision logged to preserve provenance. Secondary materials, including published monographs, technical reports and scholarly articles, are explicitly cross-referenced against primary records to prevent perpetuating inaccuracies. Environmental metadata, such as geological surveys, meteorological logs and operational after-action reports, are also harvested from archives to contextualise site conditions.

Once these parameters are defined and documented, researchers must check that all examined documents are fully traceable and verifiable. Planning directives are distinguished from operational reports, and data are cross-checked against inventory overviews, transport logs and consumption or destruction records to form a closed-loop evidence cycle. Where necessary, allied archives are consulted to trace captured or transferred munitions, filling gaps in the disposal history.

Finally, the verified data are synthesised into Historical Genetic Reconstructions (HGRs), which provide detailed narrative chronologies of disposal events from individual operations to large-scale programmes. These reconstructions form the foundation for targeted bathymetric surveys, geophysical mapping and risk assessments, guiding field investigations towards the most relevant areas and avoiding misinterpretation of dispersion patterns.

By adhering to this structured, narrative-driven workflow and incorporating a rigorous, evidence-based approach, archival research underpins every phase of scientific investigation, clearance operations and long-term monitoring of sea-dumped munitions.

Outcomes and Impacts

Archival research has demonstrably improved the precision and safety of sea-dumped munitions investigations across Europe by converting scattered historical records into coherent disposal scenarios that focus survey and clearance efforts on the most at-risk areas. Structural insights from archives allow teams to prioritise resources and minimise environmental disturbance.

Example Kolberger Heide (Germany):

In Germany’s Kiel Bay, archival leads pinpointed a major dump site at Kolberger Heide. Examination of wartime transport manifests and disposal orders identified a disposal zone roughly two kilometres offshore. Guided by these records, multibeam-sonar surveys revealed over 1 000 large objects, including mines, depth charges and torpedo heads, validating historical estimates of tens of thousands of tonnes of dumped ordnance. Subsequent targeted clearance operations, informed by this archival groundwork, have safely removed hundreds of items, sharply reducing navigational hazards and ecological risks. (Read more)

Environmental and Safety Benefits

Archival research underpins coordinated clearance operations such as large-scale Baltic Sea clean-ups using underwater robots by prioritising survey zones and reducing field uncertainty. It also shapes long-term environmental monitoring plans by identifying potential pollutant pathways, ensuring that toxic compounds leaking from corroded casings are tracked in sediments and biota.

Conclusion

By following this structured approach, archival research not only preserves the documentary trail of sea-dumped munitions but also provides the indispensable framework for all fieldwork, clearance operations and long-term monitoring. Historical Generic Reconstructions rooted in archival data ensure that future investigations build on a solid foundation, optimising safety, efficiency and scientific rigour.