Event/Activity EPM303 - Exercise Magwitch, Rat Island 2020

In August 2020 excavations were carried out on Burrow Island (also known as 'Rat Island') in Portsmouth Harbour to recover human remains that had been exposed by erosion since spring 2019. This was a continuation of work on the island that had taken place in 2014, 2017 and 2019 (see EPM301 and EPM302). The main aim of the work was the recovery of remains eroding from a cliff. This included the recovery of skeletal remains belonging to burials only partially exposed and excavated in 2019. Burrow Island is part of the Ministry of Defence Estate. The team undertaking the fieldwork included archaeologists from the Ministry of Defence, specialists from Cranfield Forensics Institute, military personnel on Operation Nightingale and members of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB). Due to the hazard of a collapsing cliff it was not possible to draw sections or plans of the graves for all but one of the burials. As in 2019 photographs were taken of the recovery and location of the remains and the remains were given unique numbers to enable assessment and geolocation at a later stage. The remains of three complete adult skeletons and the partial remains of at least nine other individuals were recovered during the work. The location of the burials confirmed the findings of 2019 which showed that the burial ground extended further north than previously thought. The burials were also at a greater depth raising the possibility for higher numbers of burials to be present on the island. Further analysis of the remains took place following the recovery work. As in 2019 it was not possible to examine all of the graves exposed by erosion during the week of fieldwork in 2020. It was therefore recommended that at least two areas of the island needed to be excavated as a matter of urgency in 2021. It was noted that there may also be burials within the western, northern and central parts of the island. These areas were not investigated as they were not at risk from erosion.