2nd Lt James Barnes.
No 4 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 22 January 1941.
Awarded for work at the Vauxhall Motor Factory, Luton.
2nd Lt Barnes was called to the Vauxhall Motor Factory at Luton, on the 6th November 1940. The factory had been hit by ten bombs during the preceding night. Damage was superficial, however two bombs had failed to detonate.
Oneif these bombs was located next to a furnace in the continuous heat treatment plant. This plant was vital to production. If this bomb had exploded production would have ceased for at least ten days. Due to the importance of the department Barnes immediately dealt with and removed the bomb.
The raid had only happened two and a half hours before Barnes arrived. The A.R.P control centre had been damaged by two bombs, the second of which lay close by. Any further damage to this centre would result in 9,000 workers being laid off.
Barnes with no hesitation ecavated the bomb and removed the fuze, therefore preventin it exploding and causing further damage.
Lt Barnes was awarded the GM for his heroism, it was his cool and courageous action thatsaved the company from losing production, important to the war effort. The factory was back in production by the next morning.
Lt P.A. Bays.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 19th October 1945.
Awarded for work in the United Kingdom.
Further details to follow when available.
2968034 Cpl William Owen Bean.
77 Bomb Disposal Section.
No 10 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 17th December 1940.
Awarded for work at Middelton, Lancashire.
Based in Manchester, on the 31st August 1941 he and his section were called to a railway embankment at Middelton, Lancashire. Where several bombs had landed, eight had failed to detonate and were close to a highly populated area.
Digging began, however the ground was found to be hard going.
Bean, by his leadership, quick thinking and coolness were an example to his men and he kept his section going and all eight bombs were recoverd, allowing several hundred people to return to their homes.
This award of the George Medal to a Junior Non Commisioned Officer was one of very few.
56967 Capt Alfred John Biggs.
9 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 22 January 1941.
Awarded for work at Curzon Street, Bordesley, Birmingham.
On the 1st November, at 01:30 in the morning a 250kg bomb fell through the railway viaduct at Curzon Street. Capt Biggs of 9 BD Company were informed 15 minutes later. He went to investigate this report with his Sgt, they found the bomb had partially buried itself under the viaduct. If this bomb exploded the damage it caused would have caused serious disruption to rail traffic for a considerable time.
Capt Biggs set to uncovering the fuse straight away, which was ticking. On attempting to remove the fuse it was found to be jammed. Therefore Briggs removed the base plate with a hammer and cold chisel and removed the explosive with a hosepipe and crowbar. The explosive fill was removed by 02:30, seven minutes before the fuse detonated.
For his coolness and bravery Capt Briggs was awarded the George Medal.
210258 Lt Thomas Blackshaw.
22 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 17th August 1943.
Awarded for work at sites in Mountnessing, Essex.
On the night of 3/4th March 1943, 346 S.D.2's, (Butterfly Bombs) were dropped on Essex. These were fitted with two fuses a No 70 B, anti handling, designed to detonate at the slightest vibration or touch, the other a No 67, designed to explode any time up to half an hour. Due to bad manufacturing the fuzes frequently stopped, shortly before it exploded. Therefore the Bomb Disposal personel were left with a anti handling device to deal with. To make matters worse if one exploded it could cause a sympathetic detonation of others within a 25 yards radius.
Disposal was completed by using one of two methods, eithe by attaching a cord to the device and pulling it from a safe distance or by placing a guncotton charge on it, both methods needed steady hands and nerve with a gentle touch.
On the day of this raid Lt Blackshaw disposed of 31 S.D2's all of which were arned with anti handling devices. For a further 48 hours, Blackshaw dealt with other S.D.2's acconting for another 64 in this period.
For sustained courage, in dealing with a total of 95 S.D.2's in such a short period of time, where each device was of a significant risk he was awarded the George Medal.
Lt T.W.T. Blackwell. MBE.
No 127 and 128 Bomb Disposal Sections.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 6th November 1942.
Lt Blackwell prior to taking over, Bomb Disposal in Malta in October 1941 on the death of Lt Talbot, had been awarded a MBE.
Several delayed action bombs were dropped on the night of 30th July 1941. One fell in a populated area, burying civilians.
Blackwell investigated and found it was fused by two No 17 fuzes, these were delayed action and were ticking. Due to civilians being buried it was decided to remove the bomb allowing rescue work to continue. The problem was no lifting gear and a bomb weighing 550lbs. The course of action tow it away. Debris was removed with the assistance of PC Baylis, the bomb hitched up with a twelve foot rope and moved initially this failed, as debris got in the way. PC Baylis therefore drove and Blackwell cleared a route. The bomb was succesfully removed to a safe place, during this time another of the bombs exploded. Sadly no buried civilians survived.
Blackwell recieved the George Medal for this and other operations on Malta, for his untiring efforts and heroism throughout the worst of the Malta bombing.
LT W.S. Borthwick.
No 11 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 28th December 1945.
Awarded for work at Dunbar.
Whilst working on a mine field to the south of Dunbar, on the 27th April 1945, Lt Dunbar was caled upon to attend a minefield to the north of the town, were an accident had occurred. On arriving at the incident Borthwick found that two mines had detonated and 3 Prisoners of War were died and nine others wounded and all were still in the minefield. Borthwick and Sgt H. Craik cleared a route enabling the wounded and dead men to be recovered. There was problems of communication due to the language barrier during these operations and the tendance of the wounded to move around as stretcher parties came near.
Lt Borthwick was awarded the George Medal for "Operating, at great presonel risk, in a situation fraught with difficulties and by his own initiative and gallant act, ensured that the wounded men were recovered with greatest possible speed and sent to hospital"
Prior to this incident Brothwick had spent a year clearing up to 1,600 mines.
Sgt Craik was awarded the BEM for his part in the operation.
Later that year Brothwick was tasked to a similiar incident at Peffer Sands Minefield.
154267 Temporary Capt Edward Louis Bourne.
4 Bomb Disposal Company.
Placed in the London Gazette on the 23rd December 1943.
Awarded for work in Norfolk;
Wells-next-on-the-sea 18th August 1943.
Sheringham 24th August 1943.
Swinton Abbot 25th August 1943.
Elsing 2nd September 1943.
Captain Bourne was involved in clearing of S.D.2's (Butterfly Bombs). His Sgt Fred Fisher was awarded the BEM.
1990980 Sgt John Brabin
3 Bomb Disposal Company.
Placed in the London Gazette on the 15th September 1943.
Awarded for work on the Norfolk Coast January/May 1943, Caston 12th August 1943 and Norwich area September/October 1943.
Sgt Brabin was involved in mine clearance work on the Norfolk Coast January to May 1943.
Also Brabin cleared 27 S.D.2's (Butterfly Bombs) dropped on Caston on the night of 11/12 August 1943. These were located on awkward positions, hedges, corn stukes and undergrowth.
He also assisted in clearing more S.D.2's dropped in September to October 1943. Over 600 were dropped in this area. Most were fitted with a 70(B) fuze (anti handling)
Capt A.J. Briggs.
11 Bomb Disposal Company.
Placed in the London Gazette on the 9th July 1946.
Awarded for minefield work at Dunbar.
On the 14th September 1945 an accident happened in a minefield near Dunbar. The officer and three men were killed, Briggs recovered their bodies. The moral of the remaining men was badly shaken and the minefield was re-fenced. Work on the field was made more hazardous by rock formations affecting the locating equipment.
Ont the 27 September, Briggs brought the surviviours back to the minefield and alone in view of his men located and disarmed several mines. This restored the mens confidence and work re-started on clearance operations. No further inceidents occurred.
Lt Briggs was awarded the George Medal for his unfaltering courage and devotion to duty in setting a fine example to his men.
13005511 Cpl Charles Frederick Bristow.
22 Bomb Disposal Company.
Placed in the London Gazette on the 17th February 1942.
Awarded for work at Gas works Romford and A13 road Rainham, Essex.
Cpl Bristow assisted Lt J.P Walton on the 5th November 1940 in dealing with two 250kg bombs armed with both no 17 and 50 fuzes. These were in gasholders at the Romford Gas Works. The air conditions were so bad that work had to be stopped every twenty minutes. This work was completed in the shortest possible time, ensuring minimuim damage and services to be be re-started with the least disruption. Also this work was carried out whilst the air raid continued.
Also on the 26th to 28th February 1941, Bristow assisted Walton in dealing with three remaining 250kg bombs of a stick of four straddling the A13 at Rainham, Essex. One of this stick exploded after 18 hours. Work commenced on these bombs after a safety period of four days, they were fuzed with both No 17 and 50 fuzes. Two when uncovered were found to be ticking, but immunized successfully.
Lt W.M. Brown
Placed in the London Gazzette on the 15th March 1946.
Awarded for work in the U.K.
More details to be added as available.
