140277 Lt Reginald James Broadbridge Maitland.
23 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 24th March 1942.
For action at: Vickers-Supermarine Works, Mortimer Road, 28th September 40, Woolston Hampshire, Electricity Works, Southhampton, 1st October 40. Hunters Hill, Southhamptom, 28th September 40. Police Station, Woolston, Hampshire, 13th October 40. Cobden Avenue, Southhampton, 24th November 40.
Vickers was hit by a 250kg bomb , Maitland and his men started working on it within four hours. It was at a depth of four feet, through concrete. The fuzes were unidentifiable and pockets so distorted fuze removal was impossible, even though a hammer and cold chisel was used. So the filling plate was removed and the filling was found to be cast TNT. With no otheroption the bomb was removed to a safe area for demolition, Maitland drove the vehicle himself. The next day found him at a Gas Works, with another Category A bomb. Due to its location the whole plant was shut down, causing serious disruption to supplies, needed for war production. On arrival two 250kg bombs were found with No 17 fuzes. From arrival it took three hours to deal with these and the task was completed by 20:00.
The next day was a Electricity Power Station. Work commenced at 14:00 hours on a 250kg bomb with a fuze that was unidentifiable, a hammer and cold chisel was used to remove it.
Maitland and his men were lucky on another bomb as fifteen minutes after they knocked of for dinner it exploded, destroying the road. In November whilst digging down to fifteen feet, he stopped work and the bomb exploded when he was ten yards away.
2/nd Lt Harold Arthur Manser.
93 Bomb Disposal Section.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 17th December 1940.
Awarded for actions on the 18th August and the 2nd September 1940.
The 18th August incident found Lt Manser and Sgt Jones, dealing with a ticking long delay 250kg bomb. They uncovered and removed the fuzes, regardless of the danger to themselves.
2/Lt Frances Robert Martin.
5 Bomb Disposal Section.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 17th December 1940.
Awarded for an action at Chevening House, Chevening, Kent on the 17/17th September 1940.
A unexploded bomb at Lord Stanhopes residence was reported and Lt Martin tasked. Lady Stanhope could not be evacuated due to a serious ilness. Martin had recently lost four men on a similiar bomb so decided to do the job himsrlf. He reached the bomb at 04:00 the next day extracted the still ticking fuze making the bomb safe and saving her ladyships life.
Capt John Richard Filgate McCartney.
3 Bomb Disposal Company
Posted in the London Gazette on the 22nd January 1941.
Awarded for action at Boffey's Farm, Hartshorne, Derbyshire on the 4-11 September 1940.
Ten bombs were dropped on Hartshorne. Two failed to explode these were high explosive. Capt McCartney and seventeen men commenced work on one at Boffey's Farm. The UXB had penentrated to a depth of twenty six feet, close to building foundations. The digging cut through varying strata's soil, sub soil, shaly clay, coal and pottery clay and tok a week to complete and render safe. The second bomb was near to the Bulls Head, at twenty eight feet. Digging was a problem due to water. This meant the shaft walls were in danger of collapse through out the operation.
For this operation and others McCartney recieved the George Medal.
93424 Lt Lionel Charles Meynell.
9 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 17th December 1940.
Awarded for action at Smiths Stamping Works, Coventry, 8th October 40, RAF Station, Church Lawford, Warwickshire, 16th October 40 and Binney Sand Pitts, Coventry, 6th November 1940.
Smiths Stamping Works was doing vital war work, when hit by a bomb. When Lt Meynell uncovered the bomb it was found that the fuze was so damaged it could not be removed. So Meynell picked it up and carried it to a truck, then drove it to waste ground, where it exploded fourty five minutes later.
A week later at a RAF Station, a reporterd oil incendiary bomb was found to be a 250kg High Explosive bomb. This was fitted with a long delay fuze, which was ticking. Meynell immediately removed the fuze, although there could have been booby traps underneath.
Capt Harry Mitchell.
95/96 Bomb Disposal Sections.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 17th December 1940.
Awarded for action on the 13th August 1940.
Capt Mitchell was given a list of UXB's t o deal with. He firstly dealt with a 250kg. This he discovered was fuzed by a long delay, with clockwork mechanism which was of a new type. Regardless of no information being available, Mitchell decided to disarm the bomb and send the fuze for research. This he did successfully and was awarded the George Medal. There are however no records of those who died whilst attempting this same dangerous operation.
Lt L.H. Morgan.
7 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 5th October 1945.
Awarded for action at Wyke Regis on the 8th December 1944.
Lt Taffy Morgan, was engaged on minefield clearance operations since December 44. When on the 8th December 44, whilst working on a difficult field at Wyke Regis, an explosion occurred killing an NCO. Morgan was badly injured himself, but tended to the needs of those injured more seriously. Entering the live part of the minefield, he removed the injured and the badly mutilated body of the dead NCO. Later he continued to clear this field.
