Lt R.G. Walker.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 2nd February 1945.
Awarded for action in France.
No Further details at this time.
Spr T.L. Walker.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 9th November 1945.
Awarded for action at Dieppe and Flushing.
Spr Walker was one of the many RE's trained by the Royal Navy as divers. 63 Port Construction and Repair Company, were clearing Dieppe Harbour. Walker was on the first recce unit to enter the harbour. He located and removed underwater mines, plus demolition charges.
He also worked at Bergan-Op-Zoom, where his persistance enabled a large dregdger to be raised, for operational needs, this operation was carried out under extremly adverse conditions.
At Beveland his hands became affected so badly that he had to go to hospital, this was caused by diving so often in ice packed waters.
He was awarded the George Cross for, his persistently high standard of devotion of duty and courage in the face of silent and insidious enemy, performed under solitary and remote conditions with the ever present realisation that an accident or mistake would result in terrible death.
120416 Lt John Peter Walton.
22 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 25th October 1941.
Awarded for actions at: Gas Works, Romford, Essex on the 5th November 1940 and Tunnel Cement Works, Purfleet, Essex on the 12th March 1941.
Lt Walton working in the Colchester area had dealt with one hundred bombs, many before the raid was over. On 5th November, he dealt with four bombs in twenty four hours all Category A. Two of these were in the gas works, a third was inside a gas holder. It was a 250kg armed with a 17 and 50 fuze. He rendered it safe, the air conditions allowed him to work for only twenty minutes at a time. If the work wasnt dangerous enough, a air raid was under way at the time. Due to his actions minimum damage was caused and services resumed quickly.
2205689 Sgt George Anderson Wardrope.
5 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 24th March 1942.
Awarded for actions at: German Hospital, Ritson Road, Hackney, London between the 4th to 6th October 1940 and at the GPO Sorting Office, Mount Pleasant, London, between the 16th to 25th November 1940.
Sgt Wardrope in October 40 found himself working on a 250kg bomb dropped on the 27th September. It was located twenty yards from a railway line and ten from Hackney Hospital. The bomb was uncovered on the 5th and was found to be armed with a no 17 fuze, which was ticking. The hole was filled with sandbags to reduce the expected explosion, but on the 6th it was decided to move it to a safer location. The sandbags were removed and the bomb lifted and place on a truck, the fuze was still ticking. It was taken to a bomb cemetery, were it was found to be armed with two 17 fuzes both ticking. It was left to detonate on its own.
On the 16th November, he was at Mount Pleasant Post Office, at 02.05 in the morning. The bomb was a Category A. Normally it would be expected that a device such as this would explode within eighty hours. Ten days later they were still digging. It was eventually located eighty feet down and found to be a 1800kg, bomb (called Satan), this was the biggest in the Germans armoury.
Lt J. Warren.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 25th August 1944.
Awarded for actions in Kent.
Cuckmere Haven on the 12th February 1944, Lt Warren was working on one of the coastal minefields. This was below a small cliff, this had eroded due to tidal action duuring the war. Many mines were to deep for detectors to locate them as they were on the shore under the fallen cliff. Warren personally made safe 550 mines in twelve hours.
On the 7th April 44, Warren was given the task of clearing eight coastal minefields, around the Greatstone on Sea area. The minefield layout, or how many laid was not recorded, however the type of mines was known. Originally they were laid just below the surface, however due to tidal action and drifting sand they were from three and a half feet to thirteen feet below the surface. Existing detectors only worked to a depth of two feet. In spite of the difficulties Warren and his men completed the task.
Capt Alwyn B Waters. MBE.
23 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 10th November 1944.
Awarded for actions in the UK.
Capt Waters, was asked to assist Flt Lt Gillet with the disposal of a C Type mine. On arriving on site the mine was found to be only ten feet from the road. Waters as a experienced BD Officer was awre that the mine was fitted with a new type of fuze. He was not sure that his immunising equipment would work on this mine. He could have taken the easy course of calling in the Naval experts, however this would have meant a two hour delay, if during this delay the mine had exploded the damage and casualties would have been unthinkable. Therefore they got on with it, Gillett laid out a cord to remove the fuze and Waters ordered him to safety. Waters then applied a standard drill to remove the fuze, by the markings he knew this was booby trapped. Retiring one hundred yards he managed to remove the fuze, after waiting the set down safety period, he returned to recover the fuze. As he picked it up he found it was ticking, it then exploded badly injuring his foot.
L/Sgt F. White.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 2nd February 1945.
Awarded for action in Brighton.
No further details at this time.
154306 Capt Donald Alfred Wilkinson.
6 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 17th February 1941.
Awarded for actions at: Eton College, 3rd September 40, Slough, 5th December 40, Wargrave, 10th December 40 and Arborfield, 19th December 40.
Capt Wilkinson was tasked with two Category B, bombs which had fallen in Stoke Road, Slough, on the night of 3rd December. These were dealt with within half an hour of the report being recieved. Work on three others in this location was commenced three days later. One was exploded in situ at a twelve foot depth. Another was located again at twelve feet, it was armed with a 17 fuze. The decision was made to leave it till the next day. The squad departed and ten minutes later whilst Wilkinson stood fifty yards away briefing the night security, it exploded. The last was found at twelve feet and again was armed with a 17 fuze. This was damaged and could not be removed and it was ticking. The Police were told and the streets cleared, the bomb was placed on a truck and driven to Windsor Great Park, where with the help of Sgt Fletcher it was placed in an old bomb crater, it exploded shortly after.
On the 3rd December bombs fell upon Eton, One went of, another went through the roof, coming to rest under the Colannade foundations of the Upper School. It was thought to have exploded due to damage caused. Wilkinson however checked it out. The headmaster Dr Elliot was informed, he wanted it removed straight away, he was informed it would taske three days as the building needed shoring up. He offered the assistance of some senior boys who had volunteered, this offer was declined. The building was evacuated and the Windsor/Eton/Slough roads diverted through Datchett. The bomb exploded on the night of the 4th.
On the 9th December, Wilkinson recced a 250kg, his section started work the next day. When uncovered the bomb was found to be armed with a 17 fuze. A decision was made to detonate it in situ. He made up a charge and went down into the shaft. When the charge was placed he retired fifty yards to a safe location, the bomb exploded of its own making.
For these actions he was awarded the George Medal.
1903293 Spr James Williams.
50/51 Bomb Disposal Sections.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 11th March 1941.
Awarded for an action at: Electricity Depot, Lyndhurst, Hampshire on the 14th August 1940.
Spr Williams went to the Electricity Depot with Lt Charles. R. Wood, who commanded 50/51 Independent BD Sections. Where there was a 500kg bomb. The danger to civilians and property was high also the possible loss of electric power. They set to work, the fuze was a 17, long delay, which Lt Wood extracted, for research purposes.
Both Spr Williams and Lt Wood recieved the George Medal. Williams was wounded at another incident on the 8th September.
2326064 Sgt Thomas James Williams.
4 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 28th October 1941.
Awarded for actions at: Norwich on the 28th October 1940 and Marconi Factory, Chelmsford, Essex on the 10th May 1941.
Sgt Williams led a working party to two Category A bombs, at a factory in Norwich. One was armed by a No 17 fuze and was ticking, Williams immunised the fuze before it exploded also the same result for the second.
In May 1941, at the Marconi Factory, Williams and his section found the bomb buried by debris from other bombs, when uncovered it was found to be a 500kg with a ticking No 17 fuze.
For these actions Williams was awarded the George Medal.
Lt C.R. Woods.
50/51 Bomb Disposal Sections.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 11th March 1941.
Awarded for an action at: Electricity Depot, Lyndhurst, Hampshire on the 14th August 1940.
Lt Charles. R. Wood, who commanded 50/51 Independent BD Sections, with Spr Williams went to the Electricity Depot. Where there was a 500kg bomb. The danger to civilians and property was high also the possible loss of electric power. They set to work, the fuze was a 17, long delay, which Lt Wood extracted, for research purposes.
Both Lt Wood and Spr Williams recieved the George Medal.
167832 Lt Robert Alfred John Woods.
6 Bomb Disposal Company.
Posted in the London Gazette on the 24th August 1945.
Awarded for actions at: Lee-on-Solent Airfield, Hampshire, Feb 43, Ringstead Bay, Weymouth, Dorset, Sept 43, Hurn Airfield, Hampshire, Jan 44, Kimmeridge and Bovington Camp, Dorset, May 44, Tilly Whim Caves, Swanage, Dorset, 3rd June 44, Chesil Beach, Abbotsbury, Dorset, Aug/Sept 44 and Penzance, Cornwall, Oct 44.
No further details at this time.
