Leonard Harrison GC Bomb disposal pioneer
Leonard Henry Harrison was born at Devonport on 6th June 1906 and educated at Devonport Secondary School. He enlisted into the RAF as a Boy Entrant Aircraft Apprentice in the 1st Entry to No 1 School of Technical Training RAF Halton in January 1922. He graduated as a Fitter Armourer AC1 in December 1924. In 1934 he joined the RAF Reserve as a Sergeant.
On11th February 1940 as a civilian instructor at RAF Manby, he was called to use his knowledge and skill when a grain carrier limped into Immingham Dock having been bombed in the North Sea. An unexploded bomb was wedged in the main deck. The bomb had a fuze of a type unknown at the time.
With help from a colleague, Flt Lt John Dowland who was a fellow instructor they managed to defuse the bomb. A month later, he was called to defuse another bomb, this time onboard a fishing vessel in the Humber.
In 1943, he was party to a plot. The idea was to reassemble the fuzes of unexploded German bombs, short circuit them and have them smuggled into enemy ammunition stores by the French Resistance. The German bombers carrying the bombs with the altered fuzes would be blown up by their own bombs as they were released from the aircraft. The Germans found out about the plan and subsequently destroyed thousands of suspect fuzes as a precaution
Harrison was commissioned in the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 1941 and held various appointments in the training schools. He retired in the rank of Wing Commander in 1949 but remained in civilian appointments with the Air Ministry until 1970.
Harrison's skill and handling of unexploded bombs resulted in him being awarded one of the earliest George Crosses in the Second World War. Len Harrison was treasurer of the Victoria and George Cross Association and he died on 15th July 1989 at the age of 83
Medals and honours awarded to raf bomb disposal personnel
INTRODUCTION
The George Cross was instituted on 24th September 1940 by King George VI. At this time during the height of the Blitz there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage. The existing awards open for civilians were not judged suitable to meet the new situation, therefore it was decided that the George Cross and George Medal would be instituted to recognise both civilian gallantry in the face of enemy action and brave deeds more generally.
Currently, an expansive list of honours and awards have been received by personnal of RAF Bomb Disposal through the ages. It is highly probable that some have been missed due to lost historical documentation. The ones that are known are listed below and the quantity of each award is noted. Please inform us if any further additions should be added and this list will be updated.
Apart from the George Cross and George medal, 3 Queens Gallantry Medals,
1 Mentioned in Dispatches (MID),
1 Order of the British Empire,
10 Member of the British Empire,
and
11 British Empire Medals
have been awarded to personnel of the RAF Bomb Disposal Organisation
The George Cross
The George Cross (GC) is the second in order of wear in the United Kingdom honours system and takes precedence over all other orders except the Victoria Cross with which it shares equal precedence. The GC is the highest gallantry award for civilians as well as for members of the Armed Forces for which purely military honours would not normally be granted i.e. not in the face of the enemy.
Recipipients of this Award are:
Wing Commander L Harrison
Wing Commander JS Rowlands
Squadron Leader H Dinwoodie OBE MC
Squadron Leader EL Moxey (Posthumous)
Flight Leiutenant WH Charlton
Flight Leiutenant JN Dowland
The George Medal
The Queens Gallantry Medal
The George Medal (GM) is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. The GM was instituted on 24th September 1940 by King George VI. The medal is presented to those performing acts of bravery in or meriting recognition by the United Kingdom. The medal is primarily a civilian award, but it may be awarded to military personnel for gallant conduct not in the face of the enemy. As the Warrant states: "The medal is intended primarily for civilians and awards to our military services is to be confined to actions for which purely military honours are not normally granted"
Recipients of this medal are:
Flight Leiutenant H Dickinson
Warrant Officer EG Alford
Warrant Officer D Bishop
Warrant Officer EG Hunt
Warrant Officer JV Saunders
Warrant Officer JTS Stevens
Sergeant K Lythgoe
Aircraftsman 2nd Class R Nicholson
Aircraftsman 2nd Class A Simpson
Corporal RN Garred
Sergeant D Rodgers
The Queens Gallantry Medal
Member of the British Empire
The Queens Gallantry Medal
Recipients of this Award are:
Flight Lieutenant T Costick
Squadron Leader A Swan
Chief Technician D Lowe
Order of the British Empire
Member of the British Empire
Member of the British Empire
Only one person was awarded this honour:
Squadron Leader TM Clerk
Member of the British Empire
Member of the British Empire
Member of the British Empire
The recipients for this award are:
Squadron Leader JA Reed
Flight Lieutenant RC Ruff
Flight Lieutenant JC Rutter
Flight Lieutenant VHB Marshall
Flight Lieutenant JM Waters
Flight Lieutenant GA Tottey
Flight Lieutenant FJ Durrant
Flight Lieutenant D Kempson
Flight Lieutenant EST Tout
Chief Technician A Barlow
The British Empire Medal
The recipients of this award are:
Chief Technician H Fogg
Flight Sergeant DJ Clarke
Sergeant SPJ Mulholland
Senior Aircraftsman JB Stacey
Chief Technician S Wilson
Flight Sergeant A Russell
Flight Sergeant D Andrews
Flight Sergeant EM Blake
Chief Technician KL Crowle
Flight Sergeant EK Tumman
Sergeant PJ Herrington
Corporal RN Garred
Mentioned in Dispatches
There is only one recorded award of this honour. The recipients name is:
Flight Sergeant Knights