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101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment
(Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
Regimental Association

80 Years of Bomb Disposal - Medals and Honours  BD75logo

There were many heroic men who performed heroic tasks dealing with UXBs during WW2 and received appropriate decorations and honours. As with all branches of the Army some 150 were killed whilst on duty between 1943 and 1947.

(Birchall, P., 1997) A total of one million bombs, mines and other explosive ordnance was dealt with by the Royal Engineers in the period mid-1944 to mid-1945 and this excludes booby-traps and unused non-damaged stores – a remarkable feat. After the end of the war although the rain of bombs had ceased, the work of clearance had to continue. As the work of rebuilding started so finds of deeply buried bombs continued in later years; as these rebuilt premises were demolished to make way for even larger buildings which required deeper foundations more bombs came to light.

This was a remarkable feat by some very brave men and gave way to an enduring capability.

It was revealed in May 1945, that 235 Officers and men of Bomb Disposal Companies, Royal Engineers, were killed during the six years of bomb disposal work on the British Mainland alone.

A surprisingly low number, considering the vast geography of the UK that was under air raid assault and the high volume of UXBs that fell on Greater London alone.

German Type C Parachute Mine It is unsurprising therefore that many Bomb Disposal operators have carried out heroic activities and have been awarded with Decorations, the best online resource for this is sponsored by the Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Officers Club and can be found  HERE

Another website that also provides citations to read and understand what the men were doing and how deserving of the award they were is  HERE