- SURNAME
Brownlee
- FORENAME
Gordon Chisholm
- UNIT
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
- RANK
Major
- NUMBER
355433
- AWARD
George Medal
- PLACE
Aden 1968
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
London Gazette 44528, 16th February 1968, Page 2071
CITATION:
George Medal : Major Brownlee was employed as Senior Ammunition Technical Officer, Middle East Command. In this appointment he was responsible for provision, inspection and safety of all the ammunition issued to the security forces in the Theatre. His duties also included the destruction or dismantling of terrorist mines, booby traps and explosive devices.
Since September 1966, he personally answered over 170 calls from the civil authorities to deal with explosive or suspected explosive devices.
During the period, often under threat of terrorist attack, and working in the notoriously dangerous areas of Aden and Sheikh Ottoman, he dismantled and recovered for forensic examination, over 100 explosive items including blind grenades and mortar bombs, various types of mines and booby trap devices and miscellaneous locally manufactured items. He cleared six caches and finds made by security forces and on at least 20 occasions removed explosives which were in a highly dangerous state and which were already exuding nitro-glycerine.
Recently he flew up country to deal with a booby trapped well. The trap was so designed that it would have been activated by the breaking of a single thread. To have blown the booby trap in situ would have meant that the local population would have been without their only supply of water and he therefore decided to dismantle and remove the booby trap. Having cleared the area, he lowered himself into the well, knowing as he worked in the cramped and dark conditions, that the slightest mistake would almost certainly result in his own death. He successfully completed the hazardous task of dismantling the booby trap and removed it to a safe place where he destroyed the device. His general bearing and complete disregard for his own safety, and courage and devotion to duty have earned him the respect and admiration of his military and civilian colleagues alike.
Since September 1966, he personally answered over 170 calls from the civil authorities to deal with explosive or suspected explosive devices.
During the period, often under threat of terrorist attack, and working in the notoriously dangerous areas of Aden and Sheikh Ottoman, he dismantled and recovered for forensic examination, over 100 explosive items including blind grenades and mortar bombs, various types of mines and booby trap devices and miscellaneous locally manufactured items. He cleared six caches and finds made by security forces and on at least 20 occasions removed explosives which were in a highly dangerous state and which were already exuding nitro-glycerine.
Recently he flew up country to deal with a booby trapped well. The trap was so designed that it would have been activated by the breaking of a single thread. To have blown the booby trap in situ would have meant that the local population would have been without their only supply of water and he therefore decided to dismantle and remove the booby trap. Having cleared the area, he lowered himself into the well, knowing as he worked in the cramped and dark conditions, that the slightest mistake would almost certainly result in his own death. He successfully completed the hazardous task of dismantling the booby trap and removed it to a safe place where he destroyed the device. His general bearing and complete disregard for his own safety, and courage and devotion to duty have earned him the respect and admiration of his military and civilian colleagues alike.
WEB LINKS:
• https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/44528/supplement/2071NATIONAL ARCHIVES:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7623457
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