- SURNAME
Istead
- FORENAME
Peter Walter Ernest
- UNIT
3 Det. No 1 Ammunition Inspectorate + Chief Ammunition Technical Officer, Northern Ireland, Royal Army Ordnance Corps
- RANK
Captain + Lieutenant Colonel
- NUMBER
434900
- AWARD
Officer of the Order of the British Empire, George Medal
- PLACE
Minden, Germany 1966 (GM) Northern Ireland 1st May - 31st July 1978 (OBE)
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
London Gazette 43887, 28th January 1966, Page 1157 (GM)
London Gazette 47710, 12th December 1978, Page 14921 (OBE)
CITATION:
George Medal : On the evening of Friday, 25th June 1965, an ammunition train caught fire near Minden. The train had been stopped and four of the wagons uncoupled but the fire increased and two of the wagons exploded scattering shells over a wide area. Captain P. W. E. Istead who was at the time Second in Command at No. 3 Detachment, No. 1 Ammunition Inspectorate, was instructed by his Officer Commanding to accompany the latter to the scene of the accident although that was still some 80 miles away.
On arrival at the scene they found two of the wagons devastated and burning fiercely whilst the adjoining wagon was also burning. The surrounding area was covered with burning propellant, exploded ammunition and a number of dangerously hot 90 millimetre shells which might have exploded at any minute. The girders of the burning wagons were red hot in places and there were still a number of unexploded rounds in the wreckage. There was a large civilian house with a thatched roof within 200 yards of the accident and despite the efforts of German Police a number of curious civilians were infiltrating into the area. A Royal Military Police Non-Commissioned Officer, Lance Corporal Moodie, was trying to move a fire tender so "that water could be played on the flames but apart from this nothing had been done to prevent further explosions and the local fire brigade were reluctant to approach the burning wagons. As soon as the fire brigade had moved a tender to the top of the cutting over-looking the scene and begun to play water on the burning end of the third wagon Captain Istead accompanied his Officer Commanding on to the railway line. Then with complete disregard for their own safety they broke into the third railway wagon and were just in time to move
the ammunition boxes away from the burning end before they too caught fire and precipitated a further explosion. Immediately afterwards, Captain Istead helped his Officer Commanding and the Non-Commissioned Officer to uncouple the third and fourth wagons each containing about 10 tons of 90 millimetre ammunition and move them about 60 yards down the track.
The problem now was how to deal with the other ammunition which lay in and around the burning wagons. In most cases the projectiles were separated from the cases but a number of complete rounds were still in smouldering cardboard cylinders in and around the wagons. Some of the projectiles around the wagons were marked " Practice " but most of them had all their markings burnt off. They all had to be treated as suspect until examined. Most of the ammunition was too hot to pick up with the naked hand and it was considered that in view of the likelihood of further explosions and the difficulty of discovering whether the shells were high explosive or not the ammunition would have to be cooled with water before clearance could commence. In order not to expose the local firemen to undue hazard Captain Istead handled the branch hose, together with Major Smith for the first 30 minutes of this operation. Subsequently, with the aid of a fatigue party all die ammunition was unloaded and removed.
The whole operation took twelve hours to complete from about nine in the evening when the officers arrived on the scene until about nine thirty next morning, when all the ammunition had been cleared. Throughout this period, although he was well aware of the continuous danger of further explosions Captain Istead acted with utter' disregard for his own safety. Not only was the majority of the ammunition and two of the railway trucks saved but the possibility of injury to civilians and damage to civilian property was also avoided. Captain Istead's fearless behaviour and the loyal and instant support which he gave to Major Smith was an inspiring example to those around him. His courageous actions in the
face of continuous danger were in the highest traditions of the British Army.
On arrival at the scene they found two of the wagons devastated and burning fiercely whilst the adjoining wagon was also burning. The surrounding area was covered with burning propellant, exploded ammunition and a number of dangerously hot 90 millimetre shells which might have exploded at any minute. The girders of the burning wagons were red hot in places and there were still a number of unexploded rounds in the wreckage. There was a large civilian house with a thatched roof within 200 yards of the accident and despite the efforts of German Police a number of curious civilians were infiltrating into the area. A Royal Military Police Non-Commissioned Officer, Lance Corporal Moodie, was trying to move a fire tender so "that water could be played on the flames but apart from this nothing had been done to prevent further explosions and the local fire brigade were reluctant to approach the burning wagons. As soon as the fire brigade had moved a tender to the top of the cutting over-looking the scene and begun to play water on the burning end of the third wagon Captain Istead accompanied his Officer Commanding on to the railway line. Then with complete disregard for their own safety they broke into the third railway wagon and were just in time to move
the ammunition boxes away from the burning end before they too caught fire and precipitated a further explosion. Immediately afterwards, Captain Istead helped his Officer Commanding and the Non-Commissioned Officer to uncouple the third and fourth wagons each containing about 10 tons of 90 millimetre ammunition and move them about 60 yards down the track.
The problem now was how to deal with the other ammunition which lay in and around the burning wagons. In most cases the projectiles were separated from the cases but a number of complete rounds were still in smouldering cardboard cylinders in and around the wagons. Some of the projectiles around the wagons were marked " Practice " but most of them had all their markings burnt off. They all had to be treated as suspect until examined. Most of the ammunition was too hot to pick up with the naked hand and it was considered that in view of the likelihood of further explosions and the difficulty of discovering whether the shells were high explosive or not the ammunition would have to be cooled with water before clearance could commence. In order not to expose the local firemen to undue hazard Captain Istead handled the branch hose, together with Major Smith for the first 30 minutes of this operation. Subsequently, with the aid of a fatigue party all die ammunition was unloaded and removed.
The whole operation took twelve hours to complete from about nine in the evening when the officers arrived on the scene until about nine thirty next morning, when all the ammunition had been cleared. Throughout this period, although he was well aware of the continuous danger of further explosions Captain Istead acted with utter' disregard for his own safety. Not only was the majority of the ammunition and two of the railway trucks saved but the possibility of injury to civilians and damage to civilian property was also avoided. Captain Istead's fearless behaviour and the loyal and instant support which he gave to Major Smith was an inspiring example to those around him. His courageous actions in the
face of continuous danger were in the highest traditions of the British Army.
WEB LINKS:
• https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/43887/supplement/1157 (GM)• https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47710/supplement/14921 (OBE)
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