- SURNAME
Phillips
- FORENAME
John Henry
- UNIT
33 Engineer Regiment (EOD),Royal Engineers (49 Field Squadron)
- RANK
Warrant Officer Second Class
- NUMBER
23675237
- AWARD
Distinguished Service Cross
- PLACE
Falklands 1982
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
badly injured 23.5.1982 on HMS Antelope, Ajax Bay, Falklands
London Gazette 49134, 8th October 1982, Page 12845
CITATION:
Distinguished Service Cross : On 22nd May 1982 Warrant Officer Class 2 Phillips and another NCO of 49 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron Royal Engineers were carrying out explosive ordnance disposal duties in the Falkland Islands. They were tasked to deal with an unexploded bomb in the boiler-room of HMS ARGONAUT. Another unexploded bomb lay in a flooded missile magazine nearby. Working in extraordinarily cramped conditions and in very unfamiliar surroundings Phillips and a NCO successfully remotely rendered safe the bomb which was later removed from the ship. This action enabled the damage to the boiler room to be repaired, so that HMS ARGONAUT regained propulsion and was able to manoeuvre defensively in further air attacks.
On 23rd May 1982, Warrant Office Class 2 Phillips and the same NCO were tasked to neutralise two unexploded bombs in HMS ANTELOPE. The first bomb examined could not be approached until extensive clearance of debris had taken place. They therefore set about rendering safe the second bomb which was situated near the centre of the ship. The bomb had been slightly damaged and was assessed as being in a dangerous condition. They tried three times to render the bomb safe using a remote method, having to approach the bomb after each attempt to adjust the equipment, but on each occasion, the fuse could not be withdrawn. After a fourth attempt, which involved using a small charge, the bomb unexpectedly exploded. The blast was considerable. Despite a blast route of open doors and hatches up through the ship, the fully clipped steel door at the forward end of the passageway, where the bomb disposal team was standing, was completely blown off and nearly bent double. Warrant Officer Class 2 Phillips was seriously injured.
Warrant Officer Class 2 Phillips displayed courage of the highest order and persevered with attempts to defuse the bomb in HMS ANTELOPE fully aware that its condition was particularly dangerous.
On 23rd May 1982, Warrant Office Class 2 Phillips and the same NCO were tasked to neutralise two unexploded bombs in HMS ANTELOPE. The first bomb examined could not be approached until extensive clearance of debris had taken place. They therefore set about rendering safe the second bomb which was situated near the centre of the ship. The bomb had been slightly damaged and was assessed as being in a dangerous condition. They tried three times to render the bomb safe using a remote method, having to approach the bomb after each attempt to adjust the equipment, but on each occasion, the fuse could not be withdrawn. After a fourth attempt, which involved using a small charge, the bomb unexpectedly exploded. The blast was considerable. Despite a blast route of open doors and hatches up through the ship, the fully clipped steel door at the forward end of the passageway, where the bomb disposal team was standing, was completely blown off and nearly bent double. Warrant Officer Class 2 Phillips was seriously injured.
Warrant Officer Class 2 Phillips displayed courage of the highest order and persevered with attempts to defuse the bomb in HMS ANTELOPE fully aware that its condition was particularly dangerous.
WEB LINKS:
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49134/supplement/12845
Last edited by a moderator:
