- SURNAME
Reid
- FORENAME
Brain James Crawford
- UNIT
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
- RANK
Warrant Officer Second Class
- NUMBER
19042950
- AWARD
George Medal
- PLACE
Malaya 1966
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Irvine, UK
London Gazette 43926, 15th March 1966, Page 3055
CITATION:
George Medal : During the night of 28th October 1965, Warrant Officer Reid, the duty Ammunition Technician, went to Malacca to assist his officer in dealing with an Indonesian sabotage device which they had been requested to disarm by the Malacca Police.
On seeing the device, it was quite apparent to him that this was an entirely new and highly dangerous type of bomb. It was found to be built up in a metal box which made it impossible to ascertain the components, but it was necessary, for the safety of all Bomb Disposal personnel in the Far East, to make every attempt to discover the workings of the bomb. This could only be done by the extremely hazardous operation of cutting away sections from the box with infinite care and rendering safe each component part as it was discovered. In spite of the care that had to be taken, no time could be wasted owing to the likelihood of a timing device. As the chances of dismantling the bomb successfully were considered slight, Warrant Officer Reid was given the opportunity to retire to a safe place. This he firmly refused to do, despite the fact that he had dismantled several other time bombs and was fully aware of the dangers of this particularly ingenious device.
For a period of two and a half hours under extremely difficult lighting conditions, sections of the metal cover were cut away and the bomb dismantled piece by piece. Two mechanical anti-handling devices were gradually exposed and were made safe. It was at this stage that it was thought that the most dangerous part of the operation was over, but the removal of a TNT block exposed part of an electrical circuit, indicating the presence of a timing mechanism or an electrical anti-lift device. Despite the increased danger, Warrant Officer Reid continued to give invaluable assistance until after another hour of intense and concentrated effort, an extremely delicate electrical anti-handling device was made safe, the timing device neutralised and the bomb completely dismantled. The bomb contained 7 pounds of TNT, two hand grenades and incendiary material.
Throughout this protracted ordeal, Warrant Officer Reid acted with great calm and determination. Despite the fact that on several occasions he was asked to perform tasks where one slip of his hand would have meant instant death to the officer and himself, he never faltered.
Warrant Officer Reid's gallantry has ensured that the effect of this new and highly ingenious type of terrorist sabotage activity can now be minimised and that Bomb Disposal personnel throughout the Far East now know all the dangers of this particularly fiendish device.
On seeing the device, it was quite apparent to him that this was an entirely new and highly dangerous type of bomb. It was found to be built up in a metal box which made it impossible to ascertain the components, but it was necessary, for the safety of all Bomb Disposal personnel in the Far East, to make every attempt to discover the workings of the bomb. This could only be done by the extremely hazardous operation of cutting away sections from the box with infinite care and rendering safe each component part as it was discovered. In spite of the care that had to be taken, no time could be wasted owing to the likelihood of a timing device. As the chances of dismantling the bomb successfully were considered slight, Warrant Officer Reid was given the opportunity to retire to a safe place. This he firmly refused to do, despite the fact that he had dismantled several other time bombs and was fully aware of the dangers of this particularly ingenious device.
For a period of two and a half hours under extremely difficult lighting conditions, sections of the metal cover were cut away and the bomb dismantled piece by piece. Two mechanical anti-handling devices were gradually exposed and were made safe. It was at this stage that it was thought that the most dangerous part of the operation was over, but the removal of a TNT block exposed part of an electrical circuit, indicating the presence of a timing mechanism or an electrical anti-lift device. Despite the increased danger, Warrant Officer Reid continued to give invaluable assistance until after another hour of intense and concentrated effort, an extremely delicate electrical anti-handling device was made safe, the timing device neutralised and the bomb completely dismantled. The bomb contained 7 pounds of TNT, two hand grenades and incendiary material.
Throughout this protracted ordeal, Warrant Officer Reid acted with great calm and determination. Despite the fact that on several occasions he was asked to perform tasks where one slip of his hand would have meant instant death to the officer and himself, he never faltered.
Warrant Officer Reid's gallantry has ensured that the effect of this new and highly ingenious type of terrorist sabotage activity can now be minimised and that Bomb Disposal personnel throughout the Far East now know all the dangers of this particularly fiendish device.
WEB LINKS:
• https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/43926/supplement/3055NATIONAL ARCHIVES:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7623804
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