Ordinary Seaman BENNETT SOUTHWELL
Royal Navy
H.M.S. Vernon
Died 17 October 1940
Age 27 years old
- Country of Service United Kingdom
- Awards George Cross
- Additional Info Husband of Marion Southwell, of Leicester.
- Personal Inscription WHY WAS HE CHOSEN? LOVING WIFE MADGE, SON MICHAEL AND FAMILY
- Additional Citation note
The following details are given in the London Gazette of January 23rd, 1941: "The King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the George Cross, for great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty."
Seaman Southwell, together with Sub-Lt. J.M.C. Easton, R.N.V.R. were employed in bomb disposal work and had visited a house in Hoxton, in London's East End. A bomb had entered through the roof and was hanging inches from the floor and was being worked on by Easton in the room assisted by Southweel from the cover of the adjoining passageway. Suddenly the bomb dropped to the floor and became live, realising that there were only 12 seconds to escape they both ran for cover. Easton was buried by rubble and eventually dug out alive with a broken back, Southwell was decapitated by the blast, which destroyed six entire streets, and was not found until six weeks later, buried among the rubble.
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