George Cross and Swansea Connection

The next medal below the Victoria Cross awarded for "... acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger", is the George Cross. This medal is civil decoration, and the subjects of the Commonwealth are eligible for it

The George Cross was established in 1940, 24th September 1940, to date 408 have been awarded. The medal is a plain sliver cross, with the effigy of St. George and the Dragoon surrounded by the words "FOR GALLANTRY"

The country Malta was awarded the medal during the Second World War.

It is the Second World War we have to turn to, September 1st, 1940, Swansea was bombed for the first time, where 251 High Explosive bombs and over 1000 incendiaries dropped. Extensive damage caused together with 33 killed and 115 injured. This was the first bombing before the Blitz of February 1941. It was during this period, that Llandarcy Oil Refinery was also hit with unexploded bombs

Llandarcy Oil Refinery, was the country's first oil refinery to be opened, during 1922, officially by the President of the Board of Trade, Stanley Baldwin, who later back Prime Minister. The refinery was known as National Oil Refinery.

On 2nd September, 25 year old Lieutenant Bertram Archer, Corps of Royal Engineers, had been employed on bomb disposal since June of that year. His job was to deal with those unexploded bombs that had fallen on Llandarcy Oil Refinery. What added to the danger of the job was that several of the oil tanks were on fire. Whilst working on most of the dangerous of bombs two exploded, and that the one that he was working might have gone off. It took several hours when the fuse was removed and the bomb made harmless. It was this act that Archer was awarded the George Cross.

The full citation reads

"On the 15 July 1940, four 250 kilogram bombs were dropped on St Athan aerodrome, South Wales, two of them within 10 yards of some vitally important assembly sheds. Lieutenant Archer immediately went to the scene and the first bomb was excavated. As its fuse was expected to be booby trapped, it was loaded, with the fuse still in, on to a lorry. Lieutenant Archer himself drove the lorry to a site some two miles away and the bomb was detonated. The other bomb was dealt with in the same way.

On the 17 August 1940, at Moulton South Wales, a further 250 kilogram bomb was excavated down to the fuse pocket, which contained a number 50 fuse. As this fuse was required for War Office experiments an attempt was made to extract it. When this failed, Lieutenant Archer removed it by hand by means of a pick head; although well aware of that the fuse might be a booby trap.

On 27 August 1940 at Port Talbot docks this officer was instrumental in recovering the first number of fuses for experimental purposes."

At the end of the war, Archer was promoted to Captain. He reached the age of 100, and was the first person who was either awarded the VC or GC to reach this grand age, he died 3 months after this 100th birthday, May 2015