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eventually the bomb was uncovered. On uncovering it an unusual hissing noise was heard coming from the bomb, whereupon
Sergeant Gibson sent his men away and immediately set to work on the fuse. This he extracted safely and the bomb was eventually removed. His prompt and courageous action saved a very dangerous situation.
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On 14 September 1940 a large unexploded bomb fell in an important factory. Excavation supervised by
Sergeant Gibson was begun, during which time another bomb which had dropped nearby exploded. Despite the knowledge that the bomb on which he was engaged was of a similar type the N.C.O persevered and
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On 18 October 1940, Gibson was one of seven bomb disposal men that had recovered a 250 kilograms (550 lb) bomb from a
Coventry housing estate. The still active bomb was transported via lorry to be defused at Whitley Common. The bomb exploded during unloading from the lorry, killing all of the
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In Memory of the Seven Men of the Royal
Engineers 9th Bomb Disposal Company Who Lost Their Lives When an Unexploded German Bomb Removed from the City Centre Exploded Whilst Being Unloaded Near This Spot for De-Fusing on Whitley Common on 18 October 1940:
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The first detonated but no-one was hurt. Gibson and his men uncovered the second bomb beneath rubble but found the bomb to be hissing. Gibson sent his men away to safety and proceeded to defuse the bomb.
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On 18 October 2008, the anniversary of the death of Gibson and his fellow soldiers, a memorial plaque was dedicated to their memory close to where they died on
Whitley Common.
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bombing raid on the night of the 13/14 September 1940, two unexploded bombs were detected in a factory complex near
Coventry. The area was evacuated and members of the 9th
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William Gibson, Richard
Gilchrest, Jack Plumb, Ronald William Skelton, Ernest Arthur Stote and Gibson. Gibson was 34 when he was killed.
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on 25 October 1940, the squad were buried in a collective grave in
Coventry's
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Michael Gibson married
Elizabeth Hardy; they had two sons, Derek and John.
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The posthumous award of the George Cross to
Michael Gibson appeared in
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at the outset of the Second World War, Gibson was a miner in
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on 14 September 1940 in defusing a large unexploded bomb.
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were sold at auction for £93,000 on 18 December 2012.
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411:Blitz hero's George Cross sells for record £93,000
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206:for the conspicuous gallantry he displayed in
459:British Army personnel killed in World War II
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454:Deaths by German airstrikes during The Blitz
389:Relatives to see Chopwell war hero honoured
322:2nd Lieutenant A. F. Campbell, G.C., Age 42
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294:. The squad comprised Second Lieutenant
400:Search on for family of WW II bomb hero
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194:(21 June 1906 – 18 October 1940) was a
439:British recipients of the George Cross
469:Military personnel from Tyne and Wear
340:Driver E. F. Taylor, R.A.S.C., Age 32
225:, and had served 14 years within the
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286:Following a funeral service at
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80:London Road Cemetery, Coventry
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16:Recipient of the George Cross
337:Sapper R. W. Skelton, Age 20
325:Sgt. M. Gibson, G.C., Age 34
331:Sapper R. Gilchrist, Age 23
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378:Casualty details from CWGC
296:Alexander Fraser Campbell
444:Royal Engineers soldiers
328:Sapper W. Gibson, Age 22
464:Bomb disposal personnel
345:Gibson's George Cross,
334:Sapper J. Plumb, Age 25
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231:Durham Light Infantry
213:Prior to joining the
106:Years of service
313:The memorial reads:
292:London Road Cemetery
268:on 21 January 1941:
288:Coventry Cathedral
265:The London Gazette
351:War Medal 1939-45
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202:awarded the
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180:George Cross
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144:Battles/wars
100:British Army
60:(1940-10-18)
41:21 June 1906
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434:1940 deaths
429:1906 births
423:Categories
365:References
153:Home Front
86:Allegiance
37:1906-06-21
251:Company,
244:Luftwaffe
158:The Blitz
109:1925–1940
71:, England
50:, England
306:Memorial
219:Chopwell
208:Coventry
118:Sergeant
94:Service/
69:Coventry
44:Chopwell
300:Sappers
164:†
129:4445289
357:Family
176:Awards
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96:branch
76:Buried
283:men.
278:Death
349:and
298:and
134:Unit
114:Rank
55:Died
31:Born
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221:,
192:GC
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35:(
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