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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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422:Blitz hero's George Cross sells for record £93,000
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217:for the conspicuous gallantry he displayed in
470:British Army personnel killed in World War II
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465:Deaths by German airstrikes during The Blitz
400:Relatives to see Chopwell war hero honoured
333:2nd Lieutenant A. F. Campbell, G.C., Age 42
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305:. The squad comprised Second Lieutenant
411:Search on for family of WW II bomb hero
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205:(21 June 1906 – 18 October 1940) was a
450:British recipients of the George Cross
480:Military personnel from Tyne and Wear
351:Driver E. F. Taylor, R.A.S.C., Age 32
236:, and had served 14 years within the
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297:Following a funeral service at
460:Durham Light Infantry soldiers
91:London Road Cemetery, Coventry
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27:Recipient of the George Cross
348:Sapper R. W. Skelton, Age 20
336:Sgt. M. Gibson, G.C., Age 34
342:Sapper R. Gilchrist, Age 23
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389:Casualty details from CWGC
307:Alexander Fraser Campbell
455:Royal Engineers soldiers
339:Sapper W. Gibson, Age 22
475:Bomb disposal personnel
356:Gibson's George Cross,
345:Sapper J. Plumb, Age 25
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242:Durham Light Infantry
224:Prior to joining the
117:Years of service
324:The memorial reads:
303:London Road Cemetery
279:on 21 January 1941:
18:Michael Gibson (GC)
299:Coventry Cathedral
276:The London Gazette
362:War Medal 1939-45
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16:(Redirected from
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213:awarded the
211:posthumously
207:British Army
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191:George Cross
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155:Battles/wars
111:British Army
71:(1940-10-18)
52:21 June 1906
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445:1940 deaths
440:1906 births
434:Categories
376:References
164:Home Front
97:Allegiance
48:1906-06-21
262:Company,
255:Luftwaffe
169:The Blitz
120:1925–1940
82:, England
61:, England
317:Memorial
230:Chopwell
219:Coventry
129:Sergeant
105:Service/
80:Coventry
55:Chopwell
311:Sappers
175:†
140:4445289
368:Family
187:Awards
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107:branch
87:Buried
294:men.
289:Death
360:and
309:and
145:Unit
125:Rank
66:Died
42:Born
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232:,
203:GC
201:,
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46:(
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