Bennett Southwell

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Bennett Southwell
21 March 1913 – 17 October 1940
Place of birth	Rotherham, England
Place of death	Hoxton, London
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1939-1941
Rank	Ordinary Seaman
Unit	HMS Vernon
Battles/wars	World War II bomb disposal
Awards	George Cross

Ordinary Seaman Bennett Southwell GC (1913-1940) was a member of a Royal Navy team carrying out bomb disposal when he was killed during the London blitz. He was awarded a posthumous George Cross.^[1]

Southwell was born on 21 March 1913 and enlisted into the Royal Navy in 1939. He was posted to HMS Vernon, the Navy establishment for bomb and mine clearance work. He was part of a team tackling an unexploded parachute mine on the 17 October 1940 during the height of the blitz in Hoxton in the East End of London.

Southwell and his companion, Sub-Lieutenant Jack Easton, were called to a mine in Clifton Street, Shoreditch. The street was deserted and the 1,500lb mine could be seen dangling from its parachute, wrapped round the chimney of a terraced house. The pair had to climb through a window into the bedroom, as the mine was blocking the door wedged between a bedstead and the collapsing chimney. Easton set about defusing the mine with Southwell passing him tools through the window. They were working in this way when the rest of the chimney collapsed, setting off the fuse which began to tick. They ran for cover in a nearby air raid shelter but the mine exploded, destroying six surrounding streets and killing Southwell instantly. Such was the damage that his body was undiscovered for a further six weeks.^[2] Sub-Lieutenant Easton survived and both men were awarded the George Cross.^[3] Southwell's citation reads:^[4]

"The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the posthumous award of the GEORGE CROSS for great gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty, to Ordinary Seaman Bennett Southwell."