Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Able Seaman

Unit:

Enemy Mines Section, HMS Vernon, Chatham, Royal Navy

Awarded on:

January 23rd, 1941

"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.