Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Bomb and Mine Clearance G.S.M. awarded to Sapper S. J. Sullivan, 4 Bomb Disposal Company, Royal Engineers, who was killed whilst diffusing a mine at Horsey Gap beach, Norfolk, 31 July 1946

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Bomb & Mine Clearance 1945-49 (14037169 Spr. S. J. Sullivan. R.E.) good very fine £600-£800

Stanley James Sullivan was the son of Mr and Mrs S. Sullivan of Pontypool, Wales. He served with 4 Bomb Disposal Company, Royal Engineers and aged just 19 was killed whilst making a mine ‘safe’ at Horsey Gap beach, Norfolk, 31 July 1946. The following detail is provided by a local paper, 10 August 1946:
‘The mine which caused the deaths of three soldiers at Horsey last week exploded during the ‘rendering safe’ procedure... The dead soldiers were Corporal Arthur Frederick Rackett of Upper Yarborough Road, East Cowes, Isle of Wight; Sapper Walter Kenneth Gilbert of 71 Grenfell Park Road, St. Thomas, Swansea; and Sapper Stanley James Sullivan of 68 Woodlands, Pengawn, Pontypool.

Sergeant John Upton, R.E. who was in charge of the mine-clearing party near Horsey Gap, said that he had left Corporal Rackett with instructions to carry on with the clearance while he spoke with another group of men some distance away. He then heard an explosion and, on going to the spot, saw a mine crater, with Gilbert and Rackett lying about 15 yards away. Gilbert was either dead of unconscious, but Rackett was conscious, though he was unable to say what had happened. Sullivan’s body was not found until ten minutes later and was 150 yards from the crater and clear of the actual minefield...’

Sapper Sullivan is buried in Trevethin (St. Cadoc) Churchyard, and commemorated on the Mundesely Bomb Disposal Memorial, Norfolk.