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NAVY NEWS, MAY 2007 27
‘‘If this is dying it’If this is dying it’ss not so bad…’ not so bad…’
MANY faced death in the
Falklands in 1982, but few
came as close as John
Phillips and lived to tell
the tale.
John led the two-man Royal
Engineers bomb disposal team
which sailed from the UK with
the Task Force.
“We arrived in the Falklands on
May 21 1982, not knowing what
we were going to be dealing with,”
said John, now 64.
“I had gone to the Intelligence
Cell before leaving to see what
weapons the Argentinians would
throw at us, but they couldn’t
tell us. So we travelled south with
our course notes and a Janes
Defence Weekly on Argentinian
hardware…”
John, a WO2 with 49 EOD
Squadron RE, and his colleague,
Staff Sgt Jim Prescott, had little
time to gather their thoughts, for
the day after their arrival they were
on Leander-class frigate HMS
Argonaut, which had been struck
by two bombs in San Carlos Water
– the notorious Bomb Alley.
Neither device exploded,
● HMS Antelope sinks in San Carlos Water
though two sailors died in the
Seacat magazine, which flooded.
The team was back in action the Beyond using a pipe wrench missiles, the risk was too great and on the Uganda – a comfortable Health and Safety Executive.
John and Jim made for the
following day, taking a hair-raising and elbow grease – which they the frigate was abandoned. ship, which was full of the smells Having said that, he has been
second bomb, in the boiler
trip in a Gemini boat up Bomb decided was not a good plan – As flakes of burning aluminium of perfume and talcum, rather than every bit as busy since retirement,
room, and were warned
Alley during an air raid to get to there was an alternative method fell around them, the sailors headed sweaty soldiers and sailors – then as a trustee of BLESMA (the
to watch out for the wires
Type 21 frigate HMS Antelope. using a de-armer, which involves for the nearby field hospital in he went on the ‘ambulance run’ British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s
sticking out of its nose.
“As we got to Antelope we could just one charge to cut the pistol Ajax Bay, watching from the boats to Montevideo aboard converted Association), a case worker for
“We first identified it as a British see an entry hole made by a bomb, from the tail of the bomb. as their ship was engulfed by a survey ship HMS Hydra. SSAFA and also being involved
1,000lb General Purpose bomb, which was very similar to the day As CO Cdr Nick Tobin mustered massive explosion. A DC-10 flight to Brize Norton in the South Atlantic Medal
armed in the tail by a mechanism before so we were confident we as many of his ship’s company as Although she was still afloat and a stint in Woolwich Hospital Association.
called a pistol, and containing were dealing with the same kind he could spare on the upper deck, next day, a further blast broke her would appear to have brought the John was awarded the
600lb of explosives,” said John. of bomb,” said John. the Army pair prepared for their back and Antelope sank. curtain down on John’s career, but Distinguished Service Cross for
“The loose wires turned out to “A second bomb had gone fourth attempt. “I met Rick Jolly at the hospital he had other ideas. his bravery aboard Argonaut and
be chicken mesh picked up as the into the refrigeration unit further A blast route up through open – I had travelled with him in the “I was lying in Woolwich Antelope, while Jim Prescott was
bomb bounced off lagging in the astern. hatches was in place, and with the Task Force, and I didn’t think I Hospital and a bloke came to given a posthumous Conspicuous
ship. First scare over! “The guts of the ship had been charge set John and Jim retreated would be one of his first patients,” see me. He said he was the Gallantry Medal.
“We decided to use a rocket taken out, and a young steward 30ft down a passage and behind a said John. replacement Sgt Major for 49 John has returned to the South
wrench, which is clamped on, the had been killed by flying metal steel door clamped into place. “I remember looking up at the EOD Squadron,” said John. Atlantic several times – in 1983
charges are fired remotely and it – he was just in the wrong place at The charge was fired, and they plastic sheeting under the lights he was involved in mine clearance
spins like a Catherine wheel to the wrong time. were returning to inspect the and seeing all the crap around and
“I said ‘No, I am the Sgt
trials, the other occasions have
unscrew the pistol. “The bomb in the bow was bomb when disaster struck. thinking ‘this is not conducive to
Major for 49 EOD Squad-
been as a civilian.
“When we went back we were lying on a petty officer’s bunk “There was this almighty bang an operating theatre.’
ron.’ That spurred me on to
And the links he forged with the
pleased to see the pistol was out. – if you had put a blanket over and the whole ship shook – people “They woke me up and said
show I could get back.”
RN 25 years ago are still strong.
“All we had now was a it you would have thought it was were knocked off their feet on the ‘We have had to take your arm off’ Within three months John was “I am a member of the Antelope
container of explosives, and not someone sleeping there. flight deck,” said John. and I just nodded – it wasn’t a big back in uniform at work, on the Association, and have got some
an unexploded bomb. It was then “We asked some of the lads to “Milliseconds later Jim and I thing at the time.” duty roster – and he dealt with good mates among sailors,” he
just up to the lads to lift it out and clear a path to it, and we went to looked each other in the eye. John was later evacuated by unexploded devices dredged up said.
heave it over the side. the other bomb. “Then there was this whoosh, helicopter to hospital ship SS in the Thames and off the South “I am also an honorary member
“That was our first bomb dealt “They had had the common like you get when trains pass in Uganda. Coast before deciding he had of the Survey Ships Association,
with – it took a couple of hours, sense to wedge this bomb to stop it a tunnel – even now I can’t travel “So the first time I set foot proved his point. because I was a passenger in
and we were quite happy.” rolling around, so we set to work. on that side of a train in a tunnel in the Falklands was when I got He took up a promotion and, 1982.
The other bomb could not be “On a closer look it wasn’t as because it shakes me up. off my stretcher to walk to the subsequently, a commission, “I think I have got more
tackled until the magazine was straightforward as the day before, “That sound was the hatch helicopter – I had been at sea for though the last 12 years of his affiliations with the Navy than the
drained, but with the boiler room as the pistol was damaged. being blown off; it was bent into a the rest of the time,” he said. working life were spent dealing Army since 1982.”
cleared, the frigate could at least “We set up a rocket wrench and U-shape and it flew between us. John spent around three weeks with explosives issues for the marina Islands pilgrimage – page 26
carry out defensive manoeuvres. backed off 30-40ft then fired it. “It hit Jim square in the chest
“We went back to Sir Lancelot, “When we got back to the bomb and killed him outright, and it
and it was only when we got back, we found the rocket wrench had took off my left arm.
sat down and thought about what fired and spun but hadn’t taken “I found myself flying serenely
we had done that the realisation the pistol out. through the air. I thought I was
dawned,” said John. “I thought it was probably just dying, and I remember thinking ‘If
“Jim and I were both experienced jammed, so we should try again. this is dying it’s not so bad.’ I felt
bomb disposal officers, but I was “We had two more attempts, no pain at all.
Plymouth
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having a cup of tea and my hand but both just spun out and we “I saw a circle of light, a very
was shaking.” were running out of cartridges.”
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“There was bright blue sky at
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“But I never got there – I hit the
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There is currently a vacant one bedroom 2 person flat at Trafalgar Quarters
“I hit the bulkhead with my
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backside, so I was lucky – if it had
Church of England Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Clubs (CESSAC)
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been my head it probably would Enquiries to:
HOLIDAY BREAKS
have killed me.
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Minutes from Dockyard, Station, Gunwharf
so I knew it was damaged. I got
Tel: 023 9282 7067 Fax: 023 9282 7095
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“I called for Jim but couldn’t
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find him, and by now there was
fire and smoke all round and I All booking requirements in writing only, enclosing £5 deposit on each
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“The next thing I knew, a sailor
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“He said ‘There’s nothing you plus ex. serving personnel and R.N.A. members who may be visiting the
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Morice Square, Devonport, Plymouth PL1 4PQ
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Antelope fought to save their
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ASK FOR QUOTATION, CONTACT THE MANAGER
● Smoke and steam billow from HMS Antelope in her death throes
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Airport transfer, reasonable rates.
in San Carlos Water
bomb on board, as well as Seacat
WITHOUT DELAY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT
Tel/Fax 00356 21313797
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