Bomb disposal team killed in Whitley remembered 75 years on

[dutchman]

About 75 people gathered today to remember seven bomb disposal experts who died transporting an unexploded WWII bomb from the city centre to Whitley Common.



Sunday marked the 75th anniversary of the explosion and a memorial service was held at the site where members of the Standard Bearers Association paraded and the last post was sounded.

Bill Sutton, of Whitley Local History Group , said the deaths left an unsolved mystery.

He said: “Sapper William ‘Billy’ Gibson, had met a young lady named Maureen at a dance in Monmouth in 1939.

"The relationship blossomed during the following months.

"During the horrific clearing up operation on Whitley Common after the explosion, a lady’s ring was found nearby.

“Further inquiries showed that Billy had drawn an unusual amount of money from his bank account a short time before he died. Had he bought the ring for Maureen? We will never know.”