Bertram Stuart Trevelyan Archer
Encyclopedia
Colonel Bertram Stuart Trevelyan Archer GC
OBE
ERD
(born 3 February 1915) is the oldest living recipient of the George Cross
, the highest British
(and Commonwealth
) medal for gallantry not in the face of the enemy.
. Before joining the Royal Engineers
, who carried out bomb disposal work in the United Kingdom
, he served with the Honourable Artillery Company
. He had carried out bomb disposal work since June 1940, and had dealt with 200 bombs prior to the awarding of the George Cross, and provided the War Office
with five different fuses as well as the Zus anti-handling devices.
Before joining the army he was a qualified architect with the Royal Institute of British Architects
, at the youngest possible age of 21, in July 1936, starting work in Grays Inn with a firm he became a partner in and remained with for all of his working life. In 1963 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the bomb disposal regiments of the Royal Engineers. Archer has been the Chairman of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association since 1994, and represented the Association at the funeral of the Queen Mother
in 2003.
The full citation is:
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
ERD
Emergency Reserve Decoration
The Emergency Reserve Decoration is a British military decoration, instituted in 1952. It has a dark blue ribbon, with a yellow central stripe.Recipients may use the letters ERD after their name....
(born 3 February 1915) is the oldest living recipient of the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, the highest British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
) medal for gallantry not in the face of the enemy.
Award of George Cross
He was awarded the medal on 30 September 1941. The award was for extensive work on defusing German bombs dropped on United Kingdom during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Before joining the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, who carried out bomb disposal work in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, he served with the Honourable Artillery Company
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
. He had carried out bomb disposal work since June 1940, and had dealt with 200 bombs prior to the awarding of the George Cross, and provided the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
with five different fuses as well as the Zus anti-handling devices.
Before joining the army he was a qualified architect with the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
, at the youngest possible age of 21, in July 1936, starting work in Grays Inn with a firm he became a partner in and remained with for all of his working life. In 1963 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the bomb disposal regiments of the Royal Engineers. Archer has been the Chairman of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association since 1994, and represented the Association at the funeral of the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
in 2003.
Citation
The original announcement of the award read simply:The full citation is: