Robert Selby Armitage
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Commander Robert Selby Armitage GC
, GM
, RNVR (28 March 1905 – 26 May 1982) won both the George Cross
and George Medal
for his bomb disposal work during the Second World War, one of only eight people to have been awarded both.
The son of the Rev. Philip Armitage (1870–1960) and his wife Elizabeth Christina Armitage, née Marshall (c1875-1934), he was born in Birling
in Kent
on 28 March 1905 and educated at Rugby School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. On 28 September 1938 he married Frances Bland Tucker.
He defused unexploded bombs during the blitz
in 1940, notably a mine that fell on Orpington
in Kent
. The mine had come to rest in a tree and he climbed a ladder to defuse it, offering no chance of escape if the fuse had been triggered. His George Cross was gazetted in the London Gazette
on 27 December 1940, and he was invested on 24 May 1941 at the medal's first investiture ceremony. He was one of four recipients: one civilian and one each from the Navy, Army and Air Force.
Also in 1940, he commanded a small coaster at the evacuation of the British Army
from Dunkirk.
His George Medal, gazetted on 15 February 1944, was for mine disposal work at Corton Sands, Suffolk
on 15 June 1942 while serving in HMS Vernon
.
On 26 May 1982, at his home in Nettlebed
, Oxfordshire
, he shot his wife, wounding her slightly, and then killed himself.
Armitage was a nephew of Robert Armitage (MP), great nephew of Edward Armitage
and Thomas Rhodes Armitage, and third cousin of Edward Leathley Armitage
.
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...
, GM
George Medal
The George Medal is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.The GM was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage...
, RNVR (28 March 1905 – 26 May 1982) won both 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...
and George Medal
George Medal
The George Medal is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.The GM was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage...
for his bomb disposal work during the Second World War, one of only eight people to have been awarded both.
The son of the Rev. Philip Armitage (1870–1960) and his wife Elizabeth Christina Armitage, née Marshall (c1875-1934), he was born in Birling
Birling
Birling can refer toseveral places in England:*Birling, Kent*Birling, Northumberland*Birling Gap, Sussexor can also refer to:*Birling , the sport of logrolling practised by lumberjacks.See also:* Birlingham, Worcestershire...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
on 28 March 1905 and educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. On 28 September 1938 he married Frances Bland Tucker.
He defused unexploded bombs during the blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
in 1940, notably a mine that fell on Orpington
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The mine had come to rest in a tree and he climbed a ladder to defuse it, offering no chance of escape if the fuse had been triggered. His George Cross was gazetted in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 27 December 1940, and he was invested on 24 May 1941 at the medal's first investiture ceremony. He was one of four recipients: one civilian and one each from the Navy, Army and Air Force.
Also in 1940, he commanded a small coaster at the evacuation of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
from Dunkirk.
His George Medal, gazetted on 15 February 1944, was for mine disposal work at Corton Sands, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
on 15 June 1942 while serving in HMS Vernon
HMS Vernon (shore establishment)
HMS Vernon was a shore establishment or 'stone frigate' of the Royal Navy. Vernon was established on 26 April 1876 as the Royal Navy's Torpedo Branch and operated until 1 April 1996, when the various elements comprising the establishment were split up and moved to different commands.-Foundation...
.
On 26 May 1982, at his home in Nettlebed
Nettlebed
Nettlebed is a village in England in the Chiltern Hills about northwest of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire and southeast of Wallingford.-History:Archaeological finds show that the area around Nettlebed has been inhabited since Palaeolithic times....
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, he shot his wife, wounding her slightly, and then killed himself.
Armitage was a nephew of Robert Armitage (MP), great nephew of Edward Armitage
Edward Armitage
Edward Armitage was an English Victorian era painter whose work focussed on historical, classical and biblical subjects.-Family background:...
and Thomas Rhodes Armitage, and third cousin of Edward Leathley Armitage
Edward Armitage (cricketer)
Edward Leathley Armitage was an Irish born English cricketer, the son of John Leathley Armitage and his wife Annie Jessie, née Nicholas...
.