ARP Staff Officer Roy Thomas Harris (1 August 1902 - 18 August 1973) was awarded 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...

 for the 'conspicuous gallantry' he displayed on 18 September 1940 in defusing unexploded bombs which had fallen on Langdale Road in Thornton Heath

Thornton Heath

Thornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...

, Surrey

Surrey

Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

. He was the Chief Combustion Engineer to Croydon

Croydon

Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...

 Corporation at the time and serving as a Captain in the The Queen's Royal Regiment

Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

The Queen's Royal Regiment was a regiment of the English and later British Army from 1661 to 1959. It was the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, behind only the Royal Scots in the British Army line infantry order of precedence...

, attached to the Croydon Home Guard. He later joined 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....

where he reached the rank of Major.