Gibraltar marks 75th anniversary of Bedenham explosion

Monday marked the 75th anniversary of the Bedenham explosion, a significant event that left a lasting impact on the Gibraltarian community.

On April 27, 1951, the armament carrier RFA Bedenham exploded while docked at Ordnance Wharf, killing 13 people, injuring hundreds more and causing widespread devastation across Gibraltar, with damage from the blast affecting buildings including The Convent and Gibraltar’s two Cathedrals.

At the Bedenham memorial on Queensway Quay, wreaths were laid by dignitaries to commemorate and honour the 13 lives lost when a depth charge being unloaded ignited.

The Minister for Industrial Relations, Civil Contingencies and Sport, Leslie Bruzon, spoke at the commemoration and said: “On this day, we remember those who were affected, those who lost their lives, those who were injured, and the families and colleagues of those who forever changed.”

“We also remember the courage and dedication of those who responded in the immediate aftermath.”

“Let us take a moment to reflect not only on the tragedy itself, but on the strength, resilience and unity that followed.”

Following the depth charge ignition a fire spread on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, triggering a violent explosion on the vessel which subsequently sank.

After Mr Bruzon’s speech, a bugler played the Last Post before a minute’s silence was held. After which Reveille was sounded by the bugler.

Wreaths were laid by Mr Bruzon, the Mayor, Nicky Guerrero, Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Services Chief Fire Officer Colin Ramirez, Airport Fire and Rescue Services Senior Fire Officer Nicholas Vinales and a representative of the Civil Defence Association (UK).

Also laying a wreath was Lin Fitch, the daughter of Merchant Seaman Bill Staples, who thanked Gibraltar for saving her father’s life.

Mr Staples survived the explosion and Mrs Fitch wanted to return to the Rock to say “thank you” on behalf of her late father.

She said that her father never spoke much about the incident but had always spoken fondly of Gibraltar where he spent a month in hospital recovering after the explosion.

“All he said was that he was involved in the explosion, it happened, and then he was here for a month in hospital,” she recalled.

“So it’s thanks to the people of Gibraltar that my dad’s here.”

Although her father survived, he lost crewmates in the incident.

“He spoke very fondly [of them], but he didn’t go into any detail,” Mrs Fitch said.

Ms Fitch, who had previously visited Gibraltar briefly, said this trip was made specifically to attend the memorial and honour her father’s connection to the Rock.

She and her family had been in Gibraltar three years earlier but narrowly missed the last anniversary. They made a promise then that they would return for this year’s commemoration.

Mrs Fitch added that the incident may have been a turning point in her father’s life. Having lost his own father when he was just eight months old, and already engaged to her mother at the time of the explosion, the experience may have influenced his decision to leave the Merchant Marine and focus on family life.

“We feel that this kind of indicated he wanted to come away from the merchant and be at home with the family,” she said.

“This was possibly quite a defining [moment].”

To mark the occasion, Mrs Fitch prepared a handwritten card, placed at the memorial, addressed to the people of Gibraltar to thank them for keeping her father safe all those years ago.

Thirteen people were killed in the Bedenham explosion, including Chief Fire Officer Albert Alexander Indoe and Sub Officer George Campbell Henderson, of the Dockyard Fire Service, who were posthumously awarded gallantry medals for their bravery in attempting to extinguish the fire.