This Is Your Life: Bill Hartley

Major Arthur Bamford HARTLEY MBE, GM

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Major Arthur Bamford Hartley, Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Officer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside the BBC Television Theatre, having been led to believe he was on his way to give a lecture.

Arthur, who was born in Longsight, Manchester, and was known as Bill, ran the family business as an interior decorator before enlisting with the British Army in the Royal Engineers at the outbreak of the Second World War.

In 1943, he was posted to No 9 Bomb Disposal section in Birmingham. Between then and 1960, Bill and his team tamed over 1,000 unexploded bombs dropped by the Germans during the war. He was awarded the George Medal for his act of bravery while diffusing a bomb in a sewer at Lower Richmond Road, Putney, London, in July 1959.

programme details...

Edition No: 140
Subject No: 140
Broadcast date: Mon 28 Nov 1960
Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
Recorded: Mon 29 Aug 1960
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 6
Edition: 11

on the guest list...

John Gallagher
Tom Hallsworth
Walter Nugent
Charlie Nugent
Charles Douglas
Eddie Firth – cousin
Ted Morrell
Hilda Morrell
Harold Campion
Karl Anderson
Maj Norman Young
John Laverty
Ethel - wife
Peter - son
Mrs Hartley - daughter-in-law
Marjory - sister
Mrs J Everson

production team...

Researcher: Ronald Vivian
Writer: Liam Nolan
Director: Michael Goodwin
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

related page...

Military Life

saluting the armed forces