Roger Philip Goad
Encyclopedia
Captain Roger Philip Goad, GC
, BEM
, was an explosives officer with London
's Metropolitan Police Service
who was posthumously awarded the George Cross
for the heroism he displayed on 29 August 1975. He had previously been awarded the British Empire Medal
.
Following a telephone tip-off, police officer
s found a suspicious package placed in a shop doorway in Kensington Church Street in west London
. A former British Army
officer, Goad was the senior bomb disposal
expert on the scene. Goad, a married man with two children, had been decorated for gallantry while serving in the Army. A bomb, fitted with an anti-handling device
, had been placed by Provisional Irish Republican Army
members. Goad attempted to defuse the bomb but it exploded, killing him instantly.
The bomb had been placed by the active service unit
responsible for the 1974–1975 terror campaign in London, who were later captured at the conclusion of the Balcombe Street siege
. Goad was 40 years old at the time of his death. His citation was published in the London Gazette
of 1 October 1976.
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...
, BEM
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
, was an explosives officer with London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
who was posthumously 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 heroism he displayed on 29 August 1975. He had previously been awarded the British Empire Medal
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
.
Following a telephone tip-off, police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s found a suspicious package placed in a shop doorway in Kensington Church Street in west London
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
. A former 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...
officer, Goad was the senior bomb disposal
Bomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
expert on the scene. Goad, a married man with two children, had been decorated for gallantry while serving in the Army. A bomb, fitted with an anti-handling device
Anti-handling device
An anti-handling device is an attachment to or integral part of a landmine or other munition e.g. some fuze types found in air-dropped bombs such as the M83, cluster bombs and sea mines. It is specifically designed to prevent tampering. When the protected device is disturbed it detonates, killing...
, had been placed by Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
members. Goad attempted to defuse the bomb but it exploded, killing him instantly.
The bomb had been placed by the active service unit
Active Service Unit
An active service unit was a Provisional Irish Republican Army cell of five to eight members, tasked with carrying out armed attacks. In 2002 the IRA had about 1,000 active members of which about 300 were in active service units....
responsible for the 1974–1975 terror campaign in London, who were later captured at the conclusion of the Balcombe Street siege
Balcombe Street Siege
The Balcombe Street Siege was an incident involving members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and the Metropolitan Police Service of London, England lasting from 6 December to 12 December 1975. The siege ended with the surrender of the four IRA volunteers and the release of their two hostages...
. Goad was 40 years old at the time of his death. His citation was published 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...
of 1 October 1976.