b. ? d. ?
DATE OF AM ACTION: 22/03/1913 Invergordon, Scotland.
John Sullivan AM
Little is known about John Sullivan AM other than his actions at Invergordon, Scotland on 22nd March 1913. While one of His Majesty’s Torpedo Boat Destroyers was taking in oil fuel by means of two hoses from the RFA “Burma” at Invergordon, the forward hose jerked out throwing oil fuel on to the Lower Mess deck in the vicinity of a stove which was alight and open. Owing to the ignition of oil fuel spray and vapour thus present there was a flash, the results of which were severe injuries to several men, to render one, Stoker Bickerstaff, helpless, to set fire to some clothing and fuel on the deck with dense black smoke and suffocating fumes which rendered it impossible to see or remain below decks for any but the shortest period. The hose continued to discharge, flooding the deck with oil which was thus heated by the flash to a dangerous temperature so that with the burning clothing and the open stove there was no small risk of general ignition of the pool of oil on the deck and a serious fire. The proximity of the foremost magazine, separated from the Mess deck by a single bulkhead only, must have made the effects of an ignition very disastrous. At the time of the flash Sullivan was tending the after hose. Hearing something amiss he went forward and groped his way through the fumes to the Lower Mess Deck where Bickerstaff was lying. He managed to bring him up to the hatchway. Following the rescue of Bickerstaff he returned below where he searched this time with a rope tied to him, held by his commanding officer – to see if anyone else was there and to get up the clothing he had seen burning. He felt his way round the mess tables but findiing no one he put out a fire smouldering on one of the tables and came up for fresh air, with burning clothes in his arms. Afterwards he went below once more to close the bottom flap of the store. Bickerstaff succumbed later. His action was not gazetted though was approved by King George V on 27th August 1913.
AM CITATION:
Not gazetted.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
Acknowledgement:
Allan Stanistreet – Image of John Sullivan AM.