Casualties
13 people were killed in the explosion, including George Campbell Henderson, a sub-officer with the dockyard fire service, who was posthumously awarded the George Cross for his bravery in attempting to extinguish the fire. The King's Police and Fire Services Medal (for Gallantry) was posthumously awarded to Albert Alexander Indoe, Chief Fire Officer HM Dockyard, Gibraltar. Two dock workers and two traders on nearby Ragged Staff Road were killed by flying debris. One fire fighter was injured. Dock overseer Salvador Bula was injured by the explosion but managed to get others who were injured by the blast to safety. Hundreds were injured and had to be taken to the Royal Naval Hospital Gibraltar, then known as the British Military Hospital Gibraltar.
The crew of the Bedenham had already abandoned the ship by the time of the explosion, with the exception of the Captain and the Naval Armament Supply Officer, both of whom were blown into the water but subsequently rescued.
Read more about this topic: Explosion Of The RFA Bedenham