The name of those who were awarded the medal
ALDERSON, Thomas Hopper, Rescue Service, 15th September 1940, Bridlington, Yorkshire He was a detachment leader of Air Raid Precautions (ARP). He rescued a woman by tunnelling under unsafe brickwork, Some days later at another incident he went into a cellar of a five storey building which had been demolished to rescue eleven people six where trapped under fallen debris. His last rescue was five people in a cellar of a four storey building which had been destroyed in an air attack
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/245
DAVIES, Frederick, National Fire Service, 22nd August 1945, Willesden, N.W.London.
N.F.S. Husband of Annie Frances Davies, of 36 Fourth Avenue, Queen's Park. Injured 22 August 1945, at Harlesden; died at Park Royal Hospital.
Citation
The following details are given in the London Gazette of 5th February, 1946: "The King has been graciously pleased to award the George Cross to Frederick Davies, Fireman. No. 34 (London) Area, National Fire Service." "Premises which consisted of a shop and five rooms caught fire. The N.F.S. were informed that two children were in the front room on the second floor. The escape ladder was immediately slipped and pitched to the middle window of this floor. Before it was in position Davies ran up the escape. At this stage flames were pouring from the windows on the second floor and licking up the front of the building. Upon Davies reaching the window he at once tried to enter but bursts of flame momentarily halted him. Undaunted, however, he climbed into the window with his back to the flames and entered the room. He was seen to endeavour to remove his tunic, presumably to wrap it around the children but his hands were now too badly burned for him to do so. During this time Davies was moving around the blazing room in an endeavour to locate the children, and after a short period he returned with a child in his arms whom he handed out of the window. He then turned back into the room to find the other child. He was next seen to fling himself out of the window on to the escape, the whole of his clothing being alight. He was helped to the ground, the flames on his clothes extinguished and he was conveyed to hospital suffering from severe burns. Later he died from his injuries. The gallantry and outstanding devotion to duty displayed by Fireman Davies was of the highest order. He knew the danger he was facing, but with complete disregard of his own safety he made a most heroic attempt to rescue the two children. In doing so he lost his own life." The child he brought out also died so his death was in vain.
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/527
ERRINGTON Harry, Fireman, Auxiliary Fire Service, 17th September 1940, Soho, London. This night one, of many high explosive and incendiary bombs that was dropped by the Luftwaffe blew up the building belonging to the Fire Auxiliary Fire Service and where he was stationed Many were killed including six firemen. He and two others were in the basement and Harry was blown across the basement he was not injured but a fire had started. He found a man trapped by his legs which was under debris, Harry rescued him he then returned to rescue his two mates that were injured, one unconscious and the other under a large radiator. Above ground, the air raid was still on.
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/432
FOX. Leslie Owen, Heavy Rescue Service, 20th February 1944, Fulham, SW London He rescued a person from under a burning demolished house in Fulham following an air raid. He tunnelled his way into the house to rescue a man which was trapped.
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/518
HARRIS, Roy Thomas, ARP Engineers Service, 18th September 1940, Croydon, Surrey He was Chief Combustion Officer for Croydon. He dismantled some unexploded bombs. He later joined the Royal Engineers and got to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel
Captain Roy Thomas Harris GC, The Queen's Royal Regiment, Croydon Home Guard.
His year of birth was believed to be 1903 and he died at Wolverhampton on 18thAugust 1973. He was a member of the Queen's Royal Regiment Home Guard battalion in Croydon.
At the time of his award Roy Harris was a member of Croydon ARP Engineers Service. He was awarded the George Cross for dismantling unexploded bombs at Langdale Road School, Thornton Heath, Surrey, on 18th September 1940. The problem was a new one to Captain Harris who at that time was Chief Combustion Engineer to Croydon Corporation.
He showed conspicuous bravery in dealing with these exceptionally dangerous devices. He later joined The Royal Engineers and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/gc/gc03.shtml
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/248
HEMING, Albert Edward, Light Rescue Service, 2nd March 1945, Bermondsey S.E. London On the evening of the 2nd a Roman Catholic church and surrounding houses were destroyed by an air raid. He was told that there were people trapped in the ruins of the church. As he and his helpers burrowed there way in a voice was heard, a priest was found pinned down by debris. After many hours the priest was released and saved.
The names of the three priests that died are. Michael O'Riordan aged 50, Finbar Denis MacCarthy aged 30 and Stephen Spillane aged 31 and son of Stephen and Johanna of 96 Chudleigh Road, Brockley. S.E.4. They all resided and died at 1. Parkers Row
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/521
HENDERSON, George Campbell, Sub Officer, Dockyard and Fire Brigade, 27th April 1951, Gibraltar
The Bedenham had arrived in Gibraltar on 24 April 1951, tying up at Gun Wharf. On the morning of 27 April, depth charges were being unloaded into a lighter when one of them ignited. Several men were organised to fight the fire from the quayside, but to no avail. There was an explosion in the lighter, and the fire spread to the Bedenham, causing a violent explosion in which the bow was blown out of the water and onto Gun Wharf, while the rest of the ship sank.
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.
http://www.historicalrfa.org/archive...harf-gibraltar
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issu.../6053/page.pdf
HOWARD, Charles Henry George, The Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire Chief Rescue Officer, 12th May 1941, Ministry of Supply
He and two of his were all killed instantly when an old mine which they had recovered from a weapon dump. At the time were dismantling just blew up. Prior to this he had diffused may booby trap bombs that had been dropped by the Germans without much trouble. An old rusty bomb took he and the two helpers lives
20th Earl of Suffolk and 13th Earl of Berkshire, F.R.S.E., B.Sc.; special appointment with Directorate of Scientific Research, Ministry of Supply, on experimental scientific work. Husband of Mimi, Countess of Suffolk and Berkshire, of Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
Citation
Charles Howard, Earl of Suffolk, was the foremost expert on bomb disposal and worked together with his personal assistant and right-hand-man Frederick William Hards, and his secretary Miss Eileen Byril Morden, known by all in the bomb disposal fraternity as the "Holy Trinity". All new types of bomb were attended to by the team, with Hards passing the tools, and Miss Eileen Beryl Morden remaining close enough to hear and take notes from the dictations of Howard as to the method of defusing. The three lived, worked then died together when an old and rusted bomb being worked on exploded in their faces.
The two helpers were
Miss Eileen Beryl Morden killed aged 29, of 29 Queensborough Terrace, London, W.2. Daughter of Mrs. E. E. Morden, of 34 Borough Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, and of the late W. H. Morden. Died at Belvedere Marshes. Posthumous Commendation from His Majesty the King for brave conduct in Civil Defence.
Frederick William Hards, killed aged 36. A.R.P. Bomb Disposal. Son of Jack Hards, of 44 Colesburg Road, Beckenham; husband of Elizabeth Florence Hards, of 9 Clarina Road, Penge. Died at Belvedere Marshes. Posthumous Commendation from His Majesty the King for brave conduct in Civil Defence.
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/431
MERRIMAN. Arthur Douglas, G.C., B.E.M. Experimental Officer, 11th September 1940, Ministry of Supply He and his Director General of Scientific Research went to an unexploded bomb that had landed in Regent Street, London which was ticking. They decided to extract as much explosive they could before it exploded, which it did without to much damage.
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/281
MILES. Leonard James, ARP Warden, 21st September 1940 aged 36, Ilford, Essex. He ran towards the scene of an unexploded bomb to warn others who were still in their homes of the danger when it exploded . He died from his injuries later that night at King George V Hospital, Newbury Park, Ilford. He lived with his wife Constance Louie at 37 Lime Grove, Hainault, Ilford, Essex. He was the son Elizabeth. and his birth was registered as Leonard James in the Westham Registration District
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/298
MOSEDALE, William Radenhurst, Birmingham Fire Brigade, 12th December 1940, Birmingham. Station Officer and Rescue Officer
On the night of the 11 December 1940, during the Birmingham Blitz, Mosedale received a report that a house and auxiliary fire station had been hit by a high explosive bomb. On arriving at the scene he found that both had been completely demolished. Knowing that there may be people trapped inside, he tunnelled for twelve hours to reach them. The tunnel was in constant danger of collapse and the air raid continued during the night hours of the rescue operation. Mosedale eventually rescued twelve trapped people, personally saving their lives with complete disregard for his own safety.
Mosedale was awarded the George Cross for his bravery His award was announced in the London Gazette on 28 March 1941.
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/313
SMITH, Anthony, Heavy Rescue Service, 23rd February 1944, Chelsea, S.W. London. He entered a house in Chelsea which was ablaze after an air raid to reach casualties in the basement. On his return with the casualty his route had been cut off by fire. He went in a different direction to the front wall of the house where they both got out before the remaining portion of the wall collapsed
He later went on to join the Royal Marines, see photo in link
http://www.ww2awards.com/person/508
