Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The Second World War 1939-1945, World-wide.

Although many perished in times of national conflict and in the service of their country, many more survived including those interned as Prisoners of War. Stories of those who did survive are included as part of this site, especially those with high gallantry awards, those included against an external rolls of honour and those who had a distinguished career in wartime and military leaderhip.

Detail :

Fireman Harry Errington, Auxilliary Fire Service.

See also: GC Database.
See also: VC Online.

On 17th September 1940, Fireman Errington, together with many colleagues, was in an Auxilliary Fire Service (AFS) Rest Room, located in a basement beneath a large three-storey garage. Just before midnight there was a direct hit on the building and all the floors caved in, killing about 20 people, including six firemen. As he recovered consciousness, Errington saw another Fireman lying face down with his legs pinned under fallen debris.

Scraping the debris away with his bare hands, Fireman Errington succeeded in freeing his colleague, despite intense heat and his hands being badly burned. He managed to pull his colleague to the back staircase, and they both managed to get up the narrow stairs, which were partially blocked with burning debris.

But another colleague was unconscious and trapped in the basement. Fireman Errington then returned to the basement, freed his colleague from underneath a large radiator, and carried him out of the basement up the narrow stairs. All three men were taken to hospital, and although they were all badly burned, all three were back on duty within three months.

The London Gazette of TUESDAY, the 8th of AUGUST, 1941 CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD. St. James's Palace, S.W.1

The KING has been graciously pleased toaward the GEORGE CROSS to:-
Harry Errington, Auxiliary Fireman, London Auxiliary Fire Service.

"High explosive and incendiary bombs demolished a building. Errington and two other Auxiliary Firemen were the only occupants of the -basement of the building at the .time of the explosion. The blast blew Errington across the basement, but although dazed and injured he made his.way to the other two Auxiliaries, whom he found to be pinned down, flat on their backs,by debris. A fierce, fire broke out and the trapped men were in imminent danger of being burnt to death. The heat of the fire was so intense that Errington had to protect himself with a blanket. After working with his bare hands for some' minutes he managed to release the injured men and dragged them from under the wreckage and away from the fire. While he was so engaged, burning debris was falling into the basement and there was considerable danger of a further collapse of the building. He carried one of the men up a narrow stone staircase partially choked with debris, into the courtyard, made his way through an adjoining building and thence into the street.Despite the appalling conditions and although burned and injured, Errington returned and brought out the second man.Both Errington's comrades were severely burned but survived. He showed great bravery and endurance in effecting the rescues, at the risk of his own life."

He in interred at the Western Synagogue Cemetery, Cheshunt. ROW P GRAVE 322.

Masonic :

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley