Harry Errington
Encyclopedia
Harry Errington was the only London
firefighter to be awarded the George Cross
during the Second World War.
A bomb destroyed a house in Rathbone Street, near Oxford Circus
during the Blitz
, on the 17th of September 1940, bringing down a three storey house on top of an air raid shelter in which Errington was sheltering. Twenty people, including six firemen were killed. Errington recovered consciousness to find the basement shelter consumed by fire. He rescued a trapped colleague and battered his way through the debris to safety up a stone staircase. He returned to the conflagration to rescue another trapped man and, despite his badly burned hands, carried him to safety from the fire.
He was born in Westminster to a family of Polish immigrants, previously named Ebrogott. He first trained as an engraver and later as a tailor. When war broke out he volunteered as an auxiliary fireman at a station on Shaftesbury Avenue, near the business where he worked. He was later active in basketball administration (particularly during the London Olympics
of 1948) and served as treasurer of the Victoria and George Cross Association until 1990. His George Cross is in the collection of the Jewish Museum London and will go on display when the new museum opens in early 2010. He was born in London on the 20th of August 1910 and died there on the 15th of December 2004.
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...
firefighter to be 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...
during the Second World War.
A bomb destroyed a house in Rathbone Street, near Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus is the area of London at the busy intersection of Regent Street and Oxford Street, in the West End. It is served by Oxford Circus tube station, which is directly beneath the junction itself.- History :...
during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
, on the 17th of September 1940, bringing down a three storey house on top of an air raid shelter in which Errington was sheltering. Twenty people, including six firemen were killed. Errington recovered consciousness to find the basement shelter consumed by fire. He rescued a trapped colleague and battered his way through the debris to safety up a stone staircase. He returned to the conflagration to rescue another trapped man and, despite his badly burned hands, carried him to safety from the fire.
He was born in Westminster to a family of Polish immigrants, previously named Ebrogott. He first trained as an engraver and later as a tailor. When war broke out he volunteered as an auxiliary fireman at a station on Shaftesbury Avenue, near the business where he worked. He was later active in basketball administration (particularly during the London Olympics
Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics was the second appearance of the sport as an official medal event. A total number of 23 nations entered the competition....
of 1948) and served as treasurer of the Victoria and George Cross Association until 1990. His George Cross is in the collection of the Jewish Museum London and will go on display when the new museum opens in early 2010. He was born in London on the 20th of August 1910 and died there on the 15th of December 2004.