William Radenhurst Mosedale
Encyclopedia
William Radenhurst Mosedale (March 28, 1894-March 27, 1971) was 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...

 for the heroism he displayed on the 12 December 1940 http://www.search.digital-ladywood.org.uk/engine/resource/default.asp?theme=406&originator=%2Fengine%2Ftheme%2Fdefault.asp&page=&records=&direction=&pointer=2233&text=0&resource=9283.

Early life

William Mosedale was born in 1894, in Highgate, Birmingham
Highgate, Birmingham
Highgate is an area of Birmingham, England. Following the Big City Plan of February 2008, Highgate is now a district of Birmingham City Centre. This area is regarded as the site of the original Anglo-Saxon settlement which gave the city of Birmingham its name....

. He attended Sherbourne Road Board School in nearby Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath is a working class, inner-city area of Birmingham, England. It is home to a diverse cultural mix of people and the location of the Balti Triangle.-History:...

 from the ages of three to thirteen. He then started work as a Tinsmith and Carriage Lamp Maker.

In 1910 Mosedale lied about his age so that he could join the 5th Royal Irish Lancers
5th Royal Irish Lancers
The 5th Royal Irish Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British army originally formed in 1689 as James Wynne's Regiment of Dragoons.They fought in the Battle of the Boyne and at the Battle of Aughrim under William of Orange...

. He was promoted to the rank of corporal within three years but was forced to leave the army on the death of his mother so that he could look after his siblings.

In 1914 Mosedale took up a job with the City of Birmingham Fire Brigade
City of Birmingham Fire Brigade
The City of Birmingham Fire Brigade was founded in 1875. In 1895 a new chief officer was appointed, Alfred Robert Tozer . He died in 1906 when he was followed into position by his son Alfred Robert Tozer who continued in the position until 1940...

.

Citation

On the night of the 11 December 1940, during the Birmingham Blitz
Birmingham Blitz
The Birmingham Blitz was the heavy bombing by the Nazi German Luftwaffe of the city of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, beginning on 9 August 1940 and ending on 23 April 1943...

, 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
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...

on 28 March 1941.
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