Covent Garden London
The heart of London's West End
Hooray Harry!
90th Birthday celebration with a difference.
Harry Errington G.C. was born in Soho in 1910, and has lived in central London all his life. He recently celebrated his 90th birthday and received a surprise party at Soho Fire Station.
During the Blitz, Harry was a Fireman in Soho. He was stationed at the satellite station in Rathbone Place, near the junction with Oxford Street in 1940, when the building received a direct hit.
His bravery in saving several of his seriously injured and burnt colleagues earned him the George Cross (see below). He was the only living Fireman to receive the award.
Soho Fire Station asked Harry into the Station recently for some modest 90th birthday celebrations. The "Red Watch" presented him with an engraved tankard, and copious amounts of birthday cake were consumed by all. One fireman who has known Harry for some time commented: "He's still as razor sharp and fit."
Harry has been a member of the CGCA for many years and lives on the edge of Soho and Covent Garden. He continues to take an active interest in his local community and attended a ceremony recently at Soho Fire Station to commemorate the death of two of his former colleagues at the Station 60 years ago.
The George Cross:
"For gallantry" reads the inscription on the George Cross. The civilian equivalent of the Victoria Cross, the medal is the highest honour that can be bestowed. It can also be awarded to military personnel not on active service. The silver cross depicting St George and the dragon hangs from a royal blue ribbon. George VI instituted the medal in 1940 to reward the heroism of those engaged in bomb disposal and mine clearance, and the people of Malta were collectively honoured in 1942 for gallantry under bombardment. Only 45 George Crosses have been awarded, all of them to people who have knowingly placed their lives at risk for others. The lesser George Medal is awarded for risks taken on impulse, without such premeditation.
- Imperial War Museum: all about the George Cross www.iwm.org.uk/lambeth/exhibits/ex-gc.htm
- The creation of the George Cross borgengroft.freeyellow.com/
© Covent Garden Community Association, November 2000
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