Firefighters killed in 'Sheffield Blitz' to be honoured with commemorative plaque
A ceremony will take place at Pounds Park on Friday to unveil the new memorial
Eight firefighters who lost their lives during the Sheffield Blitz will be commemorated with a red plaque, 85 years after the devastating bombing raids.
A ceremony will take place at Pounds Park in Sheffield city centre on Friday (December 12) to unveil the new memorial
Family members, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue firefighters, senior leaders, and Fire Brigades Union officials will attend.
The firefighters who died on December 12 1940 were Norman Elliott, Arthur Moore, Frederick Parkes-Spencer, Stanley Slack, Tom Stacey, John William Swaby, and Albert Wallace.
Alfred Garlick, who was injured the same night, passed away a few days later.
Sheffield’s steel production and contribution to the war effort made it a key target for German bombers during World War II.
The raids, codenamed Operation Crucible, began on December 12 1940 and continued on the 13th and 15th December, causing widespread devastation.
Hundreds of aircraft destroyed over 3,000 homes, 1,000 businesses, 18 churches, and eight schools. The Blitz claimed many lives in Sheffield and is remembered as the single most destructive event in the city’s history.
The commemorative plaque has been funded by the Fire Brigades Union through the Firefighters 100 Lottery, which supports fallen firefighters nationally.
Pounds Park, the site of the unveiling, is named after John Charles Pound, Sheffield’s first Chief Fire Officer.
The park is located on the grounds of the former South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Command HQ.