North East police officers and firefighters who died in line of duty honoured with new award
by Catherine Addison-Swan · ChronicleLiveNorth East emergency services workers who died in the line of duty are among the first to have been posthumously honoured with an Elizabeth Emblem.
The new award recognises police officers, firefighters and other public servants who died while carrying out their vital jobs. The emblem is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the Armed Forces who died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack.
Named after the late Queen, the Elizabeth Emblem will be awarded to the next-of-kin of those who have been honoured. Among the 38 public servants to receive the award include firefighters from Northumberland and Durham, as well as a Northumbria Police sergeant and a detective constable from Durham Constabulary.
Sub Officer George Edward Gladstone, of Northumberland Fire Brigade, died on March 22, 1959. According to Firefighters Remembered, George died aged 48 after being caught in the collapse of a building in Wallsend.
Detective Constable James Brian Porter, of Durham Constabulary, died on March 4, 1982. James was 31 when he was fatally wounded while chasing two armed men after shots had been fired during a robbery in Bishop Auckland, the Police Memorial Trust says.
A memorial was unveiled for James, known as Jim, to mark the 40th anniversary of his death in 2022, ChronicleLive reported at the time. The plaque was unveiled by Jim's daughter and granddaughter at the site, which is now a new housing estate that was named after him in a fitting tribute.
Firefighter Anthony John Hall, of Durham County Fire Service, died on September 5, 1982. Anthony, known as Tony, was killed alongside his colleague John Donley when their fire engine overturned on the way to answer a call for help to tackle a chimney fire.
At the time of his death, Tony was just 24 years old and expecting his first child with his wife, according to Red Plaque, which he and John were honoured with in 2018. Following the accident, all fire appliances were modified with reinforced cabs to help ensure the safety of firefighters in the future.
Sergeant William Forth, of Northumbria Police, died on March 21, 1993. William, known as Bill, answered a routine call for a domestic dispute in Gateshead, but was beaten and stabbed to death at the age of 34 after arriving at the scene in Sunniside.
ChronicleLive spoke to Bill's widow Gill in 2021, who described her husband as a "family man" and a "great dad". She said: "Bill was a fantastic police officer, he gave the ultimate sacrifice and people need to know the enormity of that event and the impact it had on us as a family."
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