Date of birth:

August 20th, 1910 (Westminster-London/England, Great Bitain)

Date of death:

December 15th, 2005 (London/England, Great Britain)

Nationality:

British

Harry Errington was born in Westminster, London on 20th August 1910. His parents Soloman and Bella Ehregott were Polish immigrants who lived in Poland Street, Westminster. They had arrived from Lublin in 1908 and changed their family name to Errington when Harry was born.
He was educated at the Westminster Free School and won a trade scholarship to train as an engraver. The health problems involved in working with Nitric-acid in the engraving process made him changing his work to tailor-cutter with his uncle’s firm Errington and White. He remained in the business until his retirement in 1992 as Director.

Errington served voluntarily with the AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service) until the end of the war at the London Station Shaftesbury Avenue.
He was very interested in Basketball and coached the amateur team from Regent Street Polytechnic. He was involved in the organisation of the Basketball tournament in the 1948 Olympic Games in London. In later years he became vice-chairman of the United Kingdom Amateur Basketball Association. He also became the treasurer of the Victoria and George Cross Association until 1990.
He never was married and died in London on 15th December 2004

Harry Errington's medal group is on display in the Victoria Cross & George Cross Gallery, located in the Imperial War Museum, London, Great Britain.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Auxiliary Fireman

Unit:

AFS London, Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS), Civil Defence Service (CD), Home Office, British Government

Awarded on:

August 8th, 1941

On 17th September 1940 in London, Harry Errington was in a basement used as a private air-raid shelter.

Citation:
"High explosive and incendiary bombs demolished a building. Errington and two other Auxiliary fireman were the only occupants of the basement of the building at the time of the explosion. The blast blew Errington across the basement, but although dazed and injured he made his way to the other two Auxiliaries, whom found to be pinned down, flat on their backs, by debris. A fierce fire broke out and the trapped men were in immenent danger of being bunt to death. The heat of the fire was so intense that Errington had to protect himself with a blanket. After workiong with his bare hands for some minutes he managed to release the injured men and dragged them from under the wreckage and away from the fire.
While he was so engaged, burning debris was falling into the basement and there was considerable danger of further collaps of the building. He carried one of the men up a narrow stone staircase partially choked with debris, into the courtyard, made his way through an adjoining building and thence into the street.
Despite the appalling conditions and although burned and injured, Errington returned and brought out the second man.
Both Errington's comrades were severely burned but survived. He showed great bravery and endurance in effecting the rescues, at risk of his own life."

He was the only London Fireman that was awarded with the George Cross.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo: George Cross Database
  
• - Supplement to The London Gazette, Issue 35239, of Tuesday 5th August 1941, dated Friday 8th August 1941, page 4545
  - The Times dated 17th December 2004
  - The Guardian dated 30th December 2004
  - George Cross Database