Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Patrol Officer

Unit:

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

Awarded on:

February 21st, 1941

"A high explosive bomb dropped in the yard of a Grease Company. Drums of grease and a vat of tar were smashed open by the force of the explosion and set on fire. Within a minute or so the blazing tar and grease were flowing down the street capped by a wall of flame and threatening to spread to the high warehouses adjoining.

A pump turned out in charge of Patrol Officer Ross who gave orders for sand to be put down to dam the flow of tar. Loud screams were heard coming from a school next to the burning premises, and Ross taking a heavy axe and covered by a water screen from one of the hoses, worked his way up the street to the school door. Breaking it open he found two women who had by this time become hysterical, and he had forcibly to drag them from the building, through the flames, to safety. This accomplished, he returned to the school to assure himself that there was no one else in the building. He then rejoined his pump crew.

The fire was brought under control within two hours. Ross displayed the greatest courage and resource, and was an inspiration to his men."