Latest news with #ElizabethCross
ITV News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- ITV News
Police officers and firefighters based in Northern Ireland among Elizabeth Emblem recipients
More than 100 public servants who died in service have been recognised by the awarding of an Elizabeth Emblem. The award is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack. In the second list of Elizabeth Emblem recipients, some 106 police officers, firefighters, overseas workers and other public servants who died in service were recognised, with the award given to their next of kin. Some 33 people on the list were police officers and firefighters based in Northern Ireland. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: 'Our officers put their lives on the line every day while on duty – protecting the communities they proudly serve – often without forewarning of the potential dangers they may encounter. 'It is with deep humility and respect that we remember these 30 fallen officers – our colleagues and friends who gave their lives in service. Their sacrifice and the enduring grief carried by their families must never be forgotten. 'The Elizabeth Emblem is a poignant and powerful symbol of national gratitude – a recognition not only of the officers' ultimate sacrifice, but also of the pain their loved ones have been left behind to process and carry. 'Today, I stand with our police families who have lost a loved one – the Elizabeth Emblem serves as a lasting memory of their bravery." The design of the Elizabeth Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with 'For A Life Given In Service' and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse of the Emblem. The Emblem will also include a pin to allow the award to be worn on clothing by the next of kin of the deceased. Families and next of kin of those who have died in public service are able to apply for an Elizabeth Emblem by making an application to the Cabinet Office. The Elizabeth Emblem is awarded to the next of kin of a person who was employed in a role based on the source of a commission on behalf of, or formally funded by, an eligibility body. An eligible body is defined as the UK Government, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, local government, a Crown Dependency or a British Overseas Territory. The award of the Elizabeth Emblem is retrospective to 1948 and mirrors the eligibility criteria for the Elizabeth Cross.
ITV News
10 hours ago
- ITV News
Dunblane teacher and officer fatally stabbed on duty among those honoured with Elizabeth Emblem
A Dunblane primary school teacher killed while trying to protect her pupils during Britain's worst mass shooting, and a police officer stabbed to death in the line of duty, are among more than 100 public servants who have been awarded the Elizabeth Emblem. The award was created last year and is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack. In total, 106 people, including firefighters, overseas workers, and other public servants have been named as recipients of the prestigious emblem. The award is given to their next of kin at a ceremony, which King Charles hosted for the first round of recipients. Nina Mackay died aged 25 in October 1997, after she was stabbed by a violent and mentally unstable man while searching a property in East London. The street where it happened was changed to Nina Mackay Close. Her mother, Patricia Mackay, 80, said Nina had a 'great social conscience', adding 'everybody liked working with her because she was very hard working'. 'The Metropolitan Police have awarded her many accolades, and the commissioner at the time, just after she was killed, recommended her for the George Medal, which was turned down," said Ms Mackay. 'There's been so much that I'm very grateful for, but this will actually be something tactile that I could hold to remind me what a brave young woman she was," she added School teacher Gwen Mayor, 45, was killed in 1996 while protecting her pupils in the Dunblane Primary School massacre. Her husband, Rodney Mayor, said in a statement that the Mayor family were 'extremely proud and honoured to be receiving this award on behalf of Gwen'. They added: 'We always believed her actions that day deserved more recognition. 'You would have to have known Gwen to know that she would have done whatever trying to protect the children in her care. She paid the ultimate price for that commitment. 'Finally, we now feel that she has been honoured for what happened that day.' Firefighter John Liptrott, who died in 1968 while attempting to rescue three children who had entered a disused mineshaft, was also awarded the Emblem. Another recipient was Police Constable Dennis Cowell, who died in the River Thames in 1965 after a police launch capsized following a collision between three boats. Six people who contracted Covid-19 while working in healthcare were also recognised in the list. These included Dr Poornima Nair Balupuri, a GP living in Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, who died in 2020 doing essential frontline work. The families of 33 police officers and firefighters based in Northern Ireland will also receive the emblem. This includes the family of Constable Cyril Wilson, who was killed by the IRA in an ambush in 1974. Reserve Constable Robert Struthers, who died while serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary after he was shot by two members of the Provisional IRA in 1978, was also awarded the emblem. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: 'We owe an enduring debt to the public servants who give their lives to protect others. 'The Elizabeth Emblem is a reminder not just of the ultimate price their loved ones have paid in service of our communities, it is a lasting symbol of our national gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.' The design of the Elizabeth Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, circling around the Tudor Crown, which King Charles adopted when he took the throne. It is inscribed with 'For A Life Given In Service' on the front, and the name of its recipient will be inscribed on the reverse. The emblem will also include a pin to allow the award to be worn on clothing by the next of kin of the deceased. Families and next of kin of those who have died in public service are able to apply for an Elizabeth Emblem by making an application to the Cabinet Office. The award of the Elizabeth Emblem is available to those who died after January 1 1948, and mirrors the eligibility criteria for the Elizabeth Cross.
ITV News
13 hours ago
- General
- ITV News
Late officer awarded Elizabeth Emblem for 'extraordinary courage' during 1965 Isle of Man fire
A fire officer has been awarded the Elizabeth Emblem, 60 years after losing his life on duty during a fire in Douglas on the Isle of Man. Henry Bertram Kenna entered a smoke-filled building alone to search for people, after receiving a call to a commercial building on 22 November 1965. Tragically, he later emerged from the building and collapsed. Fellow firefighters administered first aid and attempted resuscitation and sadly were unable to revive him. His family will receive the award in his honour, presented by Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer. The award recognises emergency service personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. It is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who have died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack. It's the first time an Isle of Man recipient has received the prestigious accolade. At the time of the incident, the main fire appliance in Douglas was already attending a separate fire at Kewaigue tip. On receiving the call to a fire at Express Radio in Athol Street, Station Officer Kenna - known to colleagues as Bert - responded on foot from John Street Station. Sir John Lorimer will release further details in due course, including arrangements for the formal presentation of the Elizabeth Emblem. Sir John said: 'Station Officer Kenna's selfless actions and ultimate sacrifice exemplify the very best of public service. This long-overdue recognition honours not only his bravery, but the enduring contribution of our Island's emergency services.' Chief Fire Officer, Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service, Mark Christian said: 'The actions of Station Officer Kenna on that fateful day were nothing short of heroic. Bert showed no hesitation in entering the building to try and help others and, tragically, made the ultimate sacrifice. We are immensely proud to see Station Officer Kenna and his family recognised for his bravery and selflessness.'
STV News
15 hours ago
- Health
- STV News
Retired paramedic who died of Covid after returning to duty given posthumous honour
A retired paramedic who died of Covid after returning to frontline duty during the pandemic has been recognised with a new honour. Rod Moore is one of eight Scots being honoured with the Elizabeth Emblem, which was introduced last year for public servants who died in the line of duty. At 63, Rod returned to full-time work with the Scottish Ambulance Service during the pandemic, bringing 40 years of experience to support his colleagues through an unprecedented crisis that stretched the health service to its limits. He tragically contracted the virus and died at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in November 2020. Rod's wife, Clare, says she and son Craig, 31, are 'chuffed' her beloved husband has been recognised. The couple had been married for 32 years. Handout Ambulance colleagues formed a guard of honour at Rod's funeral She told STV News: 'He was a funny, funny man and he loved life. There was never a day that he wouldn't come in and make me laugh.' Rod retired in 2019 but felt compelled to return when the pandemic struck. 'He said, 'I'm going back to help,'' Clare recalled. 'He loved his work. He loved the patients.' Rod worked seven days a week, supporting the newer paramedics he called 'the young team.' His health took a sudden downturn, and he was admitted to hospital in late October 2020. Isolation rules kept his family from visiting until four weeks later, allowing them a final chance to say goodbye before he died. Claire Moore/handout Rod in full PPE gear during the pandemic 'We received a call one Friday night from his doctor, warning us he was very sick. He told me to prepare myself.' Clare said she was grateful to be with him in his last moments. 'I didn't want him to face it alone.' On December 7, Rod's colleagues from the Scottish Ambulance Service formed a guard of honour as the funeral procession passed Falkirk Ambulance Station, before he was laid to rest at Grandsable Cemetery in Polmont. Clare said: 'I miss him every day – the sound of the door and him shouting, 'Hello darling, I'm in!' Life is very different now, but I'm grateful for my friends and family.' Reflecting on how Rod would have reacted to the news, Clare replied: 'He'd probably say 'I deserve it' – and he did! 'He would be so delighted. I wish he was here to receive it.' Handout Rod had worked for the Scottish Ambulance Service for over 40 years Handout 'I miss him every day': Rod with wife Clare The Elizabeth Emblem was established last year as a national form of recognition, with the award given to the next of kin of public servants who have lost their lives as a result of their duty. The honour is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or as a result of a terrorist attack. Among the other Scots being honoured is Gwen Mayor, a primary school teacher killed while trying to protect her class in the Dunblane shooting almost three decades ago. The primary one teacher died when gunman Thomas Hamilton burst into Dunblane Primary School on March 13 1996, killing the teacher and 16 children. Her husband said the family is 'extremely proud and honoured' to receive the award on behalf of Mrs Mayor. STV News Gwen Mayor, left, with her primary one class at Dunblane Primary School 'We always believed her actions that day deserved more recognition,' the statement read. 'You would have to have known Gwen to know that she would have done whatever trying to protect the children in her care. She paid the ultimate price for that commitment. 'Finally, we now feel that she has been honoured for what happened that day.' Scottish secretary Ian Murray said he is 'particularly pleased' to see the honour go to Mrs Mayor. 'No one will ever forget the horror of the shooting at Dunblane Primary School in 1996, when Mrs Mayor was killed trying to protect her pupils,' he said. Other Scots honoured include firefighter Ewan Williamson, who died responding to a pub fire in Edinburgh in 2009, and William Oliver, a worker with the Glasgow Salvage Corps who lost his life in the 1960 Cheapside Street disaster – a catastrophic warehouse blaze that resulted in a deadly explosion claiming 19 lives. STV News Cheapside Street fire: Salvageman William Oliver awarded honour after dying in blaze which claimed 19 lives FBU Ewan Williamson Also recognised is firefighter Roderick Nicolson, who died in 1995 after becoming trapped in five tonnes of sodium carbonate ash while attempting to rescue two workmen from a silo of chemical dust at Perth Harbour. Two Scottish police officers killed in the line of duty will also be recognised. Pc Paul North, who was known by his second name of Richard, of Tayside Police, died when the police car he was in was involved in a collision with another vehicle whose driver was under the influence of drink and drugs in Perth in March 1987. Pc Joseph Stewart Drake, of Stirling and Clackmannan Constabulary, was killed when a stolen lorry being pursued by officers intentionally struck his car as he tried to intercept it at Dennyloanhead near Falkirk in August 1967. The Elizabeth Emblem was also awarded posthumously to Alastair Soutar of HM Customs & Excise, who was crushed between a customs boat and a smugglers' vessel while taking part in an operation to catch drug smugglers off the Caithness coast in July 1996. Speaking as a list of 106 people across the UK being honoured was published, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said Britain owes 'an enduring debt to the public servants who give their lives to protect others'. He said: 'The Elizabeth Emblem is a reminder not just of the ultimate price their loved ones have paid in service of our communities, it is a lasting symbol of our national gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.' Mr Murray paid tribute to the Scots being recognised, saying: 'Every one of these brave public servants gave their life to protect others. 'They are people who stepped forward when most of us would step back, and they paid the ultimate price. 'I hope that the families of all those recognised will take some comfort in knowing that their loved ones, and their service, have not been forgotten.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Belfast Telegraph
15 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Elizabeth Emblems honour 34 who lost their lives in Northern Ireland
The honour scheme, launched last year and conferred by King Charles, acknowledges the sacrifice of police officers, firefighters and public servants. Across the UK the families of 106 families people who lost their lives are to receive the honour in what is only the second ever list of Elizabeth Emblem recipients to be published. The high proportion from Northern Ireland includes many families whose loved ones were killed during the Troubles. Among those named in the list of recipients is Brian Armour from the NI Prison Service, who was serving at the Maze when he was killed on October 4, 1988 by the IRA who had planted a bomb under his car. John Doherty, of the Royal Ulster Constabulary will also be honoured. He was visiting his mother in Ardnasool, near Lifford, Co Donegal when he was ambushed and shot dead by the IRA on October 28, 1973. An Elizabeth Emblem — 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 — will also be presented to the family of William Ivan Toombs. He had been working for HM Customs and Excise in his office at Warrenpoint Harbour when members of the IRA entered and fired handguns at point blank range on January 16, 1981. RUC Reserve Constable Robert Struthers is also included in the list. He had been working in the office of his full-time employer, Lorne Electric Ltd in Londonderry, when two armed men entered and shot him on June 16, 1978. The families of two more RUC reserve constables will also be honoured. Margaret Cherry Campbell, who died on November 21, 1975 had been investigating a road traffic accident on the main Londonderry to Limavady road when she attempted to stop a passing car, which swerved, stuck another vehicle which then stuck her. And RUC reserve constable Wallace Allen who had been working in his regular job, driving a lorry for Milk Marketing Board in South Armagh, when he was shot by the IRA and his body taken. He died on August 31, with his remains located two weeks later on September 12. The family of firefighter John Nicholl, who was working to bring a blaze under control at a disused shop on August 27, 1976 when the building collapsed and trapped him inside, will be receiving the award in recognition of his sacrifice. It will also be presented to the loved ones of PSNI officer Philippa Reynolds who died after a stolen car crashed into a police patrol vehicle in February 2013. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the Elizabeth Emblem was 'a lasting memory' of officers' bravery. 'It is a poignant and powerful symbol of national gratitude – a recognition not only of the officers' ultimate sacrifice, but also of the pain their loved ones have been left behind to process and carry,' he said. Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, who this week marks a year in office, said the nation owes 'a huge debt of gratitude to all of the public servants who will posthumously receive this honour. 'I want to personally thank the families of those police officers, firefighters and other public servants from Northern Ireland who are recognised for their bravery and service,' he added. 'Your loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the wider community, many during the deeply traumatic period of the Troubles, and for that we will be forever grateful.' Two NI Executive ministers also added their appreciation. Justice Minister Naomi Long, said: 'We owe a great debt to those who lost their lives as a result of their public service. I am pleased to see the first recipients of the Elizabeth Emblem in Northern Ireland named today. It is a fitting testament to the dedication of those police officers and prison officers in Northern Ireland who lost their lives in the course of their duty, and to their families.' Health Minister Mike Nesbitt added: 'I acknowledge the profound sacrifice of the two late Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) firefighters, whose deaths occurred many years ago but whose courage remains deeply respected. 'As the first from NIFRS to receive the Elizabeth Emblem, this important recognition pays lasting tribute to their service and bravery. 'I offer my sincere sympathy and gratitude to their families, who have carried this loss for decades.' In addition to 34 people from Northern Ireland the list of recipients includes 63 from England, eight from Scotland and one from Wales. The Emblem's design incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with 'For A Life Given In Service', and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse. Kate says cancer is 'life-changing' for patients and their loved ones Full list of people from NI who will be recognised with national award • Const Earnest McAllister, Royal Ulster Constabulary. Died March 20, 1972. • Const John Doherty, RUC. Died October 28, 1973. • Const Robert Megaw, RUC. Died December 1, 1973. • Const Cyril John Wilson, RUC. Died March 17, 1974. • Const John Harrison Forsythe, RUC. Died June 18, 1974. • Res Con Andrew Alexander Baird, RUC. Died October 14, 1975. • Res Con Margaret Cherry Campbell, RUC. Died November 21, 1975. • Sgt James Hunter, RUC. Died May 15, 1976. • Ff John Aloysius Nichol, Northern Ireland Fire Brigade. Died August 27, 1976. • Sgt Albert Craig, RUC. Died September 18, 1976. • Const Patrick Liam McNulty, RUC. Died January 27, 1977. • Const Kenneth William Sheehan, RUC. Died April 8, 1977. • Res Con Robert Albert James Struthers, RUC. Died June 16, 1978. • Const William Herbert Turbitt, RUC. Died June 17, 1978. • Sub-O Wesley Orr, Northern Ireland Fire Brigade. Died November 16, 1978. • Const Richard Allen Baird, RUC. Died April 17, 1979. • Res Con Frederick John Eric Lutton, RUC. Died May 1, 1979. • Res Con William Wallace Allen, RUC. Died August 31, 1980. • Res Con Lindsay Gardiner McDougall, RUC. Died January 14, 1981. • William Edward Ivan Toombs, HM Revenue and Customs. Died January 16, 1981. • Const Gary Desmond Martin, RUC. Died April 27, 1981. • Const Andrew Alfred Woods, RUC. Died August 2, 1981. • Sgt William Gordon Wilson, RUC. Died February 21, 1983. • Res Con James Ferguson, RUC. Died October 6, 1983. • Res Con Trevor George Elliot, RUC. Died May 18, 1984. • Insp Patrick Martin Vance, RUC. Died August 31, 1985. • PC Paul Richard North, RUC. Died March 17, 1987. • Brian Samuel Armour, Northern Ireland Prison Service. Died October 4, 1988. • Const Gary Carl Meyer, RUC. Died June 30, 1990. • Insp William David Wesley Murphy, RUC. Died November 10, 1990. • Const John Spence McGarry, RUC. Died April 6, 1991. • Const Michael John Ferguson, RUC. Died January 23, 1993. • Res Con Kenneth Thomas Irvine, Police Service of Northern Ireland. Died November 23, 2008. • Const Philippa Reynolds, Police Service of Northern Ireland. Died February 9, 2013.
