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BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Teacher killed in Dunblane massacre among Scots to receive Elizabeth Emblem
A primary school teacher who was killed while trying to protect her class in the Dunblane shooting in 1996 has been recognised with a new Mayor 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 is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or a terrorist husband, Rodney Mayor, said her family were "extremely proud and honoured" to receive the award on her behalf. He said: "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." On 13 March 1996, Thomas Hamilton entered Dunblane Primary School with four handguns and 743 rounds of opened fire on children who had been skipping round the gym hall, killing 16 pupils as well as Mrs Mayor, before turning the gun on attack took between three and four remains the deadliest firearms atrocity ever committed in the affected spoke of their determination not to be defined by the events in a BBC documentary 20 years Secretary Ian Murray said he was "particularly pleased" to see the honour go to Mrs said: "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."I hope that the families of all those recognised will take some comfort in knowing that their loved ones, and their service, has not been forgotten." Another recipient of the Elizabeth Emblem is Rod Moore, from Falkirk, who had retired as a paramedic after 40 years with the Scottish Ambulance of a sense of duty and a love for the job, he went back to work during the Covid pandemic at the age of contracted the virus and became seriously ill very quickly. He died in November wife Clare told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that Rod worked very hard, loved his patients and would be "really chuffed" about the award. "He was the funniest man in the world," she said. "He made me laugh every day. He was a great dad to Craig and we both miss him so much."Because of the pandemic, he knew that he had to be there to help."Within a week of testing positive for Covid, Rod was taken into intensive care where he stayed for about four and son Craig could not visit due to restrictions and had not received phone calls from doctors - so Rod, matter of factly, kept them up to date with his condition."He kind of took control," said Clare. "He had phoned me on the Tuesday to say I would need to prepare myself. As naïve as I was then, I thought I had weeks yet."It wasn't until the Friday night that we got the phone call from one of the consultants to say we could go and see him, that he was very sick. "I asked that we would be there at the end, I didn't want him on his own. He died at 01:20. That was the last time I seen him."Clare and Craig are now preparing to receive the award on Rod's behalf."I wish he was here, I'd rather have him here," she added. "I've got all my memories, and I just keep them." Sacrifice remembered Two Scottish police officers and two firefighters killed in the line of duty are among the other Scots being 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 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 Roderick Nicolson died in December 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 firefighter Ewan Williamson died while responding to a fire at the Balmoral Bar in Edinburgh in July emblem is also being given to the family of Alastair Soutar, who worked for HM Customs & Excise and 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 Oliver of the Glasgow Salvage Corps died at the Cheapside Street whisky bond fire on 28 March 1960. He was instantly killed alongside 18 others when some casks ruptured causing a massive boiling liquid expanding vapour Minister John Swinney welcomed the award going to the eight Scots, saying: "This recognition enables us to remember their sacrifice and their lives dedicated to public service. They made Scotland a better place for us all and we continue to honour their memory."
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Selfless bravery of teacher honoured, 29 years on from Dunblane horror that shocked the world
She sacrificed her life to save the lives of her young pupils during the worst mass shooting on British soil. Now Gwen Mayor has been honoured for her selfless actions during the Dunblane massacre almost 30 years ago. The 45-year-old teacher was killed along with 16 children in 1996 when a gunman burst into Dunblane Primary School in what is Britain's deadliest shooting. The mother-of-two died while trying to protect her class of five and six-year-olds from Thomas Hamilton. Her husband Rodney Mayor, now 81, said he was 'extremely proud' of the woman he married in 1972. Mr Mayor said: 'She went to work as a teacher, you would expect her to come home, but she didn't. Neither did 16 of the children. 'You would have had to have known Gwen to know that this is what she would have done - she'd have done anything to protect these children in her care. 'The fact that she was shot six times meant she obviously, as far as we're concerned, she must have put some resistance up to try and prevent him doing what he did. 'We will never know, really, what happened in the gym. The fact she was shot so many times, you just can't comprehend.' She is among eight public servants in Scotland to be honoured. Firefighter Ewan Williamson, who died while responding to a pub fire in Edinburgh in July 2009, is also recognised, as is Rod Moore, a retired paramedic from Falkirk who returned to work with the Scottish Ambulance Service during Covid and then contracted the virus, dying in November 2020. William Oliver, a worker with the Glasgow Salvage Corps who died in the Cheapside Street disaster in 1960, is also included in what is only the second list of Elizabeth Emblem recipients. He was killed as a blaze ripped through a warehouse that contained more than one million gallons of whisky and 30,000 gallons of rum - with the temperature causing casks to rupture, leading to a huge boiling liquid vapour explosion which claimed his life and that of 18 others. Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said Britain owes an 'enduring debt to the public servants who gave their lives to protect others' and the Elizabeth Emblem was a 'lasting symbol of our national gratitude for their incredible sacrifice'. Ian Murray, the Scottish Secretary, said: '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 am particularly pleased that Dunblane teacher Gwen Mayor has been recognised. '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.' 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. Also being recognised is firefighter Roderick Nicolson, who died in December 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 - Pc Paul North and Pc Joseph Stewart Drake - killed in the line of duty are also being recognised As is Alastair Soutar, who worked for HM Customs and Excise and was crushed while taking part in an operation to catch drug smugglers off the Caithness coast in July 1996. The aftermath of the Dunblane massacre sparked a debate on gun control, leading to the Cullen Report in 1996. It led to a public campaign, known as the Snowdrop Petition, which helped bring about legislation which prohibited the private ownership of most handguns. Now, only muzzle-loading and historic handguns are legal, as well as certain sporting handguns. The gymnasium at the school was demolished in April 1996 and replaced by a memorial garden.
