Emergency workers who died on duty honoured

West Midlands emergency workers who died in service have been recognised for their sacrifice, along with 96 others.

Those honoured with the Elizabeth Emblem include: David Morris of Hereford and Worcester Fire Service, David Morgan from Wye Valley NHS Trust and West Midlands Ambulance Service's Jeremy Daw and Tammy Minshall.

Andrew Le Comte, of West Midlands Police, Ashley Stephens, of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and Bernard Butt, a teacher at T.P. Riley Community School in Walsall, have also been recognised.

The award is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross and recognises the sacrifices made by public servants who have lost their lives as a result of their duty.

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."

Mr Morris, from Hereford, died during a fire at the Sun Valley poultry processing factory, when he was trapped by a fallen ceiling on 6 September 1993.

The 35-year-old had been a full-time firefighter with 11 years' service when he was sent to the fire, which started in a unit for defrosting meat.

In 2023, Mr Morris and his colleague John Davies, who was also killed in the blaze, were remembered with a parade and wreath-laying ceremony.

Andrew Le Comte, 21, died on 4 February 1984 when he fell from a shop roof while searching for suspects at night.

In 2022, West Midlands Police Federation chair Rich Cooke paid tribute on the anniversary of his death.

He said: "We will continue to remember him as we do all our fallen colleagues who can never be forgotten."

Ashley Stephens' dad was one of the last people to see him alive on the night of a fire which claimed the lives of four Warwickshire firefighters in 2007.

Paul and his son, both retained firefighters, attended a fire at a vegetable packing warehouse in Atherstone-on-Stour, near Stratford-upon-Avon.

Ashley, 20, John Averis, 27, Darren Yates-Badley, 24, and Ian Reid, 44, entered the building wearing breathing apparatus. None of them survived.

Ashley was not officially on duty that night but volunteered to help anyway.

"The last words I said to him were, 'just be careful, it's hot in there, just be careful'," Paul said.

Tammy Minshall was killed when the ambulance she was in was involved in a crash with a car.

The 31-year-old was airlifted to hospital and later died on 3 July 2019 after the crash in Barton-under-Needwood, near Burton-upon-Trent.

To pay tribute to the paramedic, colleagues lined the path to St Mary's Church in Stretton when Ms Minshall's funeral was held there.

She had "had an amazing career ahead of her", a West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson said.

Mr Daw, a historian and a former paramedic, came out of retirement to help during the pandemic but died on 24 April 2021 after an object hit the ambulance he was in.

The ambulance service said an "object of some description" pierced the windscreen in "a tragic accident".

The 66-year-old had worked in Leominster and Hereford for almost 30 years.

Speaking at the time of his death, emergency operations delivery director Nathan Hudson said: "He was a remarkable character.

"He was one of life's good guys and he will be sorely missed."

Mr Morgan died at Hereford County Hospital, where he had worked for about seven years, after testing positive for Covid-19 on 28 January 2021.

He was described as "everyone's go-to guy" by Jane Ives, Wye Valley NHS Trust managing director.

Speaking at the time, his wife Penny said the family was "truly devastated" by their sudden loss.

"He was my amazing husband and incredible father and grandfather," she added.

Bernard Butt died on a school trip in 21 October 1988 when a cruise ship sank following a collision with a freighter near Piraeus in Greece.

The 41-year-old history teacher was reportedly attempting to save students during the sinking.

Other individuals from the West Midlands to be awarded the Elizabeth Emblem are:

• Clive Blackburn, of Staffordshire County Police, who died on 24 February 1967
• Keith Marshall, of West Midlands Fire Service, who died on 18 March 1974
• George Barrett, West Midlands Fire Service, who died on 2 December 1976

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