William Neill died while fighting a fire on a ship at Greenock on the14th July 1942.
LOCAL HERO KILLED
Fighting Fire in Ship
Column Officer William Neill, of the Greenock Fire Service, met his death while on duty at a fire in a ship at Greenock last night. He was one of the heroes of the blitz on the town in May of last year, being awarded the George Medal along with Firemaster Pratten and Fireman James Berry for courageous conduct.
When engaged at the fire on board the ship Mr. Neill descended into the smoke filled fore hold to make an examination. He was wearing a gas respirator. He did not return, and Fire Force Commander Robert Bowman, N.F.S., Western District, Paisley, peering down from the deck caught a glimpse through the smoke fumes of Mr. Neill lying on the bottom of the hold.
Immediately Commander Bowman, without pausing to don a respirator, went down into the hold to find Mr. Neill lying unconscious with his face in a small depth of water. He had apparently been overcome by the fumes.
Steps were at once taken to hoist him on to the fore deck, where artificial respiration was applied by two sick bay attendants, but without success.
Meantime an ambulance had been summoned and Mr. Neill was conveyed to the Royal Infirmary. Here two injections were given, oxygen applied, and artificial respiration carried out, but it was found that death had taken place. The exact cause of death has not yet been ascertained.
Mr Neill was, it is believed, aged about 35 years. He had eleven years’ service in Greenock Fire Brigade. He was married, and it is understood that his wife was on holiday at the time of the tragic happening to her husband.
An account of the heroic incident for which Mr. Neill, Firemaster Pratten, and Fireman Berry were awarded the George Medal states that on the night of May 7-8, 1941, Firemaster Pratten called for volunteers to enter a building and tackle the spreading flames. It was an extremely dangerous task. Inflammable material, burning furiously, made the heat almost unbearable.
“To the danger of their lives,” said the official statement, “Firemaster Pratten and his two assistants, Berry and Neill, penetrated to the danger zone, and in imminent danger of being trapped under blazing wreckage, played high pressure jets on the flames. They were successful after 30 minutes intense effort and thus saved a considerable quantity of valuable and essential material. Danger to life and property was also averted as a result of the prompt and courageous action of the three firefighters.
It will be recalled that four British Empire Medals were also awarded to others who gave gallant service during the blitz.
There was a photo of Column Officer Neill with this newspaper article.
(Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Wednesday, July 15, 1942. Page 2.)
Deaths
NEILL – At Greenock (result of an accident), on 14th July, 1942, Column Officer William Neill, N.F.S., beloved husband of Margaret Ewing, 1 Wallace Square, Greenock; deeply regretted. Funeral from house tomorrow (Friday), at 3 p.m., to Greenock Cemetery. Friends, acquaintances, and members of N.F.S. kindly invited to attend.
(Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Thursday, July 16, 1942. Page 2.)
FIRE FIGHTER’S FUNERAL
Fine Tribute to Mr. Wm. Neill
Members of the National Fire Service in Renfrewshire, and ARP units in Greenock paid a striking tribute to Column Officer Wm. Neill, 1 Wallace Square, whose funeral took place yesterday to Greenock Cemetery.
Mr Neill was 35 years of age, and had been in the fire service at Greenock for 11 years. He met his death on Tuesday while fighting a fire in a ship at Greenock.
He had descended into the smoke filled fore hold to make an examination, wearing breathing apparatus. As he did not return one of his colleagues went to the bottom of the ship and found him lying unconscious. Efforts were made to revive him, but without success.
In the May blitz in Greenock last year, Neill was one of three members of the Fire Service to be awarded the George Medal for courageous conduct. He was promoted Column Officer some months ago, and was one of the most promising officers in the brigade. He was genial and always wearing a smile, on and off duty earned wide popularity with colleagues and friends outside the Service.
PROVOST AMONG MOURNERS
At the funeral yesterday were several hundred mourners, including Provost Lemmon, officials and Magistrates of the Corporation, Commander Digby Beste, Lt-Commanders Ingram and Rodgers, Royal Navy, Chief Constable Christie, Mr. A. B. Craig, principal fire staff officer, who represented the Scottish Home Department; Mr W. Paterson, Chief of Inspectorate; Inspector McIntyre, Fire Force Commanders Muir and Pratten, Deputy Fire Force Commander M’Corkindale, Paisley; Firemaster Masson, Greenock; and Mr. M’Geoch, Johnstone, formally of Greenock; Fire Force Commander Bowman and Police Superintendent M’Kechnie, and Dr. Johnstone, Greenock.
Thousands of sympathetic townsfolk lined the streets as the cortege made its way to the cemetery. The parade in which over 400 people took part, was most impressive. It was led by women members of the Western Fire Service. Then came detachments of officers and men of the N.F.S., police, representatives of every A.R.P. branch in the district, and a party of cadets from Nos. 49 (F) and 76 Squadrons of the A.T.C. in charge of Flight – Sergeant C. MacQuarrie.
Rev. James Francis officiated at the house, and at the graveside.
The coffin, borne by colleagues of the dead hero, rested on a fire engine. It was draped in a Union Jack and on it was Mr. Neill’s helmet and fire fighting equipment.
There were many floral tributes, these being carried on a fire engine and two wagons.
(Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Saturday, July 18, 1942. Page 2.)