Samuel Loveman and Daniel Gallacher died as a result of a fire aboard S.S. Gandia in a Greenock dock on the 19th October, 1940.
FIREMEN OVERCOME BY SMOKE
Outbreak on Steamer in Dock
Two firemen had to be removed to the Infirmary after an effort to locate a fire which broke out on a foreign steamer in a local dry dock today. They were overcome by dense smoke.
The Brigade, under Firemaster Pratten, were presented with a difficult task, as the hold was filled with smoke and the men had to wear smoke masks.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Saturday, October 19, 1940. Page 2.)
LOVEMAN:- At Greenock, on 19th October, 1940 (result of an accident), Samuel Loveman, beloved husband of Rebecca Fraser, 18 Bogle Street, Greenock; deeply regretted. Funeral takes place from the house tomorrow (Tuesday) at 3p.m. Friends, acquaintances, and firemen kindly invited to attend.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Monday, October 21, 1940. Page 2.)
One auxiliary fireman was killed and another lies seriously ill in Greenock Royal Infirmary as a result of a fall on board a ship which caught fire in a local dock on Saturday (as reported in our afternoon editions)
The man who was killed was Section Leader Samuel Loveman, 18 Bogle Street. Leading Fireman Daniel Gallacher, 16 Port Glasgow Road, is severely injured.
Gallacher a man of a little over 30 years, fell 30 feet to the bottom of No.2 hold, which was on fire from the middle deck. Loveman tried to save him, and the two men were seen to fall together as if locked in each other’s arms.
Smoke was pouring from the hold, and the Brigade were faced with a dangerous task in rescuing the two men.
PERILOUS DESCENTS
Firemaster Pratten immediately donned a smoke helmet and descended into the hold. The heat was fierce and it was impossible to see anything, but Firemaster Pratten remained below until he located Gallacher, who was injured.
He tied a rope round Gallacher who was hauled to the deck.
Firemaster Pratten was almost overcome by the heat and smoke by this time and he had to regain the deck or become the third casualty. It was with great with great difficulty that he climbed the iron ladder and reached safety.
Regular Fireman Hamilton then went down into the hold to search for Loveman. He made a valiant attempt to locate him but, despite his smoke helmet, had to leave before finding him.
Another “regular”, Third Officer Robert M’Lellan, without hesitation made the perilous descent into the hold. He was fortunate to find Loveman who was also pulled out with a rope. He had apparently been killed outright in falling.
DESERVE HIGH PRAISE
Gallacher was rushed to the Infirmary. He was fully conscious and was in considerable pain. Loveman’s body was taken to the mortuary.
Witnesses of the rescue stated that Firemaster Pratten and fireman M’Lennan and Hamilton showed great courage and deserved the highest praise for their action. The onlookers described the hold as a “veritable death trap”.
The fire was extinguished within three hours.
This is stated to be the first occasion on which a Greenock fireman has been killed while carrying out his duties.
Fireman Loveman, who was one of the veterans of the Auxiliary Fire Services, had served as a relief fireman before signing on for full time duties. He was a well known and popular member of the Brigade.
Loveman should have been off duty on Saturday, but he changed his leave to go off on another day.
It was learned this morning that Gallacher’s condition is more comfortable. He is attached to No.1 sub station in Young’s Garage, East Hamilton Street.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Monday, October 21, 1940. Page 3.)
SHIP FIRE VICTIM
Section Leader Loveman’s funeral Today
Section Leader Samuel Loveman, of the A.F.S., who was killed when on duty on Saturday, will be given a fireman’s funeral with full honours this afternoon.
About two hundred members of the local Fire Service and representatives from Brigades throughout the West of Scotland will attend.
The funeral takes place from the house at 18 Bogle Street at 3p.m., and the firemen will parade from Dalrymple Street at 2-40 p.m.
Chief mourners will be the deceased’s two sons, James Loveman, former manager of Massey’s Stores, Cathcart Street, who is now in the R.A.F., and Samuel Loveman, who is employed in Scotts’ joiner shop. Another son is serving in the Merchant Navy, and is at present at sea. He is unaware of the tragedy.
Section Leader Loveman was fatally injured when he fell into the burning hold of a ship in a local dock. He had tried to save a colleague, Daniel Gallacher, who had overbalanced on the edge of the hold and was dragged down with him.
Deceased was an ex-soldier. In his early days he was in the old Volunteers and attended King Edward’s Review at Edinburgh in 1905. During the Great War, he served as a Sergeant with the 1/5th Argylls. He was transferred to the Royal Field Artillery in 1922, and retired in 1929.
Before joining the A.F.S. he was a relief fireman in the Brigade. He was one of the oldest members of the service.
Daniel Gallacher, the injured auxiliary fireman, who is detained in Greenock Royal Infirmary in a serious condition, was reported this morning to be showing a slight improvement.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Tuesday, October 22, 1940. Page 2.)
HELMET AND AXE ON COFFIN
Impressive funeral for A.F.S. Man
<PHOTO> Section Leader Loveman
Firemen and A.F.S. men from many towns in the West of Scotland joined in paying a last tribute yesterday to Section Leader Samuel Loveman, who was killed on Saturday by falling into the hold on a ship which caught fire in a local dock.
The parade to Greenock cemetery, where Section Leader Loveman was buried, was an impressive one. The coffin which was carried on the fire engine, was draped with a Union Jack, and on top of it rested the victim’s helmet and his belt and axe.
The Greenock engine was followed by the Largs engine which bore many wreaths, and a coach was also filled with wreaths.
The cortege was headed by Assistant Firemaster M’Geoch, and behind him were two auxiliaries carrying a large wreath of chrysanthemums and carnations bearing the following inscription in large letters – “With deepest sympathy from the members of the Fire Brigade and A.F.S.”
A detachment of Greenock firefighters marched behind. Then came the engines and coaches and the visiting firemen. Among the Brigades represented were Glasgow, Paisley, Johnstone, Largs, Ardrossan, Gourock, Langbank, Camelon and Dumfries.
There were also contingents of the Air Cadets who act as messengers for the A.F.S. in an emergency; of soldiers of the Argylls and Royal Artillery, A.R.P. workers, and shipyard employees in their working clothes.
PROVOST AND COUNCILLORS PRESENT
Other mourners were Firemaster Pratten, who assisted in bringing Loveman and another fireman from the burning hold of the ship; Provost Lemmon, Councillors Morris, Templeton and Griffin; and Mr A. H. Gray, Town Clerk.
The firemen first marched from the fire station to the house at 18 Bogle Street, where a service was held and also proceeded on foot from Bogle Street to the Cemetery.
After the cortege had passed into the Cemetery, the uniformed men lined up along the main avenue and stood to attention as the fire engines drove through their ranks.
The mourners formed a large circle round the grave, where the service was conducted by Rev. Douglas Troup. Cords were taken by two sons, one of whom was in R.A.F. uniform.
Hugh crowds collected in Bogle Street, near the Labour Exchange, to watch the precession form and march off. The streets along which the cortege passed were also lined with sympathisers and there was a further congregation of townspeople at the entrance to the Cemetery.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Wednesday, October 23, 1940. Page 2.)
A.F.S. men figured in a life and death drama at the Infirmary the other day.
Leading Fireman Daniel Gallacher (33), 16 Port Glasgow Road, who fell into the hold of a ship which was on fire in a local dock, was lying dangerously ill.
The doctors decided to operate as the only means of saving his life. Before this could be done, a blood transfusion was found to be necessary. Fireman Gallacher’s brother, who is also in the A.F.S., was in hospital, and offered to give a transfusion.
It was decided to make a choice to obtain the healthiest blood it was possible to secure. There were only minutes to spare, and an urgent call was sent to the Fire Station for volunteers.
COMMANDANT SELECTED.
The Commandant and Assistant Commandant of the A.F.S. and another auxiliary immediately responded and were driven to the Infirmary. The blood of these three volunteers and the injured man’s brother was tested , and the commandant, Mr Tom Carter, was selected to give the transfusion.
The operation, which followed almost at once, brought about an improvement in the patient’s condition.
He has continued to improve, although his condition is still serious.
Fireman Gallacher has remained conscious since the accident. He has not yet been informed of the death of Section Leader Loveman who fell into the ship’s hold with him.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Monday, October 28, 1940. Page 2.)
Leading Fireman Daniel Gallacher, of the A.F.S., died last night in Greenock Infirmary from injuries he sustained in an accident on board a burning ship on October 19.
He is the second victim of the accident, Section Leader Samuel Loveman having been killed instantaneously.
The two firemen were seen to fall into the ships hold as if locked in each other’s arms. According to other members of the Brigade, Gallacher overbalanced and Loveman made an effort to save him.
Courageous rescue efforts were made while the two men were lying at the bottom of the hold, which was filled with smoke. Several firemen, including Firemaster Pratten, climbed down wearing smoke helmets. The rescuers were almost overcome by heat and smoke before Gallacher and Loveman were brought out.
Fireman Gallacher was rushed to the Infirmary in a serious condition. He lay between life and death until a blood transfusion was carried out. The donor of the blood was the A.F.S. Commandant. Gallacher rallied after an operation which followed the transfusion, but since then his condition became gradually weaker.
Fireman Gallacher who was in his thirties, was a married man. His home was at 16 Port Glasgow Road.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Tuesday, November 19, 1940. Page 2.)
Deaths
GALLACHER – At Greenock Royal Infirmary, on 18th November, 1940 (the result of an accident) Daniel M’Glynn Gallacher, beloved husband of Ann Alexander, R.I.P. Funeral takes place from 31 Ladyburn Street (the residence of his mother), on Thursday at 3p.m. Friends, acquaintances, and members of the Fire Services kindly invited to attend.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Tuesday, November 19, 1940. Page 2.)
FIREMAN’S FUNERAL
A.F.S. to Honour Colleague
Leading Fireman Daniel Gallacher, A.F.S., who died in the Infirmary from injuries which he sustained while on duty on a burning ship, will be given a fireman’s funeral tomorrow.
There will be a large turnout of the local fire service, and representatives of other brigades in the West of Scotland will also attend.
The funeral will take place at 3p.m. from the house of the victim’s mother, at 31 Ladyburn Street. The firemen will march to the cemetery.
The funeral will be on the same lines as that of Section Leader Samuel Loveman, the other victim of the fatality, which was attended by several hundred men in uniform.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Wednesday, November 20, 1940. Page 2.)
BURIED WITH HONOURS
Funeral of Fireman Gallacher
Leading Fireman Daniel Gallacher, the second A.F.S. man to die as a result of an accident on a burning ship several weeks ago, was laid to rest with full honours in Greenock Cemetery yesterday.
The funeral was attended by about three hundred firemen, including detachments from the Brigades of Glasgow, Paisley, Gourock, Johnstone, Largs, and Ardrossan.
A service was held in his mother’s house at 31 Ladyburn Street. The eight pall bearers, including Firemaster Pratten, marched beside the fire engine bearing the coffin from the house to Dellingburn Street.
There the main body of firemen, headed by Assistant Firemaster M’Geoch, joined the cortege and marched to the cemetery. The route which was by way of Regent Street and Roxburgh Street, was lined with sympathisers.
The coffin was draped with the Union Jack, and on it were laid Fireman Gallacher’s axe and steel helmet. Behind the fire engine hearse was another fire engine from Glasgow which was filled with wreaths.
THREE BROTHERS PRESENT
The mourners included two brothers of the deceased, who are members of the local A.F.S., and a third brother who is in the army. The A.R.P. service was represented by several volunteers.
In the Cemetery, the firemen lined up in three rows on the sloping ground above the grave, while a service was conducted by Rev. Father Grace, of St Mungo’s R.C. Church.
Arrangements for the funeral were on similar lines to that of Section Leader Samuel Loveman, who was killed instantly when he fell with Gallacher into the ship’s hold.
Fireman Gallacher’s fight for life in the Infirmary aroused widespread sympathy. He lay at the point of death for a month. Hopes that his life would be saved were raised after a dramatic call for a blood donor was received at the Fire Station from the doctors.
A.F.S. men immediately volunteered, and hurried to the Infirmary. After a blood transfusion, followed by an operation, the injured man rallied, but later his condition gradually became weaker, and he died on Monday night.
(The Greenock Telegraph and Clyde Shipping Gazette, Friday, November 22, 1940. Page 2.)
Samuel Loveman is buried in Greenock Cemetery, Section 3Cs (CCC), Lair 972. There is no headstone over the grave. (6/11/2005)
Daniel Gallacher is buried in Greenock Cemetery, Section 2Vs (VV), Lair 80. There is the base of a headstone and it appears as if there should be something on top of it but it is not there. The base bears the inscription
DANIEL McGLYNN GALLACHER
DIED 18th NOVEMBER 1940
AGED 33 YEARS
BELOVED HUSBAND OF
ANN ALEXANDER
AT REST
(6/11/2005)
.