Fallen firefighters remembered at packed cathedral memorial service
There was standing room only at Hereford Cathedral as a huge congregation gathered to pay tribute to two fallen firefighters.
Leading Firefighter John Davies, an on call firefighter from close to the Shropshire border in Leominster, and firefighter David Morris were tragically killed fighting a massive factory fire on Hereford’s Grandstand Road on September 6, 1993.
Mr Davies, who was 34, was an on-call firefighter from Leominster but, as he worked in Hereford, would often attend emergencies in the city.
David Morris, aged 35, was a fulltime firefighter with 11 years of service when he responded to the fire.
Now, to mark the imminent 30th anniversary of that tragic event, and in International Firefighters’ Memorial Month, a memorial service was held to remember the two fallen heroes and to unveil a plaque in their honour in the Cathedral’s Lady Arbour.
Members of David and John’s families and many of their former colleagues joined with dignitaries including His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire and the High Sheriff of Herefordshire, the Bishop of Hereford, Councillor Roger Phillips, the vice-chairman of Hereford & Worcester Fire Authority, and representatives of other fire services, as well as Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer Jon Pryce and members of his senior staff.
The service was led by the Dean of Hereford The Reverend Canon Sarah Brown alongside HWFRS Chaplain Rev Dick Johnson while Edward Harley, His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, and Robert Robinson, High Sheriff of Herefordshire, read lessons.
Chief fire officer Jon Pryce also addressed the congregation.
“Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has not forgotten David and John and I know we never will,” he said.
After the service, the ceremony continued in the Cathedral’s Lady Arbour with the unveiling of the plaque.
An address was given by Ben Selby, assistant general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union and prayers were led by the Bishop of Hereford, the Right Reverend Richard Jackson, and Rev Dick Johnson.
Firefighter Jamie Morris, son of the late David Morris, read For The Fallen by Lawrence Binyon as a bugler sounded the Last Post.
Many of those present then took the opportunity to look at the plaque.
Students from Hereford’s NMiTE University worked alongside the lead craftspeople on the project to create this fitting tribute, designed by Hereford Firefighters.
