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PC Samuel Radford - George Medal - 1940 Blitz Bravery


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Four Sheffield men and two Royal Army Service Corps men were awarded the George Medal in 1941, for heroism during the Sheffield Blitz in December 1940. The George Medal had been instituted by King George V1 on 24 September 1940, equating civilian acts of bravery with those of the armed forces.
There has been little recognition of these six brave men since the award of their medals, partly because of their own modesty.  However I think that with the approach of the 80th anniverary of the Sheffield Blitz, it's time to celebrate these men. Some have them are mentioned in books, notably Margaret Drinkall's "Story of Sheffield at War" - M Drinkall , Paul Licence's 'Sheffield Blitz' and the Star and Telegraph's 1948 publication Sheffield at War but even then gaps and major errors exist.  I have tried to gather whatever I could for each of these men - I think they deserve a thread each on this site - and hopefully others will be able to add further knowledge.

Samuel Radford was born on 11th November 1912 in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire and was the only son of Samuel Radford a coal hewer, and Elizabeth of 157 Newmarket Road, Bulwell.  Samuel was educated at Quarry road school, and on leaving became a joiner.  At Bulwell he played cricket for the Main Street United Methodist team and was an excellent swimmer.  He joined the Sheffield Police force in 1937.  In 1940 he was a 28 year old police constable lodging at 2 Rolleston Road, Firth Park, with Annie Ward (herself a 53 year old ARP warden).  

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Samuel spent five hours during the blitz tunnelling beneath wreckage to save 18 year old Joseph Greenwood, trapped in a cellar at 32 Fell Street, Brightside.  Already rescued from the house were Joseph's parents Alfred and Minnie, his 13 year old brother (James) Harry, sister-in-law Elsie Greenwood (nee Day who had married Joseph's brother Frank in the summer of 1936, who were living at number 4 Fell Street) and her 5 year old daughter Pearl, It is not clear where Pearls' sister, 2 year old Elsie was.  It is also unclear whether the husband and son of Joseph's sister Elsie, James McCormick and Michael were involved.

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As P.C. Radford dug under the rubble, at risk of further collapse and falling bombs, the Auxiliary Fire Service were putting out fires that were starting around him as he worked.  Several times he himself was partly trapped.  A matter of seconds after retrieving the lad, the whole of the cellar and building were engulfed in flames.  He then helped at another house where a number of people were buried.  He saved the lives of a total of 15 people.


The Chief Constable, Major F.S. James told a reporter that Radford was "an extremely bashful and reticent young man".  When a Nottingham Evening Post reporter interviewed his mother Elizabeth in March 1941 she was unaware that he had been awarded the George Medal. "I am not surprised" she said "because I knew of what he did during that air raid.  He was at home last week-end, but he did not say very much about it".

From the Yorkshire Post of 8th March 1941: "P.C.Radford's bravery resulted in the saving of the life of a 16 year old boy who was trapped up to his chest in debris in the cellar of a demolished house.  P.C. Radford worked alone for three hours.  All the time bombs were falling in the vicinity. After rescuing the lad he went and attended to some casualties and then went to a stable where some horses were trapped. He smashed down the door, removed the debris and rescued six horses. His bravery has already been acknowledged by Sheffield residents, 200 of whom have signed a petition to the Chief Constable.
When told of the award, Radford said "This is not only an honour for me, but also one for the Division.  It will be a nice wedding present from the King". He then revealed that in a few weeks he is to be married. It is a police-station romance, for the bride is to be Miss Gwen Smith, a telephone operator at the police headquarters to which Radford is attached."

Gwen was the daughter of a police inspector. Their wedding took place in June 1941 at Hillsborough Trinity Methodist Church, attended by many friends and relatives from Bulwell, and Samuel's sister Kathleen was one of the bridesmaids. Samuel and Gwendoline had three girls (Audrey, Beryl and Valerie) followed by a boy, Samuel junior, in 1949.  Samuel died on 6th June 1979 at 91 Firth Park Crescent.

 

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