Fireman Harry Errington was awarded the George Cross, the highest award for valour alongside the VC - when he saved two firemen colleagues from the flaming ruins of the Rathbone Street fire station on the night 17-18 September 1940.
From Fitzrovia News 1: "Errington was the son of Soloman and Bella Ehrengott (née Carp) who were Jewish immigrants from Lublin, Poland. They had arrived in the UK in 1908 and went to live in Poland Street in Soho. They Anglicised their name to Errington when Harry was born. He went to the Westminster Jewish Free School in Hanway Place, and lived and worked in the West End the whole of his life, including a great number of years living at Bedford Court Mansions on Bedford Avenue — only a short walk from Rathbone Street."
From Fitzrovia News 2: "That night Errington and his colleagues John Hollingshead and John Terry were asleep. The blast from the bomb blew Errington across the basement and trapped his colleagues with debris. As a fire raged Errington protected himself with a blanket and managed to release Hollingshead and carried him up a narrow stone staircase that was partially blocked with debris, then across a courtyard and through an adjoining building and into the street. He then returned to the burning building to rescue Terry. He was later awarded a George Cross for his actions on that night — one of only two firefighters in London to have received this honour. He died in London on 15 December 2004. A replica of his George Cross is displayed on the wall at Soho Fire Station. ... In his prime, Harry ran a firm of high-end Savile Row tailors – Errington and Whyte — and was also a basketball coach!"
Born Westminster. His George Cross (the original) is in the collection of the Jewish Museum London.
