Called to attend a fire in a restaurant in the King’s Road, Chelsea, he entered the building in breathing apparatus, along with his colleague Fireman Peter Brian O'Connell Hutchins, to locate the seat of the fire. Once inside, both men were engulfed in an ‘explosive flashover’. (a rolling ball of flame). They were rushed to a specialist burns unit, but unfortunately both died.
The date given on the Highgate Cemetery memorial is 11 March 1968 but, confusingly, on the Chelsea Firefighters memorial 8 March 1968 is given. Hutchins and Comber were both injured in tackling the fire at Peter Evans Eating House at 65 King's Road, Chelsea on 8 March 1968 and both died in the burns unit at Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton Lane, London, SW15, on 11 March 1968.
Colin Comber was the younger son of James Comber (1891-1969) and Ethel Maud Rebecca Comber née McLeod (1893-1958). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1925 in the Epsom registration district, Surrey. His father was a postman. His elder brother was James Frederick Comber (1921-1968).
He married Josephine May Davis (1928-2009) in the 2nd quarter of 1949 in the Surrey Mid Eastern registration district and the birth of their son Glenn Comber was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1951 in the Surrey Mid Eastern registration district. Electoral registers from 1955 show him and his wife listed at 19 Ottways Lane, Ashtead, Surrey and telephone directories from 1961 until his death confirm that this was his address.
Probate records confirm that he died, aged 42 years, on 11 March 1968 but that his address was shown, incorrectly, as 10 Ottways Lane, Ashtead. Probate was granted on 12 June 1968 and his effects totalled £4,192.
He is also commemorated on the National Firefighters Memorial at Sermon Lane, London, E.C.4 and in the Firefighters Memorial Trust's Book of Remembrance.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk and Andrew Behan.
