Firefighters have honoured the memory of the last surviving member of the Liverpool Police Fire Brigade who has died.
Albert Edward Jermyn, known as Ted, who was 99-years-old and lived in Formby, was a fireman during the blitz in Merseyside in the Second World War. He was a fireman for 31 years and retired in 1969. A funeral service for Ted, who was born in Liverpool on October 10, 1915, was held at St Luke’s Church, Formby.
During his career as a fireman, he was promoted to Leading Fireman, Sub Officer and also, later, Station Officer. He, along with another Fireman, was awarded a FSC (Fire Service Commendation) for rescuing a woman at a house fire in Collinson Street, Liverpool, on May 16, 1956. In May 1941 he attended Blitz fires on St Georges Crescent, and he attended the Lewis’s building in Liverpool after it was bombed. Ted also attended the Henderson’s department store fire in Liverpool on June 22, 1960
Ted joined the Army in October 1936 and was accepted into the Horse Guards at Knightsbridge, moving to Combermere Barracks, Windsor and transferring to the Life Guards. On May 12, 1938, Ted took part in the Coronation of King George VI as part of the escort to Queen Mary. He also paid £35 to buy himself out of the Army and joined the City of Liverpool Police on January 23, 1939.
The Liverpool Police Fire Brigade was formed in 1836. It lasted until all UK Fire Brigades were nationalised in August 1941. On de-nationalisation on April 1, 1948, the City of Liverpool Fire Service was formed.
In March 1943, Ted was called up for national service, where he was accepted by the RAF and trained as a Wireless operator / Air Gunner. He was posted to Bomber Command flying in Lancaster’s. However, he suffered from ear trouble and he was transferred to the Royal Artillery on DEMS (Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship) duties on-board merchant ships. HServed in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. In February 1946 he was demobbed and joined the National Fire Service (NFS) in March 1946.
Firefighters from Formby Community Fire Station, at the request of the family of Ted Jermyn, acted as bearers for his coffin for both the service at St Luke’s Church, Formby, and at the Thornton Garden of Rest. A fire appliance from Formby Community Fire Station also attended the service.
Ted Jermyn continued to support the Service even after he retired and attended a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the formation of the Merseyside fire and rescue service in April 2014. He also attended the unveiling of the Roll of Honour at the Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service Heritage and Education Centre in May 2012 which named those Firemen killed as a result of enemy action during World War Two and the Blitz in Merseyside. The names, ranks and the month and year they died are included amongst a total of 67 Firemen and one Liverpool Auxiliary Fire Service Boy Messenger killed as a result of enemy action during the Blitz of 1940 and 1941 in Merseyside. He is pictured above at the unveiling (picture: Chris Phillips)
Chief Fire Officer Dan Stephens said: “We were very sad to hear of the death of Ted Jermyn. I met Ted on a number of occasions in recent years and he was quite an amazing and very interesting man who had served his community very well as a fireman for 31 years.”
