b. ?  d. ?

 

DATE OF EM ACTION: 11/05/1910 Wellington Colliery, Whitehaven, Cumberland.

 

Very little is known about the life of William Ball, other than he was a shiftman at the time of the incident at the Wellington Colliery, Whitehaven.

 

EM CITATION:

 

On the 11th May. 1910, a terrible fire occurred in the Wellington Pit, Whitehaven, at a point

about 4,500 yards from the shafts. Various rescue parties, with great courage and self devotion and at considerable risk, descended the mine and endeavoured to extinguish the fire and

penetrate to the persons in the workings beyond the same. Thorne and Littlewood, fitted with

breathing apparatus, reached within a distance of 150 yards of the fire, but were driven back by

the great heat and effusion of gases. The others got to within about 300 yards of the fire,

working in the smoke backing from the tire. It was found impossible to penetrate to the scene

of the fire or to rescue any of the entombed miners. Had an explosion occurred by no means

unlikely eventuality, seeing that the mine is a very gassy one they would undoubtedly all

have been killed. Special gallantry was shown by John Henry Thorne, to whom the Edward Medal of the First Class has already been awarded, and by James Littlewood.

 

BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.