Like many another, he was drawn into the town’s heavy industries, in his case in the Vickers shipyard, where he took a job as a Fireman. Clearly, he had an aptitude for the work, rapidly rising to the rank of Superintendent, in charge of the shipyard’s own fire brigade at a time where fire was an ever-present risk and the volume of work made for difficult working conditions.

Darcy Moffat (right) with two of colleagues, or possibly members of another Fire Brigade.

LOCAL FIRE CHIEFS HONOURED

PRESENTATION OF POLICE MEDALS FOR GALLANTRY

On Tuesday Lord Shuttleworth, Lord Lieutenant of the County, (NB Lancashire – RMW) accompanied by a distinguished party, attended at Lancaster Town Hall, to present on behalf of his Majesty the King, a number of King’s police medals and British Empire Order medals to police, firemen, and industrial workers in Lancashire for various acts of gallantry.

Most of the awards were in connection with courageous conduct and devotion to duty during an explosion and fire at a Northern munition works just over a year ago, in connection with which two men have already been presented by the King with the Edward Medal in silver, and the Ministry of Munitions have presented gold watches and other awards to workmen now in different parts of the country.

Lord Shuttleworth inspected the guard furnished by the O.T.C. of the Lancaster Royal Grammar School before the ceremony in the Town Hall.

The recipients of the King’s Police Medal included Mr. R. Newsham, chief of the Barrow Fire Brigade, and Mr. D’Arcy (sic) B. Moffatt, (sic) chief of the Vickers (Barrow) Brigade.

GALLANT FIREMEN

BRAVERY WHICH DESERVES THE VICTORIA CROSS

The writer of notes in the “Evening Standard” has the following interesting paragraph:-
“I can endorse from independent eye-witnesses the Ministry of Munitions’s record of gallantry in connection with the recent fire and explosions in the vicinity of a northern county town. In particular there are firemen who deserve the Victoria Cross or its equivalent. Also I hear high praise of the local Volunteers.

“It was a scene which reminds one in some details of the last days of Pompeii. Happily, no munitions workers lost their lives.” (sic)

We can add to the above that we have information to the effect that the question of making suitable acknowledgement of the bravery here referred to has been under consideration.

The same writer tells the following stories relative to this particular explosion:-
In one case nearly a hundred persons, mostly in night attire, took refuge in the bungalow of a well-known man, who possesses a pipe organ in his music room. An organist played selections, and the people sang hymns throughout the night to the accompaniment of exploding shells.

Another story is of a lady who, having been through two air raids on the eastern side of the country, went to this district for peace and quietness. On the way she had a car smash, and within an hour or two of her arrival at her destination went through a prolonged series of explosions surpassing any of her raid experiences.
 

MR. D. B. MOFFAT, BARROW

Thirty-two Officers and firemen of the borough and Vickers-Armstrongs’ Fire Brigades attended the funeral on Wednesday of Mr. Darcy Benson Moffat, of 29, St. Luke’s-avenue, Barrow, who was for 30 years chief officer of the Vickers-Armstrongs force.

Mr. Moffat, who retired in 1945 at the age of 70, received the King’s Medal for services rendered at the White Lunn (sic) filling factory at Morecambe when it caught fire and caused many explosions in 1917. He came to Barrow from Cumberland as a young man, and became well known and respected. He is survived by his widow, one son and three daughters.

Requiem Mass was sung at the Sacred Heart Church, Barrow.

Chief Officer T. W. Platt, of Vickers-Armstrongs and Station Officer T. Towers, were in charge of the firemen.