b. ? d. ?
DATE OF EM ACTION: 28/11/1916 Pye Hill Colliery, Nottinghamshire.
Little is known about the life of miner William Heathcote other than his actions on 28th November 1916 at the Pye Hill Colliery, Nottinghamshire.
EM CITATION:
On the 28th November, 1916, at about 12.30 a.m., a heavy fall of roof occurred at the Pye Hill Colliery, Nottinghamshire, by which three men were buried. Foulds, Haddon, Heathcote, Short and Smith quickly arrived, and attempted to rescue the buried men by digging out the fallen roof and setting props as they progressed. The roof was still extremely dangerous and stones were constantly falling. Three times heavy falls occurred breaking the props which had been set up, but, on each of these occasions, the rescuers were fortunate in having sufficient warning to enable them to escape. They remained at work for seven hours until all three buried men were reached and taken out; unfortunately all were found to be dead. During the entire period the rescuers were in continuous danger of serious injury or death from a further sudden fall.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.