b. ? d. ?
DATE OF EM ACTION: 07/11/1929 Royal Naval Cordite Factory, Holton Heath, Dorset.
Little is known about the life of Joseph Turner, a workman at the Royal Naval Cordite Factory, other than his actions on 7th November 1929.
EM CITATION:
On November 7th, 1929, an explosion accompanied by fire took place in a press house of the Royal Naval Cordite Factory at Holton Heath. Turner, on hearing the explosion, immediately went towards the press house and as only one worker came out of the building he knew that there would be others left inside. With complete disregard for his own safety he made his way into the Press House which he knew to contain quantities of explosives and was then on fire and found one of the workers unconscious on the floor beneath an accumulation of burning debris. Despite the grave risk of further explosions he pulled the injured man free, extinguished so far as possible his burning clothing and managed to drag him clear of the building. Unfortunately the injuries sustained by the rescued man subsequently proved fatal.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
