Joseph Milner (firefighter)
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joe" Milner CBE
, QFSM
(born October 1922, Manchester
, England
, UK - died
13 January 2007, Caston
, Norfolk
, England
, UK) was a senior officer in the British fire service.
Born in Manchester in 1922, on leaving the army in 1946, he began his career with the Fire Brigade's of Middlesbrough
, Scarborough, and the North Riding. He joined the Hong Kong Fire Services in 1951.
He was Director of the Hong Kong Fire Services
from 1961-1970 and Chief Fire Officer
, of the London Fire Brigade
from 1970-1976.
2nd wife Anne Milner - married 1976 until his death in 2007- no children,
Joyce Woodhouse - sister,
William Milner - brother,
Henry Milner, QPM
-awarded British policeman, was his brother.
as a Chindit. There is a story that has been passed down through the family of Milner, that when the Japanese surrounded his camp, and his men nervously asked him what they should do, he gave the orders to set up a banquet in order to show the Japanese that they did not fear them. Joseph Milner wrote a fictional, book based on his experiences called "To Blazes With Glory: A Chindit's war", about a soldier called Badger who fights in the campaign.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, QFSM
Queen's Fire Service Medal
The Queen's Fire Service Medal is awarded to members of the fire services in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations for distinguished service or gallantry. It was introduced on 19 May 1954 when it replaced the King's Fire Service Medal...
(born October 1922, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK - died
13 January 2007, Caston
Caston
Caston is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 459 in 174 households as of the2001 censusFor the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland.- History :...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, UK) was a senior officer in the British fire service.
Born in Manchester in 1922, on leaving the army in 1946, he began his career with the Fire Brigade's of Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, Scarborough, and the North Riding. He joined the Hong Kong Fire Services in 1951.
He was Director of the Hong Kong Fire Services
Fire Services Department (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Fire Services Department of the Hong Kong Government is an emergency service responsible for fire-fighting and rescue on land and sea...
from 1961-1970 and Chief Fire Officer
Chief Fire Officer
A Chief Fire Officer or CFO is the highest ranking Officer in the UK Fire & Rescue Service. There are currently 59 Chief Fire Officers serving in the United Kingdom in charge of County Fire Services....
, of the London Fire Brigade
London Fire Brigade
The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for London.Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighters based in 112 fire...
from 1970-1976.
Family
1st wife Bella Grice-Flinton, Yorkshire Died 1976 - had 2 children (Patricia and Frederick (dec'd)),2nd wife Anne Milner - married 1976 until his death in 2007- no children,
Joyce Woodhouse - sister,
William Milner - brother,
Henry Milner, QPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
-awarded British policeman, was his brother.
Burma Campaign
Milner fought in the Burma campaignBurma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
as a Chindit. There is a story that has been passed down through the family of Milner, that when the Japanese surrounded his camp, and his men nervously asked him what they should do, he gave the orders to set up a banquet in order to show the Japanese that they did not fear them. Joseph Milner wrote a fictional, book based on his experiences called "To Blazes With Glory: A Chindit's war", about a soldier called Badger who fights in the campaign.