Norman Tunna

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Norman Tunna GC (29th April 1908 - 4 December 1970), a shunter for the Great Western Railway in Birkenhead was awarded the George Cross in 1941 for the following action:

On 26 September 1940, when the German Air Force carried out a large bombing raid on Merseyside, in the Morpeth dock area of Birkenhead, the scores of railway lines were crowded with trains. These air raids resulted in a number of serious fires involving railway and dock warehouse properties. A large number of incendiary bombs fell on and about the goods station and sidings. Amongst the wagons in the yards was a train loaded with ammunition and various trucks containing canned petrol. Most of the enemy incendiaries had been extinguished by the prompt action of the staff on duty, but a serious fire developed from incendiaries falling in one section of the station. During the course of these events, Norman Tunna discovered two incendiary bombs burning in a sheeted open wagon, which contained 250lb bombs. With a disregard for his own safety, Tunna removed the sheet and extinguished the incendiary bombs. He then removed the extinguished bombs from the wagon.