Hector 'Mac' MacDonald Graham
Hector ‘Mac’ MacDonald Graham lost his life in the line of duty on the 5th October 1940. His Red Plaque was unveiled on the 27th January 2025.
During WW2, the Liverpool Blitz devastated large parts of the city and killed over 4,000 of our citizens. Liverpool was the most heavily bombed area of the UK, outside London, with the dock area being the focal point of attack. As incendiary and highly explosive bombs rained down on the city, the public took to deep shelters in a desperate bid for safety. However, as the majority fled for safety, the city’s firefighters ran towards the fires and fought to save lives, infrastructure and properties.
Described by Winston Churchill as ‘heroes with grimy faces’, their sacrifice is personified by Hector ‘Mac’ Graham, a genuine hero who gave his life for our city. A veteran of WWI, Hector volunteered for the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) in 1938 and led a group of six men during the Blitz, using a limousine towing a trailer pump.
On 5 October 1940, Hector reported for duty as part of the early shift. That day, an especially heavy attack took place and Hector volunteered to stay on duty throughout the night to fight the massive fires created by incendiary bombs around the docks. A huge blaze took hold at Duke’s Dock warehouse and, the structure weakened by fire and explosions, the building collapsed onto the firefighters who were tackling the fire. Tragically, Hector ‘Mac’ Graham was at its base and the force of the blast swept his body into the adjacent dock.
During the air raid, the dock gate mechanism was damaged and could not be repaired until 19 October. When the water was released, Hector’s body was retrieved and buried in a hero’s funeral.
Hector was from from Allerton and had earlier fought in World War One but was working in the chemical industry before he signed up as a volunteer firefighter in 1938.
Liverpool experienced its first air raid in August 1940 and was targeted regularly through the autumn of 1940 with 15 raids in the September and nine in the October.
Hector is remembered by his daughter, Jean Glenn:
“I had just celebrated my 7th birthday when my dad was killed and in the custom of those days, children should be ‘invisible’. I was sent away for several weeks to a relative and returned home when everything was over and done and just told that my daddy was killed in a fire and I wouldn’t see him again.
My memories of him are just scraps of things: ‘helping’ him in the greenhouse; pedalling my three-wheeler bike to the tram stop to meet him from work; telling him off because he frightened the little girl sitting next to me at a party when he was the clown entertainer; he smoked a pipe and I always liked to have the empty ‘Four Square’ tobacco tins, things like that. Nothing substantial, hence my various attempts (once I realised it was possible) over
the years at trying to find some more information about him to try to get to ‘know’ him.Sadly, often the reply was “all our records were destroyed in the Blitz”. My chance discovery of the Red Plaque scheme sort of completes the task I set myself.”
Lee Hunter, the FBU’s regional chairman, said:
“Eighty-five years after his death protecting Liverpool from the fires of the Blitz, we will make sure he is always remembered as part of the history of our city.”
Below are memories added by those who knew Hector ‘Mac’ MacDonald Graham or had a story that they wish to share with you. If you have a tribute for Hector ‘Mac’ MacDonald Graham that you wish to add, please include your memory below.
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Photo credits: Julian Brow
