Patrick Dalton
Patrick ‘Paddy’ Dalton lost his life in the line of duty on 3rd August 1958. His Red Plaque was unveiled on 24th October 2026.
Patrick Dalton, a 25 year old firefighter was seriously injured on 12 June 1958 in an appliance road traffic accident on Doncaster Road, Rotherham, whilst responding to fire call at Silverwood Colliery to pick up an injured miner. He sadly died on 3rd August 1958 at Doncaster Gate Hospital, Rotherham.
At a special ceremony at Rotherham fire station, a red plaque was unveiled in Patricks’ honour alongside four other fallen firefighters; John Pollard, Charles Busby, Dennis Thompson and Enoch Leadbetter. The five fallen fighters will be remembered by colleagues, families and the wider community for many years to come. A one-minute silence was observed, the plaques were blessed by the fire service chaplain and wreaths were laid while a piper from The City of Sheffield Pipe Band played.
Alex Wilson, the FBU’s local organiser in South Yorkshire, said:
“It reminds us in the fire service that despite the passage of time and the improvements in health and safety and PPE and procedure, our profession of firefighting remains sometimes perilous.”
Please help support our Firefighters with the Firefighters 100 Lottery, a weekly online lottery created to support firefighters, their bereaved families and to honour the bravery and sacrifice of firefighters killed in the line of duty. With your help we can have schemes such as the Red Plaque Project for memorials to those lives lost.
Learn about the history of the Red Plaque Project and discover other Firefighters that have also received Red Plaques.
Photo credits: Mark Pinder
