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	Gallantry		Gallantry

	William Henry Joiner
	British Empire Medal (Civil Division)
	Date:	1957
	Colliery:	Walsall Wood Colliery
	Occupation:	Acting Overman

 

St. James's Palace, S.W.1.

12th February, 1957.

The Queen has been graciously pleased to give orders for the undermentioned appointment to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, for the following awards of the George Medal and of the British Empire Medal, and for the publication in the London Gazette of the names of those specially shown below as having received an expression of Commendation for their brave conduct.

To be an Additional Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire:

George Albert Schofield, Colliery Manager, Walsall Wood Colliery, Cannock Chase.

Awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil Division):—

George Bywater, Overman, Walsall Wood Colliery, Cannock Chase.

William Henry Joiner, Acting Overman, Walsall Wood Colliery, Cannock Chase.

A fall of roof occurred at the Walsall Wood Colliery, at a point where two roads in a seam cross at right angles. Four men were killed outright and a fifth was imprisoned under the stones and inside a cavity about 3 ft. square and 2 ft. 6 ins. high. Mr. Schofield immediately went to the scene of the accident and Mr. Joiner who had been in another part of the underground workings, joined him. They found that the three approaches to the fall each about 12 ft. wide and 4 ft. high, were completely blocked by fallen stone and they decided to go over the top to inspect the fourth side, which was in a fast end, a cul-de-sac. They were able to move enough stones to allow Schofield to squeeze through into a space about 12 ft. square and 6 ft. high above the fallen stone. He sent Joiner for props to support the roof and disregarding the possibility of further falls, started to make a way into the fast end. He was by this time able to talk to the man trapped under the fall. About ten minutes later Joiner got to the top of the fall and set props to the roof and sides. He noticed that a triangular stone, 8 ft. wide, 12 ft. long and 2½ ft. high was gradually lowering and, in an attempt to prevent it falling, he built a pack under it with the stones that Schofield was removing to make a hole into the fast end. At about this time, Bywater arrived. He took charge in the approach road to the fall. Schofield and Joiner, located the imprisoned man, made a passage towards him through the stones and eventually were able to release him.

Source: London Gazette (12 Feb 1957)

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