Elizabeth Emblem awarded to families of civil servants who died in the line of duty

More than 100 civil servants who died in the line of duty have been recognised with the Elizabeth Emblem, in the second list of recipients published since the award was established in 2023.

The Elizabeth Emblem is a national honour given to the next of kin of civil servants who lost their lives as a result of their work.

It is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or due to a terrorist attack.

This year’s list included 106 individuals, including police officers, firefighters, overseas workers, and healthcare staff.

Among those named was Gwen Mayor, a teacher who was killed in 1996 while protecting her pupils during the mass shooting at Dunblane Primary School.

Police constable Nina Mackay, aged 25, was also recognised. She died while searching a property in East London when she was stabbed.

Firefighter John Liptrot, who died in 1968 while trying to rescue three children from a disused mineshaft, was also included in the list.

Police constable Dennis Cowell died in 1965 while serving as a River Policeman. He drowned in the River Thames after a police launch he was aboard capsized during a collision.

The list also recognised six individuals who died from COVID-19 while working in frontline healthcare roles.

These include Dr Poornima Nair Balupuri, a general practitioner partner based in Bishop Auckland, who died in 2020 while carrying out essential duties during the pandemic.

Thirty-three individuals on the list served in Northern Ireland as police officers or firefighters. They include reserve constable William Allen, who was shot by the IRA in 1980 while driving a lorry in South Armagh, constable Cyril Wilson died in 1974 after being shot in an ambush while on patrol in the Rathmore estate, and reserve constable Robert Struthers was shot by members of the Provisional IRA while working in his office in 1978.

The Emblem is awarded to next of kin and is intended as a national form of recognition.

It features a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, surrounding the Tudor Crown.

The front is inscribed with the words “For A Life Given In Service,” and the reverse carries the name of the deceased.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, said: “We owe an enduring debt to the public servants who give their lives to protect others.

“The Elizabeth Emblem is a reminder not just of the ultimate price their loved ones have paid in service of our communities, it is a lasting symbol of our national gratitude for their incredible sacrifice.”