Derby Daily Telegraph - 12 January 1944

BLAZING TRUCK Hero — B.E.M. Driver George Harry Hallam (35), Royal Engineers, whose wife and little boy live at Park-lane Cottage, Shirley, near Ashbourne, has been awarded the B.E.M. for bravery when truck of a goods train caught fire at Taranto, Italy. Knowing that the truck contained oxygen cylinders and oil drums, Hallam, two officers, and two other men ran to put out the fire. As the cylinders burst, oil was scattered in all directions, but with complete disregard for danger, Driver Hallam succeeded in uncoupling the truck from the train, thus preventing the fire from spreading.