Today, June 12, Somerville held two memorial ceremonies in Somerville for Firefighter Memorial Sunday.

Arrow Paper Fire Memorial

— Photos by Bobbie Toner

On June 10, 1974 at 8:20 pm, Box 21 was sounded for a fire in the Arrow Paper warehouse at Harding Street, which is approximately 400 yards in a northwesterly direction from this Memorial. Firefighters Joseph Reilly and Robert Brickley, both members of Engine Company Two, died in the line of duty when the rear (north side) wall collapsed. Engine Company Three (Union Sq.) the assigned first due company, was covering Cambridge Engine Five at the time.

Firefighter Memorial Sunday

 — Photos by Bobbie Toner

The Faithful and the Fearless

A poem by Firefighter Robert Doherty, C2-A

Two men who gave their lives
Two men so we’d survive
One cadet and one a vet
Firefighters Tall

Men who worked from lofty heights
And choked in smoked filled sites
Men who suffered fire as their fate
But never were they late

Men with families left alone
Mothers, children on their own
When whose city make the call
Gave their very all

Two men who gave their lives
Two men so we’d survive
One cadet and one a vet
Firefighters Tall

One hundred fifty six years have passed since the Somerville Fire Department coined itself
“The Faithful and the Fearless.” Scores of firefighters have been injured and a dozen of
Somerville’s Bravest have made the Supreme Sacrifice backing up this motto.