Friday was National Firefighters Memorial Day.

The purpose was to commemorate the bravery and sacrifice of those firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

It was only the second year that the Memorial Day has been declared, with firefighters across the country holding individual parades and observing a minute's silence at midday at their fire stations.

Some 2,524, men and women have lost their lives since the service was formed.

In Kent, officers recalled the 15 colleagues who have lost their lives in the execution of their duty since Kent Fire Brigade, the forerunner to Kent Fire and Rescue, was formed in 1948.

The worst single incident in Kent was on November 29, 1957, when a 90ft tower building at the Oakwood Mental Hospital collapsed following a fire, crushing three firemen. One of those was Albert Farrow from the Loose Station.

Thirteen years later his son, Malcolm Farrow, from the Maidstone Station was to lose his life when his fire tender crashed into a tree in College Road and caught light.

Among those attending the service at the Fire HQ in Straw Mill Hill, Tovil, were Peter Whent, Don Bates and Tony Bush, who had all been with Malcolm Farrow in the crash and were lucky to escape from the tender with their own lives.

They are the only three from the eight-man crew still living.

The fallen:

September 5, 1949 Retained Firman AC Young St Margarets Station

November 29, 1957 Assistant Divisionla Officer LA Pearce from “C” Div HQ

November 29, 1957 Retained Fireman AE Farrow Loose

November 29, 1957 Retained Fireman JA Hawkes Loose

May 10, 1959 Leading Fireman EB Nissen Maidstone C

May 11,1965 Retained Fireman R Deveson Eastry

September 2, 1970 Fireman M Farrow Maidstone

May 14, 1972 Retained Sub Officer CS Homewood Maidstone

January 9, 1973 Firefighter N McCulloch Medway

November 8, 1974 Firefighter RJ Bell Medway

November 8, 1974 Firefighter DJ Holley Medway

March 24, 1976 Retained Firefighter WHC Rayfield Cliffe

March 27, 1977 Leading Firefighter J Sharp Dover

August 6, 1980 Leading Firefighter R Chapman Tonbridge

August 5, 1990 Firefighter NSN Stocker Ashford

Fortunately no Kent firefighters have been killed in the past 28 years.