Awards for bravery

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32566, 27 March 1971, Page 20

Awards for bravery

Two bronze medals, a certificate -of merit, and two letters of commendation were awarded by the court of directors of the Royal Humane Society when it met in Christchurch yesterday.,

The citation with the bronze medal for Ross David Bradey, of Paremata, Welling, said that while sufing at Lyall Bay on November 8, 1970, Bradey, aged 18, saw a car plunge into the sea at Moa Point, south of Wellington Airport. He paddled his surfboard 300yds to where he saw a body floating and he attempted to put it on to his surfboard but found the man was too heavy. He then abandoned his board and swam with the body towards the shore. .

There was a sft swell in the sea and Bradey had to swim through a strong rip. He also had to struggle through a bed of thick kelp, and when he reached the shore he was thrown against the rocks by heavy waves. Although Bradey had every reason to fear that the man was already dead before he attempted to rescue him, he did not hesitate to attempt the rescue unaided and withouth regard for his own safety, said the citation.

Saved child In the case of the other bronze medallist, the citation said tha ton the afternoon of February 5, 1970, Douglas Peter Purves Mac Alpine was working as a signal main-, tainer at Te Awamutu station. On hearing the whistle of a train he looked to check the signal at the far end of the platform and saw a two-

year-old child standing on the track in the path of the train.

He sprinted along the platform, and disregarding his own safety, jumped on to the track, snatched up the child, and leapt back on to the platform. The engine driver had seen the child and had applied the brakes, but the train was still travelling at more than 25 miles an hour. At the time Mr Mac Alpine picked up the child the train was about 20ft away. Had he lost his footing he would have been at least seriously injured and possibly killed. Gave resuscitation The citation in the case of Miss Lois Jones, of Wellington, who received a certificate of merit, said that on August 19, 1970, when visiting friends in a block of flats, Miss Jones noticed smoke coming from the door of one of the apartments. - She entered the flat with members of the fire brigade, and when the occupant, a pensioner, was brought to the dobrwayfi she applied mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. She continued this as the woman was carried down a flight of stairs until a resuscitator was obtained. The woman later recovered and was treated in hospital for severe bums to her body. Woman rescued Constable Hugh Jacobsen, bf Hamilton, was awarded a letter of commendation for his part in rescuing a woman from the bank of the Waikato River on June 30, 1970. The citation said two policeman set off across the river in a small dinghy to reach the woman clinging to the branches of a willow tree. Constable Jacobsen, a strong swimmer, then arrived, stirpped to his underwear, and

dived in. The night was dark and frosty, and the river was about 100 yards wide and flowing fairly swiftly. Constable Jacobsen reached the woman first and supported her until she could be lifted into the dinghy. As the dinghy had little freeboard he remained in the water and helped steer it back to shore.

Boy drowned William Edward Flower, of Auckland; who was awarded a letter of commendation, was playing golf when a six-year-old boy fell into the Mahia Stream, Manurewa, on August 23, 1970, said the citation. Mr Flower undressed and dived into the stream several times in an unsuccessful search for the boy. The stream was in flood, fast flowing and discoloured and very cold. It was about 6ft deep.