Commendations for bravery

Press, 8 May 1978, Page 13

Commendations for bravery

Two Royal Humane Society awards have been made for the rescue of a man attempting to jump off the Auckland Harbour Bridge. These were two of the eight certificates of merit and two letters of commendation awarded by the society.

Certificates of merit went to Peter Booth Roydhouse and John David Edmond Shaw for their part in preventing a man from jumping off Auckland Harbour Bridge, on November 25, 1977.

The president of the society’s court of directors (Mr A. I. Cottrell) said Mr Shaw suffered exhaustion and Mr Roydhouse needed treatment for pulled muscles after their struggle to restrain the man.Mr Roydhouse and Mr Shaw were both Harbour Bridge Authority officers. i Mr Cottrell said both men! had been in great danger of] being dragged over the

bridge rail and falling into the sea. Certificates of merit also went to Bryce Arthur Connybeer and Murray James Rountree for rescuing a man in heavy seas on the Wanganui bar on February 22, 1977.

Mr Cottrell said the two men displayed considerable skill and great determination in the rescue. They had taken a jet boat over the bar, while seas were very heavy, to get to the man who had been clinging to his upturned boat.

Constable Peter Vincent Cox and Constable Paul Andrew Toneycliffe were awarded letters of commendation for rescuing a man from the sea on October 29, 1977.

The man, who was being sought by the police, had plunged into the open sea off the coast of. Timaru. Strong waves buffeted this area of coastline, said Mr Cottrell. Both constables had needled medical treatment for i exhaustion after the rescue.