THE KING AND THE MINERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 295, 7 September 1908, Page 2

THE KING AND THE MINERS.

—4 EIS MAJESTY PRESENTS MEDALS TO . . NINE HEROES. " Three four-wheeled cabs drove: into the , forecourt of Buckingham Palace on, July-21. and. joined ' tho throng of motor-cfirs and carriages assembled on the occasion of the investiture held by tho King for the conferring of birthday honours. From the; caba alighted nine miners and an A. 13. '.from /tho Naval Barracks, Devpnport, who -were to bo decorated by his. Majesty for bravery. ' Tho men wero conducted by -Sir. Herbert . Gladstone, the Homo Secretary, to the presence of tho King, who, was in field: marshal's uniform. When they bad : bcon presented, his Majesty said:— ' "I am glad to see'you and to have tho , pleasure of. conferring upon you these medals for your bravo conduct and unselfish courage. I hope you will live long to wear tliom." The minors—;Jaines Whittiiwliam, James Cranswiek, and James Hopwood, of Altofta; John Henry Thorne, J. Clifford, and 11. Outram, of Tankersloy;-Morgan Howells, Neath, South Wales; and George Dryburgh and James Dryburgh, of Wemyss, Fifeshirc—re-, ceived the King Edward VII medal, the Miners' V.C., and John Ramsay, of tho Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport, received the , Albert Medal, second class.. . .-. - 1 As each-man .came forward tho. Homo Secretary read, a brief resume of tho deed - for which he had been recommended for the. ■ medal.' The six Yorkshire miners took -a . prominent part in the rescue work at the Hamstoad colliery disaster on March 4, when i twenty-five men lost their lives.' In coii'nec-'. tion with that disaster a seventh acdal was • awarded, but the man who. oarucd it by hia - bravery—John Welsby—died in tho pit," and,: the medal was forwarded to his v/idow.