AWARD FOR SAVING LIFE. GALLANT RESCUE BY A NEW ZEALANDER.

Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 17, 19 July 1901, Page 5

AWARD FOR SAVING LIFE. GALLANT RESCUE BY A NEW ZEALANDER.

[press association.] .LONDON, 18th July. The medal of the Royal Humane Society has been awarded to Sergeant Cholmondeley, son of Archdeacon Cholmondeley, ol Christohuroh, New Zealand, for saving two lives at sea off East London, in South Africa.

Amongst the letters from South Africa published about twelve months ago there was one in whioh details of the rescue from drowning of Lieutenant Walker given. Lieutenant OTar-' rell, of the Derbyshire Regiment, has just asked a Christchurch Press representative that rhe following true facts be published: -The men of the Third Contingent, numbering about 250, had gone down to tbo shore : witb. their horses, and after exercUing on the beach were informed by Colonel Jowsey that they niight bathe. The horses were ridden into the sea, but some of them would not face it. Lieutenant' O'Farrell (then a sergeant in the Third Contingent) was endeavouring to force his mount into the water when "he hoard a shout of "Some ono is drowning," and jumping off the mare he was riding he threw the reins to a trooper, and soon swam out to the drowning man, and caught him by the arm, afterwards learning it was Lieut. Walker who was in distress. Mr. O'Farrell was struggling to bring Walker in .when Trooper C. E. Cross, of Christchurch, came out, and took Walker's other arm. A third man, Trooper Moffatt, rode to meet them on horseback, but his horse in plunging struck O'Farrell on the head, and he ■ went under, but recovering again managed with Cross to pull Walker to shallow water, when he fell down quite done up. Sergeant Cholmondoloy, of Opawa, went in the water up to his waist, and brought O'Farrell in, Cross sticking to Walker, and finally the latter was assisted on to the beuch by Cholmondeley. Lieutenant O'Farrell considers it is only fair that Trooper Cross, who did as much as he in saving Lieutenant Wolker, should have the credit of his action. Trooper Cross is now in Scotland, and, writing to his father, states he will probably be in Christchurch at the end of this month pr some time in August. Lieutenant O'Farrell, we believe, is now in Wellington, and returns to Christchurch for a few days before rejoining his regiment in South Africa.