GALLANT RESCUE

Evening Star, Issue 23351, 22 August 1939, Page 14

GALLANT RESCUE

BRAVERY OF DUNEDIN MAN FORMERLY BANDMASTER ON H.M.S. DUNEDIN A gallant rescue of a boy from the sea at Lowestoft, England, was made recently by a Dunedin young man, Mr Frederick Ivan Baker, son of Mr W. J. Baker, of Stafford Street. Formerly the bandmaster of H.M.S. Dunedin, young Baker is still a musician, and a member of a band which was playing at Lowestoft at the time. He was walking down to the pier for the afternoon performance with another member of the band when a boy was seen struggling in the sea about 30 yards out from the shore. They hurriedly obtained a life-buoy, and Mr Baker, throwing off his jacket, slid down on the rope attached to the buoy and swam out to the lad. He brought him back to the pier, and both were hauled up. Artificial respiration was applied immediately, but it was unfortunately too late, the boy being dead. Mr Baker’s action was very plucky, said his companion, for the sea was very rough, and there was a great risk of his being dashed against the concrete side of the pier. Mr Baker said the sea was rougher than it appeared, and when he got near the pier with the boy he thought they would be dashed against its side. Ho had to feud himself off fill they wore hauled up. The unfortunate boy was one of a party of children, numbering about 500, who had been brought to the seaside under the auspices of the British Fresh, Air Fund.