AWARDS FOR HEROISM

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 December 1940, Page 9

AWARDS FOR HEROISM

NOTABLE EXAMPLES. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, December 4. The George Cross, the highest civilian decoration for gallantry, has been awarded to Arthur Merriman, part-time experimental officer attached to the research section of the Ministry of Supply. According to a Gazzette notice, Merriman received the Cross for “conspicuous bravery in connection with bomb disposal,” and it is understood that, on several occasions, he dismantled delayedaction bombs which had fallen in important streets and buildings. Among the military awards is the D.S.O. to 23-year-old Pilot Officer Geoffrey Cheshire. This officer was carrying out photographic operations at Cologne, -when a shell splinter detonated a flare just about to be dropped. Although the fire which followed the blinding explosion carried away a considerable part of the fuselage, Cheshire managed to regain control of the plane, which had lost considerable height and was subject to intense anti-aircraft fire. He successfully piloted the damaged aircraft to the base. The wireless operator of the aeroplane, Sergeant. Henry Davidson, received the D.F.M. Although so severely injured by the explosion that he was unable to see, Davidson persuaded the rear-gunner to guide his burnt fingers to the wireless control, which he continued to operate until he realised that the wireless had been put out of action. In spite of intense suffering, Davidson consistently refused to be landed at a station near than his own base. >