DOCTOR’S BRAVERY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21963, 6 March 1946, Page 4

DOCTOR’S BRAVERY

WALKED INTO FLAMES RESCUE OF AIRMAN GEORGE MEDAL AWARDED (P.A.) WELLINGTON. March 6. His Excellency the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, announced yesterday that the King had been pleased to approve the award of the George Medal to Flight Lieutenant Basil Marmaauke de Lambert, R.N.Z.A.F., Christchurch. Flight Lieutenant de Lambert is at present on the staff of the Stoke Mental Hospital, Nelson. The citation states: ‘•The highest qualities of self-sacrifice and complete disregard for his own safety were shown by Flight Lieutenant de Lambert when he deliberately entered an area of flames to leach an airman who. though gravely injured, appeared to be still alive following the crash of a transport aircraft of the R.N.Z.A.F. at Bougainville on April 23, 1945. , „ „ “On duty as strip medical officer, Flight Lieutenant de Lambert hurried to "the scene of the crash and found the man, encircled by flames from the blazing aircraft, lying beside the wreckage. He wrapped himself in a blanket and walked deliberately into the flames, and with the aid of an airman wearing an asbestos suit transferred the injured man to a stretcher and carried him to a safe area. “The medical officer suffered firstdegree burns on both forearms, but on arrival at hospital with the airman refused treatment in view of the more urgent needs of the crash victim.

“Flight Lieutenant de Lambert’s conduct throughout was courageous and gallant in the extreme.” Flight Lieutenant de Lambert was born in Queenstown in 1920 and educated at the Christchurch Boys’ High School. He studied for his medical degree at Otago University, where he graduated in 1942. He then joined the Army, and in 1943 transferred to the Air Force. He embarked for overseas in 1944 and returned to New Zealand in 1945. His wife resides in Christchurch.