BRAVERY AT FIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20101, 18 May 1927, Page 12

BRAVERY AT FIRE.

BOY RESCUES TWO WOMEN. CLIMB UP 60FT WATER PIPE. A page boy was the hero of a recent fire which destroyed the most historic part of Gloucester Hotel, Weymouth, for 11 year# the summer residence of Georg* m." The youth, William George Dicker, 18 years of age, perilously climbed a waterpipe and scaled a 60tt high parapet 'on top of the building in order to rescue two women trapped on the roof. While the crowd watched below breathlessly, Dicker guided the two terrorstricken women, one by one, along a ledge only 18in wide to tb« back of the building, where there were ladders. When at last he descended the crowd carried the young hero shoulder high. “I would not do the thing again for a fortune,” Dicker said afterwards, while making light of his own share in the rescue. "I was waking up the day staff of the hotel at about 6 o’clock when I smelt smoke.

“I heard there was somebody on the top floor, and was certain it would be impossible to go up through the hotel. So I climbed up the water pipe from the roof of the ballroom. Then I climbed the pipe from the ballroom roof up to the top parapet. The women were very nervous, and I told them the only thing they could do was to go across the parapet with me. “I told Miss Saville first. I got her to face the wall, and told her not to look down. Then 1 edged her along the perapet, which has a bit of a slant. “I then went back for Miss Saville’s nurse, and after I had brought her safely across I heard there was someone else in room 45. 1 went across the parapet again, and smashed the window, but found nobody there.” The outbreak occurred in tbe linen room in the northern wing. In two hours the. whole of this part of the hotel was completely gutted, although two fire brigades, assisted by volunteers, including naval ratings from H.M.S. Tiger, were able to save the modem portion of the hotel. The old Georgian apartments, with their rich oak carvings and valuable furniture, were destroyed. These included the room where George 111. signed the Treaty which led to the Independence <• America. Here, also, George HI said his last words to Hardy, Nelson's flagcaptain, six days before the Battle of Trafalgar. There were thrilling scenes before tbe 20 visitors were got out of their bedroom on the top floors. The northern wing was ablaze when they were roused, and they fought their way through a dense screen of smoke, many of them in their night attire. One woman had €IOOO worth of jewellery with her. Her jewel case was thrown out of a top window, and recovered.

Mr Thomas. Hardy, the famous Wessex novelist, in whose books the Gloucester Hotel figures several times, motored to Weymouth during the afternoon especially to visit the scene of the fire. His tar drew up on the Esplanade and he gazed sadly for a few minutes on the ruins of the historic hotel.

Gloucester Lodge is mentioned in ‘The Trumpet Major” and “The Dynasts,” recording the meeting of Addington and Pitt.

Mr Hardy returned to Dorchester without being recognised by the crowds of sightseers. He said he was very sorry that the old place had been destroyed.