YEAR’S BRAVEST DEED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21022, 10 May 1930, Page 19

YEAR’S BRAVEST DEED.

FISHERMAN’S GOLD MEDAL. To an 18-year-old fisherman has fallen the distinction of haring performed the bravest deed in 192 D, says a London newspaper. A story of superb heroism was revealed at the Court of the Royal Humane Society when the Stanhope Gold Medal was presented to Leonard R. Thomson, of South’ Lowestoft He was a member, of the crew of the steam drifter Forethought on her cruise off the Shetland Islands last June. One morning before dawn the vessel was plunging in a confused sea and it was necessary to change the nets to the port side. The strain caused by the heavy, wind and sea made the rope slip, ana the mate, Ethebert Bulley, was knocked overboard. Ho was wearing a full-length oilskin coat and leather thigh-boots, and, as far as is known, could not swim. Mr Thomson, who was working in the hold, rushed on deck and, though he was also heavily clad in oilskin, and thighboots, jumped overboard into the bitterly cold sea, and succeeded after great efforts in reaching the mate. The sea washed the two men away, and ropes failed to reach them. The . skipper had to cut the ' nets adrift before he could manoeuvre his ship near enough for Mr Thomson to grasp a lifebuoy. The .men had been buffeted and submerged by wave aftef wave for a quarter of an hour. Mr Thomson insisted on the mate being hauled aboard first. Mr Bulley was then unconscious, and all efforts to revive him failed. Mr Thomson was exhausted by the straggle, , Lord Inchipe, who presided ‘over the court, related that he owed his own life to an act of valour. When he was a boy he fell overboard at Archangel, and was rescued by a Russian-lad,