“THE BRAVEST ACT.”

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144358, 24 March 1914, Page 7

“THE BRAVEST ACT.”

A FIREMAN’S EXPLOIT. One of the bravest deeds done in the history of lire-lighting has secured for Fireman Bonbon Studii, a member of the London Brigade, the honour of a silver medal for "extraordinary bravery.” A fire broke out at night in a high residential building at Jxnightsbndge, and three women were observed on a ledge on the seventh lioor, above a 14ft. right-of-way. Studd was instructed io take a hook ladder and try to rescue thorn. Studd scaled the building to tuo fifth floor, a nerve-trying feat for the ordinary man, but one to which those cool and well-trained firemen arc accustomed. But at the fifth floor his troubles began. Above him was a projecting cornice, which prevented him from scaling any higher with the ladder. He had to stand on a window frame, grip the cornice above him, haul himself up—all in the dark—and draw the ladder after him. Dio ladder then just reached to the seventh floor, from a window of which smoko was pouring, but when he got there, ho found that the women would not trust themselves to the ladder until ho had descended and re-ascended it. He got them down to the sixth floor, and then re-flxed the ladder, but owing to the cornice, the lower part stood out two feet from the building. Then followed a very skilful bit of work. Descending the ladder, he swung himself into a window on the fifth floor, and by extraordinary efforts—holding the window frame with ono hand and the women with the other—was able to lift them from the ladder to the window and into the building. They then descended by a stairway safely to tho street. Studd’s rescue work at a height of between 60 and 80 feet is described by the head of the brigade as the bravest in his experience. Studd himself, like most brave men, took his award modestly. “After all, it’s what we’re paid for,” he said. He admitted that when he saw the face of the building in daylight, it gave him a drill down the spine, and that for tho next two days his nerve was so shaken that he could not stand still.