A FIREMAN'S BRAVERY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2685, 3 November 1876, Page 3

A FIREMAN'S BRAVERY.

(Engliah Paper,) A striking instance of heroism was brought under publio notioo at an inquest; held at St. Bartholomew's Hoapital, London, the other day. Tho deceased was a fireman, nnd he diod in performance of an aofc of solf -saorifloe that made him worthy of tho proudest monument. Thoro was a fire at Clerkonwell, at tho close of July, and Goorge Lee, tho horo of this story, was thoro on duty. It was discovered fchafc fchoro woro peoplo in tho burning building whoso lives were in the gravest jeopardy. Thoro was ono ospooially, a girl in an upper room, and Loo gallantly asoondod to fcho uppor rooms, onwrappod in flames though thoy woro, to attempt hor rosoue. He did all man could do ; but he failod, and laid down his lifo as tho penalty for his failure. What ho did, and how, lot him deSoribe in the simplo language whioh ho used as he lay on his death bed in hospital' to whioh he was romoved. " Whon," ho eaid, "I gofc into the room, ifc was full of smoke, and I saw a girl on the floor and crept to hor, and, taking her in my arms tried to mako for tho window. Tho heat overpowered mo, and I fell. I pioked her up again, and again fell some fivo or six times. After tho lasfc fall I threw her ovor my shoulder and managod to grasp the window. I novor losfc my hold of her from first fco lost. I managed fco pufc her into; the shoot; of the escape and threw myself on tho ladder. She stuok, and I did my bosfc td get hor loose, but the flaraeß woro playing all round us." Thus did Georgo Loo grandly do his duty. History doos nofc contain a finer reoord of solf forget*fulness and staunoh oourago. He might have saved himsolf had ho left; the girl ore fche flames gathered round him 1 like a garment of fire; but his first thought waß tho salvation of tho lifo of anothor, his own lifo being as nothing in the balanoo. Captain Shaw said that after a vory long experience ho believed this was tho greatest aofc of bravery over shown by any fireman in fcho world. This is strong language, bufc not; a whit too strong;, and few will bo disposod to differ from fche ooroner's opinion that tho 0001, dauntless bravery displayed by fcho docasod was a thousand times moro noblo than tho valour of a soldier on tho battle- fiold, where martial musio and all tho other accessories of strifo woro inoontiv S to bravery. Loo, of oourse, was boyond the necessity of praise or reward 5 but thero was ono thing his oomrades oould do, and that thoy did. Tho flro brigado, salvage corps, and polioo, gafchor ed togothor to givo tho romainß of fcho noblo man a horo's funoral; and, surrounded by fche mombers of the sorvioo to whioh ho did honour oven in death, his body was on Thursday committod to tho tomb. .