REWARD OF BRAVERY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 90, 16 April 1929, Page 8

REWARD OF BRAVERY

THRILLING LAUNCH RESCUE ECHO OF RAGLAN TRAGEDY f Per Press Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH, April 15. At. a meeting of the Court of Directors of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand it xvas decided to award the. silver medal to Lewis Roderick Park, fisherman, of Raglan, for attempting to rescue William Henry Park, aged 58, Clarence Walter, aged 26, and Louis Lawrence Bertling, aged 17, from droxvning at Raglan Bar on January 20, 1929. Crossing the Raglan Lar the launch in xvhich xvere all of the party named was swamped and sank, leaving the occupants clinging to the xvreckage some distance off the land. W. H. Park xvas several times xvashed off the wreckage but his son Lewis Roderick Park succeeded in getting him back each time. The father became exhausted and died but. the son held him long after until separated by a big breaker. Park then assisted Walker and held him up till a breaker separated them and Walker sank. Young Park made for the shore against a strung ebb tide. On the way ho found Bertling, who could not sxvini, hanging to xvreckage and being swept out to sea. Park, after a long struggle, brought Bertling to the shore, having been in the water over two hours. Park xvas picked up on the beach much exhausted and was in a critical .state for a week, requiring medical attention.