Lot 4176

Description

Pair: George Medal (GVIR Indiae Imp); Defence Medal 1939-45. Harley H.Wright on first medal. First medal impressed, second medal unnamed. Very fine.

Ex Barry Hibbard Collection and Noble Numismatics Sale 86 (lot 3939).

Harley Harry Wright, Police Sergeant, London Metropolitan Police.

GM: LG 5/12/1944, p5567.

Citation: A flying bomb demolished premises and started a large fire. There was a public shelter in the basement of the burning buildings, the entrances to which were blocked by debris. Sergeant Wright found a possible entrance in an area 10 feet below ground level. Debris blocked the area and had destroyed the steps down, but had not quite reached the doorway into the shelter. In spite of the fact that the part of the building by the area was blazing and the walls and remaining floors were in imminent danger of collapse, the Sergeant, followed by Sexton, climbed the railings and dropped into the area. Additional danger arose from a covered bridge immediately overhead which was burning strongly and was likely to lapse at any moment.

The officers discovered two men and a woman in the shelter. It was not possible to get back through the area, owing to the fire, and there was no chance of escape at the rear as the exit was blocked. The shelter was slowly flooding and was filled with smoke and debris, electric cables which had become detached from the walls were on fire and an electric fuse box exploded in the Sergeant's face causing temporary blindness and severe burns. Wright made the people lie down in the water in an endeavour to assist breathing, which was made difficult by the dense smoke and overpowering heat. After some time the officers discovered that the fire around the area had abated, and it was decided to make an attempt to get out that way. With the assistance of the Sergeant, Sexton succeeded in climbing over the debris and railings and then ran to get assistance.

Wright, who was by this time very weak and badly burned, was unable to assist the others but he managed to get himself out and secured assistance for the remainder of the party, who were successfully extricated by means of ropes and a ladder. Wright and Sexton showed great courage and devotion to duty. It must have been obvious to both officers before they started on this rescue that a complete collapse of the building was more or less inevitable owing to the fierceness of the fire and that when once inside the shelter their means of escape might be blocked.