Lot 3860

Description

Royal Humane Society of Australasia Bronze Medal. David Carstairs 1.12.74. With top buckle bar and ribbon. Engraved. Good very fine.

With photocopies of documentation on award. David Carstairs was with a group of seven other men who were all awarded bronze medals. It included a Victor Keith Carstairs who received only a clasp as he had been awarded a previous bronze medal in 1944. The reasons for the award to David Carstairs and the others were that they had risked their lives in flood waters during the Gippsland floods on December 1, 1974. The fisherman had to cross the Morwell river in a boat. The river was in flood, and the occupants of the boat narrowly escaped being overturned, owing to the rush of water and debris. On reaching Moe Constables Foote and Pyle joined Constable Neal and the others including David Carstairs and with great hazards rescued a family after rowing through flood waters, travelling over submerged trees, stumps and fences. The flood was six miles wide, with a strong current creating great risks with imminent and constant danger of being sunk.