Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: May 7, 1984
• Invested on: July 09, 1984

Paul Birnie, M.B.
Geoffrey Bruce Hallett, M.B.
Kenneth Holloway, M.B.
Thomas Peter Nodwell, M.B.
Brian Shaw, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

Paul Birnie, Geoffrey "Jeff" Hallett, Kenneth Holloway, Tom Nodwell and Brian Shaw ignored the obvious danger in their attempt to save a man from drowning in North Bay's Trout Lake on the afternoon of 31 December 1982. The man, a non-swimmer, slipped into open water when a gust of wind drove his ice-boat off course. Clutching the mast of his sinking boat, he began drifting further from the ice edge. His two companion ice-boaters, Messrs. Birnie and Holloway, at once attempted to throw him a rope. After a second try, Mr. Birnie hurried to shore to search for an alternate means of rescue while Mr. Holloway took the rope and crawled on his hands and knees closer to the ice edge. The ice collapsed under him but he managed to pull himself out of the water. Meanwhile, skaters on the lake became aware of the mishap and offered their assistance. Using a small dock which Mr. Birnie had found nearby, Messrs. Nodwell and Shaw inched their way to the water's edge and succeeded in throwing the rope to the victim. As they pulled him in however, the ice cracked and they too plunged into the frigid water. The victim sank from sight. Seeing the two men holding onto the partially submerged dock rapidly loosing strength and beginning to drift, Mr. Hallett took a small aluminum boat, brought to the scene by others, and rowed to the men in distress. Struggling against the current and balancing the unstable boat, he helped Messrs. Nodwell and Shaw on board. With the victim nowhere in sight and the Fire Department rescue team arriving, Mr. Hallett rowed to shore.