Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: August 24, 1972
• Invested on: June 22, 1973

Norton Walter Irwin, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

Corporal Norton Walter Irwin was in a restaurant in Hemer, Federal Republic of Germany, on April 16, 1968, when he learned that a fire had broken out in the house directly behind the restaurant. He and his friends rushed to the scene where they saw a woman with a small child at a second floor window. Without hesitation, Corporal Irwin, with the help of the others, scaled a garage door, reached the window and lifted the child down to those on the ground. The woman then told him that another child was in the building. Corporal Irwin tried to make his way through the dwelling to reach the child's room but was driven back three times by flames and smoke. Finally, he was able to find and carry the unconscious child to an open window where he began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.