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	Gallantry		Gallantry

	George Ellis Young
	Royal Humane Society Medal and Certificate
	Date:	06 Jun 1913
	Colliery:	South Benwell Colliery
	Occupation:	Manager
		Whos Who entry for George Ellis Young

 

On 6th June last year, the Elswick station was deprived of its head officer under very distressing circumstances. Captain Ramsay was chief of the Northumberland and Durham Colliery Fire and Rescue Brigade, and on that day accompanied by Superintendent Storey and Fireman Francis of the Brigade, he was exploring an old disused day drift at Benwell near the river Tyne when he lost his life under the following circumstances

When these officers arrived at South Benwell Colliery offices they were met by Mr. G. E. Young, the Colliery Manager, who, after they had donned the Proto (Fleuss-Davis) breathing apparatus, accompanied them into the drift. The explorers took with them a canary, oil and electric lamps, and candles. After penetrating some distance to a point where the air was of such a nature that it could not support the flame of a candle or oil lamp, they returned a short distance to where the lights would burn, then attached their mouthpieces and turned on the supply of oxygen. When Captain Ramsay, who was a very careful officer, had examined the dresses of his companions, the three of them proceeded inbye, taking the canary and electric lamps and a box for air samples. They left Mr. Young at the point where the candles would burn, and he told them that he would wait for them as he took an interest in the experiments. After going some distance and crossing a fall, they noticed that the canary showed signs of distress, so it was taken back and placed upon the fall. They then proceeded inbye until they came to another fall, where Captain Ramsay decided to continue the exploration alone, leaving Storey and Francis on the outbye side of the fall. Ramsay went some distance over the fall, which made the roadway only some 1 foot 6 inches in height, and then came back. He had been working hard clearing away stones, and his companions noticed when he returned that he was perspiring freely and was very much distressed. He motioned to Storey to look to his apparatus, and a short examination showed that officer that there appeared to be 10 to 15 atmospheres of pressure left ; otherwise a supply of air for the same number of minutes. On hearing that he had only a ten minutes' supply of oxygen left, Ramsay commenced to run outbye, and after three or four steps he stumbled on to his hands and knees, and finally collapsed altogether. His companions half dragged and half carried him some distance, but owing to his heavy weight they both were quickly exhausted. Storey went out for help, and found Mr. Young waiting where they had left him. Mr. Young, without any hesitation, immediately proceeded as he was, without any apparatus, inbye, to where he found Captain Ramsay lying unconscious, and obviously in a precarious condition, and Fireman Francis also in a state of great exhaustion. Finding himself safe without a breathing dress, Mr. Young took off Ramsay's dress and he and Francis carried Ramsay outbye until Francis became exhausted, upon which Mr. Young relieved him of his dress also. Shortly after this, Storey returned, and the three of them got Ramsay into fresh air. Artificial respiration was tried, then an oxygen reviving apparatus and a little later medical attention was called to his aid but without success.

The following day, accompanied by Mr. W. C. Blackett, Mr. Young, and others, I went into this drift, and we brought out the dress which had been worn by Captain Ramsay. The dress appeared to be in perfect order but the supply valve was closed; when this valve was opened the gauge still registered a supply of oxygen to serve another 45 minutes. It was apparent then that Ramsay had been asphyxiated owing to the valve of his apparatus having been inadvertently turned off. This might have happened in two ways. The evidence of Storey and Francis showed that Ramsay had worked very hard while making a way over the last fall. Before returning he was doubtless feeling the effects of shortage of oxygen. In such a condition he might unwittingly have turned off the supply. On the other hand, scraping along an uneven surface upon his left side, as he was stated to have done, might cause the valve to become closed.

The circumstances were very thoroughly inquired into by Mr. Coroner Appleby, and his jury returned a verdict that the cause of death was asphyxia owing to deficiency of oxygen brought about by the partial closing followed by the complete closing of the main oxygen supply valve on the apparatus.

In the following November, Mr. G. E. Young, the Manager of Benwell Colliery, was presented with the Royal Humane Society's medal and certificate for his plucky attempt to save the life of Captain Ramsay.

Source: Mines Inspectors Report for 1913

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