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Gallantry | ||
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Awards for Gallantry
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Wilfrid Westoe |
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Edward Medal | |||
| Date: | 27 Oct 1923 | ||
| Colliery: | South Garesfield Colliery | ||
| Occupation: | Hewer | ||
Award of Edward Medal
Whitehall, December 17, 1923.
His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to award the Edward Medal to Wilfrid Westoe, a coal hewer employed by the South Garesfield Colliery Company, Limited in the following circumstances :—
On October 27th, 1923, while some men were working in a seam on the South Garesfield Colliery, Co. Durham, one of them named Mason was completely buried by a heavy fall of earth and stones about five tons in weight and received severe injuries to his head. The only means of reaching the man was through a small opening and Westoe alone of the men present felt equal to attempting a rescue. He squeezed his way through the opening to the injured man and succeeded after an hour and a half's work in bringing him to safety. Westoe had to work under a continuous hail of stones, while there was great danger of another large fall, and if this had occurred there would have been no possible means of escape. Westoe ran a very grave risk in effecting the rescue and had it not been for his initiative and courage it is probable that Mason would have lost his life.
Source: London Gazette (21 Dec 1923)
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