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	Gallantry		Gallantry

	James Cannon
	Edward Medal, First Class
	Date:	19 Nov 1910
	Colliery:	Water Haigh Colliery, Oulton
	Occupation:	Chargeman

 

Whitehall, April 20, 1911.

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award the Edward Medal of the First Class to James Cannon, an additional bar to the Edward Medal of the First Class awarded to George Handle Silkstone on the 13th of July, 1910, and the Edward Medal of the Second Class to Percy Asquith and Joseph Artis. His Majesty has also been pleased to award the Edward Medal of the Second Class to Herbert Pickersgill, who unfortunately lost his life in a subsequent accident. Pickersgill's medal will be given to his widow.

These decorations are awarded under the following circumstances:—

On the 19th November, 1910, a shaft was being sunk at the Water Haigh Colliery at Oulton, near Leeds. A depth of 255 yards had been reached and the shaft had been lined to a depth of 240 yards with brickwork, the end of which rested on a stout oak crib. Below this and suspended from the crib were iron rings securing the unbricked sides of the shaft. On the day of the accident ten men were at work on or about a scaffold near the bottom of the shaft, when a mass of shale fell out of the seam, the timbering collapsed, and the rings broke away. The chargeman, James Cannon, noticed shale falling, and with great presence of mind and promptitude shouted to all to make for the centre; he also signalled for means of ascent to be lowered. He and five others jumped into the centre and escaped; the other four were caught, either by earth or by rings of timber, one being killed on the spot, two trapped and seriously injured, and the fourth seriously injured but not trapped. Cannon went to the surface with the uninjured men and at once came back with Artis and others, to take up the work of rescue. The rescue operations were protracted, the woodwork of the stout oak crib having to be sawn through before the men who were trapped could be liberated, and, as shale and other material kept falling down the shaft, the lives of all the rescuers were in danger. The further task of extricating the dead man had to be abandoned until the pit had been made more safe. Cannon was engaged in the work of rescue for six hours and Silkstone for about half an hour. Artis, after assisting for two hours, was struck by a piece of shale and had to return to the surface. Asquith and Pickersgill were also in the pit for a long time and risked their lives, the former being hurt by debris.

Source: London Gazette (25 Apr 1911)

Email	Researcher	Date	Interest
	Tim Brad	11 Mar 2021	Thomas Cannon is a great great grandfather, I think. Would love to know more, Thanks from Brisbane, Aus

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