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	Gallantry		Gallantry

	Alexander Farquharson
	Edward Medal, Second Class
	Date:	07 Feb 1913
	Colliery:	Swinhill Colliery, Larkhall
	Occupation:	Miner

 

Whitehall, December 3, 1913.

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award the Edward Medal of the First Class to Joseph Campbell, and the Edward Medal of the Second Class to Alexander Farquharson, under the following circumstances:—

On the 7th February, 1913, an explosion of firedamp, occurred in an old road at the Swinhill Colliery, Larkhall. A fireman was known to have been at the place of the explosion and, on hearing of the accident, Campbell, a fireman, and Farquharson, a miner, rushed to the spot in the hope of rescuing him. Both men attempted to penetrate the road, but were driven back by afterdamp. Campbell made a second and third attempt, but without success. Then, remembering that a line of compressed air pipes led into the roadway and there was a blank flange on the end of them some distance away, the two men crawled in to the blank flange and unscrewed the bolts holding it in position. The afterdamp had not been cleared away, and Campbell's hands and legs became numbed by its effects; but he courageously stuck to his work till the flange was removed. A length of hose piping was then given to the men by others near, and air was passed through the pipes to clear away the afterdamp. Campbell then ran forward with the free end of the hose to the place where the fireman was supposed to be. After this, he was completely overcome, and had to be carried out.

The unfortunate fireman succumbed to the accident, but Campbell and Farquharson displayed very great courage in their gallant attempt to rescue their fellow workman under very dangerous conditions.

Source: London Gazette (05 Dec 1913)

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