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Gallantry | ||
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Awards for Gallantry
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Thomas Bourton |
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Edward Medal | |||
| Date: | 17 Dec 1927 | ||
| Colliery: | Ebbw Vale Steel & Iron Company | ||
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Whitehall, May 24, 1928.
His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to award the Edward Medal to Thomas Bourton and Thomas Phillip Evans in recognition of their gallantry in the following circumstances:—
On December 17th, 1927, the blast furnace's of the Ebbw Vale Steel and Iron Company were shut down and opportunity was taken to clean out the gas mains of the blast furnace plant. The work proceeded normally until December 30th, when two men engaged in cleaning a 3 ft. pipe connecting two boilers were overcome by carbon monoxide gas. The accident was not discovered until the relief entered the pipe and found the body of one of the workmen. This they drew to the manhole giving access to the pipe. Assistance was summoned and Bourton and Evans entered the pipe in order to rescue the second workman. After proceeding some 20 feet along the pipe they came upon the workman's body. With great difficulty and much distressed by the poisonous gas, they succeeded in dragging themselves and their fellow workman to the manhole through which they were assisted into the open air. Unfortunately the rescued workman died.
Bourton and Evans were both well aware that there was poisonous gas present in the pipe. One body had already been recovered and the two men who had entered it had been gassed.
Notwithstanding the grave and evident danger they both entered the pipe and proceeded for some distance away from the manhole where, if they were overcome, there was no chance of their receiving immediate aid. They knowingly and very gallantly risked their own lives in an endeavour to save the life of one of their comrades.
Source: London Gazette (01 Jun 1928)
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| Researchers | |
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| Researcher | Date | Interest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Bourton | 17 Aug 2011 |
Thomas Bourton was my grand father. He passed the medal onto my uncle and the certificate to my father. unfortunately my father has recently passed away and he has left the certificate to my brother (Nigel) in his will with the express condition that when he dies he leaves it for my son - Thomas. |
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| leonea saunders | 19 Jun 2012 |
the men bourton and evans where the two chaps that tried to save my grt grandfather amos perry but sadly he was one of the men who was overcome by gas . is there a record anywhere of the names of the men who died please regards |
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| Gareth Bourton | 30 Sep 2012 |
Researching my family tree. If the correct Thomas Bourton, he would of been my great granddad. |
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| Peter Bourton | 18 Aug 2014 |
I think Thomas was the brother of my grandfather William Henry Bourton, and would like to find out if this is so. |
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| graham bourton | 24 Oct 2014 |
my grandfather buried the same day i was born |
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| Kath Downes | 25 Oct 2020 |
Albert Fewell was the other man that passed away from the blast furnace gasses. He was my grandads brother. Albert was born in Somerset and was 34 when he sadly passed. Amos Perry and Albert Fewell were also buried on the same day 4th January 1928, Aberystruth |
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