| Gallantry |
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Gallantry | ||
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Awards for Gallantry
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James Crompton |
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Edward Medal | |||
| Date: | 18 Apr 1932 | ||
| Colliery: | Walkden, Manchester | ||
| Occupation: | Chief Engineer | ||
Whitehall, July 11, 1932.
His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to award the Edward Medal to James Crompton, in recognition of his gallantry in the following circumstances:mdash;
At about 3 p.m. on April 18th, 1932, an explosion occurred at the Park Mill of the Farnworth Cotton Spinning and Manufacturing Company Limited, at Walkden, near Manchester, wrecking the dividing wall between the boiler house and the blowing room as well as damaging the roof. The fires were not drawn at the time and the buildings, which were littered with debris from the wall and the roof, became full of smoke and escaping steam. Some twenty minutes after the explosion the Chief Engineer, Mr. James Crompton, learnt that Edith Jones, a woman worker in the blowing room, was missing. He at once entered the room to search for her, crawling on his hands and knees among the machinery, but the steam was very dense and he failed to find the woman. He found his way back to the door and proceeded to make a second attempt but was again unsuccessful. He then entered the blowing room at another point, through a broken window, and crawling through the steam among the debris he felt the woman's foot and ascertained that she was held down by fallen brickwork which partially covered her. Mr. Crompton called for assistance and with the help of two other men Miss Jones was released. She was carried out through the window and removed to hospital with a broken thigh.
Mr. Crompton is 65 years of age. His action was a very gallant one in that, as an experienced engineer, he must have been aware of the risk he ran, not only from further collapse of roof or wall but of scalding by steam and of being overcome by escaping gases. He showed great coolness and persistent bravery in thrice entering the steam-filled room with his sense of touch as his only guide in finding the injured woman.
Source: London Gazette (22 Jul 1932)
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