BRAVERY OF MEDICAL OFFICER

Chronicle (Levin), 6 March 1946, Page 8

BRAVERY OF MEDICAL OFFICER

WELLINGTON, March 5. His Excellency tlie Governor-Genera announced today that the King lm,. been pleased to approve of the avvani of the George Medai to Flight- Lieut Basil Marmaduke de Lambert R.X.Z.A.F., of Christchurch. Fliglu Lieut. de Lambert is at present 011 - 1 hstaff of the Stoke Mental Hospital Nelson. The citation stat.es: "The iiigiies! qualities of self-sacrilice and complot disregard for his owu safety weri sliown by Flight-LieuL . de Lambert when he doliberatelv entered an aren of flanies to reach an ainnan wiin though gravely injured, appoared to li. still alive following the crash of a transport aircraft of the R.N.Z.A.F. ai Bougainville on April 23, 1945. Oc duty as the stripjnedical officer, Flight Lieut. de Lambert hurried to the sceiic of th.e crash and found the man, en circled by flames from the blazing air ■fraft, lying beside the wreckage. 11 wrapped himself in a blunket -and vvnlk ed delilrerately into the flames, and with the aid of an airmanv wearing an akbestos suit, transferred the injured man to a stretelier and carried him to a safe area. '

"The medical officer sufl'ered (ifstdegree burns'to both forearms, but on arinval at hospital with the ainnan, refused treatment in view of the more" urgent needs. of the crash vietim. •FRght-Lreut; •'de Lambert 's • conduct.

tlironghout was courageous and gallam in the extreme. " Flight-Lieut. de Lambert was born al Queenstown in 1920 and educated; at Christchurch Boys' High Sehool. ile studied for his medical degree at Ofago University, graduated in 1942, jpiued the army and in 1943 transferred to the Air Force. He embarked for overseas in 1944 and returned to New Zealand in 1915. His wife resides in Christckurch. ,