BOY SCOUT AWARD FOR BRAVERY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 186, 3 May 1940, Page 10

BOY SCOUT AWARD FOR BRAVERY

Made To Nelson Boy STOICAL ENDURANCE OF SICKNESS Highest honours in the Boy .Scout movement, the Cornwell Award lor bravery, has been made to PatrolLeader Roger Kingsford, Nelson, aged 14, for his stoical endurance of suffering. Advice to this effect was received yesterday by Boy Scout headquarters in Wellington from tlie London headquarters of the movement. Tlie Cornwell Award is made for specific acts of physical courage, coupled with pre-eminently high character and devotion to duty, or for bravery in saving life in exceptional circumstances, or for undergoing great suffering in a heroic manner. Patrol-Leader Kingsford's recommendation was made under the last heading.

About a year ago be went to hospital with osteomyelitis in the leg, which had to be amputated. In till, be underwent nine operations, 26 anaesthetics and 13 blood transfusions. In tlie early stages of his illness tlie doctors despaired of itis life. He is still confined to hospital. Throughout bis long illness he bore out tlie scout precepts, and tlie surgeon in charge of the ease, Dr. W. D. .StoneyJohnston, commissioner of scouts at Nelson, wrote: "I lis courage, cheerfulness and manliness have .never been surpassed in my care of tlie sick, during the last 30 years of practice.” The Cornwell Award is named, like tlie Cornwell Yachting Trophy, after the famous Jack Cornwell, ship’s boy on H.M.S. Chester in the Battle of Jutland in 1916, who, though mortally wounded, stuck to his post throughout the action. It is only infrequently given, in cases of tlie utmost merit.