FOR BRAVERY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 114, 6 January 1932, Page 2

FOR BRAVERY

CONSTABLES HONOUREB FOR WORK IN PROGRESS WRECK. THE KING'S POLICE MEDAL. The Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, has received official advice that the King's Police Medal has been con.ferred upon Constable Frederick Arthur Horace Baker and Constable Walter Sydney Hammond, of the New Zealand Police Force, in recognition of conspicuous bravery > displayed by them in their endeavours to rescue members of the crew of the steamer Progress, which was wrecked at Ohiro Bay, Wellington, on May 1 last. The Progress was driven ashore in a southerly gale after breaking her tailshaft off Wellington Heads. Eight of the crew were rescued and the remaining four were drowned. One of the rescued men died some months later in the hospital. Constable Baker, of Island Bay, and Constable Hammond, of Taranaki Street station, took a prominent part in the rescue efforts. Constable Baker was in charge of one of the small boats which put out in a heavy sea. The boat capsized after ope man was

rescued, and the constable was injured. Constable Hammond made a gallant effort to swim out with a lifeline. He was badly buffeted by the seas and was thrown on to the rocks. With other members of the rescue party, the two constables received recognition by the Royal Life-saving Society. They were also granted the RecOrd of Merit by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. W. G. Wohlmann. The King's Police Medal which has now been awarded to the two constables was instituted in 1909 as a reward "only for aets of exceptional courage and skill or conspicuous. devotion to duty," to officers and men of any recognised police force or organisatised fire brigade in the United Kingdom, India, and other Dominions. The number of medals awarded for the Empire in any one year shall not exceed 120.