TAUPO WOMAN'S BRAVE ACTION

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 151, 17 December 1954, Page 1

TAUPO WOMAN'S BRAVE ACTION

BRONZE MEDAL AWARDED Mrs Vera M. Drummond, wife oi Mr M. K. Drummond, of Hinemoa Avenue, Taupo, is to receive the bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand. The citation, as announced by the Society's Court of Directors in Christchurch on December 10, states that on January 25 a boy, Kenedy Ruru, was bathing in the Waikato River at Taupo when he got into deep water and was in difficulties in the swiftly flowing river. Mrs Drummond entered the water fully clothed and brought the boy to the reach of those on shore. She was exhausted and had to be assisted from the water. The incident occurred down - stream from the boatsheds on the Landing Reserve. ' Mrs Drummond was cleaning out her boat when a boy's voice calling out "John" alarmed her by its tone. She saw the boy struggling in deep water, and rushing to the spot dashed into the water, managing to reach the boy and bring him to the shore. Mr Norman Lowe, of Taupo, who reached the spot a few moments later, grabbed the boy and assisted Mrs Drummond, who had by then got within her depth and was obviously faint and exhausted. Mr ; Lowe stated at the time that it vas only by Mrs Drummond's acAon that the boy was saved, for j lad she waited even to remove ler shoes he would have gone down md a wouid-be rescuer in the j vater would have been unable to ( ocate him in ti::::.