honors

75th Anniversary of the Medal for Conspicuous Bravery

18 May 2007 represents the 75^th Anniversary of the NSW Fire Brigades Medal for Conspicuous Bravery which was instituted in 1932. The Medal is the highest award which can be awarded by the NSW Fire Brigades to recognise deeds of conspicuous bravery by a firefighter.

The Medal was first conferred on 6 June 1933 on members of the Armidale Brigade. The occurrence that prompted the Medal’s introduction took place in Armidale on 18 May 1932.

A fire had broken out in the rear of a large produce store. Within the burning storeroom were 9,000 detonators and located close by was a shed containing 400 sticks of gelignite, 10 pounds of dynamite and a box of cartridges.

Shortly after the arrival of the Fire Brigade the storeroom exploded violently, killing outright Volunteer Firefighter B Jones, mortally wounding Volunteer Firefighter W Robinson and critically injuring Station Officer F Maizey.

Despite the grave danger of the shed containing the explosives also erupting with great force, the surviving members of the Armidale Brigade pressed on with their attack on the raging fire while playing a water curtain around the explosives magazine. Their actions undoubtedly prevented a further explosion which would have resulted in the destruction of the business centre of Armidale.

The NSW Fire Brigades, on this, the 75^th Anniversary of the Medal’s introduction commemorates the actions of the firefighters who have been recognised for displaying conspicuous bravery in the finest traditions of the service.

To date, the Medal has been awarded to 26 recipients. Two of the awards were posthumous.

Date of Award	Name	Rank	Wording
6 June 1933	W Robinson	Volunteer Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of F Braund & Company Ltd Armidale on the 18th May 1932 at which Volunteer Fireman W Robinson and B F Jones lost their lives through the explosion of detonators stored therein.
6 June 1933	B F Jones	Volunteer Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of F Braund & Company Ltd Armidale on the 18th May 1932 at which Volunteer Fireman W Robinson and B F Jones lost their lives through the explosion of detonators stored therein.
Date of Award	Name	Rank	Wording
6 June 1933	F G W Maizey	Sub Station Officer	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of F Braund & Company Ltd Armidale on the 18th May 1932 at which Volunteer Fireman W Robinson and B F Jones lost their lives through the explosion of detonators stored therein.
6 June 1933	T Snell	Volunteer Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of F Braund & Company Ltd Armidale on the 18th May 1932 at which Volunteer Fireman W Robinson and B F Jones lost their lives through the explosion of detonators stored therein.
6 June 1933	J H Munsie	Volunteer Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of F Braund & Company Ltd Armidale on the 18th May 1932 at which Volunteer Fireman W Robinson and B F Jones lost their lives through the explosion of detonators stored therein.
6 June 1933	R J Colmer	Volunteer Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of F Braund & Company Ltd Armidale on the 18th May 1932 at which Volunteer Fireman W Robinson and B F Jones lost their lives through the explosion of detonators stored therein.
6 June 1933	R W Wicks	Volunteer Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of F Braund & Company Ltd Armidale on the 18th May 1932 at which Volunteer Fireman W Robinson and B F Jones lost their lives through the explosion of detonators stored therein.
6 June 1933	T L Snell	Volunteer Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of F Braund & Company Ltd Armidale on the 18th May 1932 at which Volunteer Fireman W Robinson and B F Jones lost their lives through the explosion of detonators stored therein.

Date of Award	Name	Rank	Wording
10 December 1957	D Cameron	Third Class Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at premises 124 Morehead Street Redfern on 10th October 1957 in endeavouring to save the life of a child.
20 September 1967	W Doyle	Senior Fireman	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at the premises of the Shore Motel 450 Pacific Highway Artarmon on 2nd September 1967 in assisting three persons to safety and saving the life of an unconscious woman.
26 June 1968	G J Dowling	Station Officer	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at premises 12 Pritchard Street Enmore on 6th June 1968 in endeavouring to save the life of a child.
9 December 1970	A J Robinson	Station Officer	Conspicuous gallantry displayed on the occasion of a fire at premises 29 McGinn Parade Warwick Farm in saving the life of one child and in endeavouring to save the life of another on 27th September 1970.
1 November 1978	R K Ross	Station Officer	Conspicuous bravery displayed at the scene of a train crash at Granville on the 18th January 1977 whilst performing many exceptional acts of courage during the rescue activities under highly dangerous conditions over a lengthy period of time.
1 November 1978	A G Freeman	Senior Fireman	Conspicuous bravery displayed at the scene of a train crash at Granville on the 18th January 1977 whilst performing many exceptional acts of courage during the rescue activities under highly dangerous conditions over a lengthy period of time.
1 November 1978	R G Carruthers	First Class Fireman	Conspicuous bravery displayed at the scene of a train crash at Granville on the 18th January 1977 whilst performing many exceptional acts of courage during the rescue activities under highly dangerous conditions over a lengthy period of time.
4 March 1981	M Guider	Station Officer	Conspicuous bravery displayed at the scene of a fire at premises Sheldon Building Clarence Street Sydney on 15th November 1980 in rescuing a Station Officer buried to his waist in hot bricks and rubble despite imminent danger from falling walls.

Date of Award	Name	Rank	Wording
4 March 1981	P Simpson	Senior Fireman	Conspicuous bravery displayed at the scene of a fire at premises Sheldon Building Clarence Street Sydney on 15th November 1980 in rescuing a Station Officer buried to his waist in hot bricks and rubble despite imminent danger from falling walls.
11 November 1981	B T Garvin	Senior Fireman	Conspicuous bravery displayed at the scene of a fire at premises Rembrandt Apartments Bayswater Road Kings Cross on the 25th August 1981 in the rescue of persons from the fourth floor with the aid of a snorkel appliance.
11 November 1981	R Currie	Volunteer Fireman	Conspicuous bravery displayed at the scene of a fire in a dwelling at 72 Mowbray Avenue Edgeworth on 13th March 1981 while attempting to save the lives of two children believed to be therein.
4 August 1994	K J Fletcher	Senior Firefighter	Conspicuous bravery displayed on the occasion of a fire in a motor vehicle in Kiewa and Dean Street Albury on 19th April 1994 in saving the life of a woman trapped in a burning car and carrying her to safety.
11 November 1994	D L Moore	Qualified Firefighter	Conspicuous bravery displayed on the occasion of a fire at the Sydney Bowlers Club York Street Sydney on 7th September 1994 whilst performing acts of courage with the aid of a ladder saved the lives of six persons trapped on the third level.
14 July 1994	A H Connon	Qualified Firefighter	Conspicuous bravery displayed on the occasion of a fire at the Como Hotel Cremona Road Como on 3rd November 1996 whilst performing an act of courage with the aid of a ladder to save the life of a person trapped on the first floor.
2 August 2000	B D Daly	Retained Firefighter	Conspicuous bravery displayed on the occasion of a fire in a dwelling at 45 Bulls Garden Road Whitebridge on 29th March 2000 whilst performing an act of courage in rescuing a fellow firefighter who was injured.

Date of Award	Name	Rank	Wording
27 October 2004	D Rayner	Station Officer	Conspicuous bravery displayed on the occasion of a fire at a house in Denman Street Doyalson on 26th July 2004 whilst performing an act of courage with the aid of a ladder to attempt a rescue of a child trapped on the first floor.
27 October 2004	P Brown	Senior Firefighter	Conspicuous bravery displayed on the occasion of a fire at a house in Denman Street Doyalson on 26th July 2004 whilst performing an act of courage with the aid of a ladder to attempt a rescue of a child trapped on the first floor.
20 September 2006	J C Henry	Station Officer	Conspicuous bravery displayed on the occasion of a fire at a townhouse in Park Avenue Kingswood on 26 July 2006, whilst performing an act of courage whilst off duty in rescuing a child trapped on the first floor.

Contact Officer: Inspector Malcolm Connellan, A/Professional Standards and Conduct Officer (02) 9265 2826

File Reference: CHO/00565

Greg Mullins AFSM

Commissioner

18 May 2007