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Canberra Today 11°/15° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Brave Canberrans get a medal

THREE Canberrans feature among the 22 Australians awarded the Bravery Medal in this year’s national bravery awards.

BraveryMedalAustraliaThey are Shane James Allen, of Calwell, who rescued a teenage boy being swept along a flooded drain and Gilmore neighbours James Bodsworth and

Colin O’Hare who physically restrained an assailant with a knife who was attacking another man. Mr O’Hare was injured in the hand.

“To these recipients, I offer my warmest congratulations and express my sincere admiration for your brave actions,” said Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove.

“We are fortunate as a community and as a nation to benefit from your contribution, and it is fitting that you have been recognised by the Australian honours system.

Dr Penny Flett AO is the Chair of the Australian Bravery Decorations Council which is an independent Council that considers bravery nominations and makes recommendations to the Governor-General. Since its inception, the Australian Bravery Decorations have recognised Australian citizens and others for acts of bravery in other than warlike situations.

There are four levels of bravery awards to recognise the actions of individuals and a separate group award (established in 1990) to recognise acts of bravery by a group of people working in concert. These awards are the Cross of Valour, the Star of Courage, the Bravery Medal, the Commendation for Brave Conduct, and the Group Bravery Citation.

Anyone may nominate any other person for the award of the Australian Bravery Decoration. Nominations are considered by the Australian Bravery More information about Australian Bravery Awards at gg.gov.au or itsanhonour.gov.au.

The award citations are:

Shane James Allen, of Calwell

On the afternoon of September 17, 2013, Mr Shane Allen rescued a boy from a flooded stormwater drain in Tuggeranong.

Mr Allen was cycling along a bike path parallel to a stormwater drain between Isabella Plains and Richardson when he heard screams. A 13-year-old boy was being swept along the drain, which was flooded with fast-running water after extensive rain.

Mr Allen jumped off his bike, climbed over a fence and chased the boy. After trying unsuccessfully to use his backpack to reach the boy, he shouted to him to grab a ladder on the side of the drain.

The boy was however swept past several ladders without being able to grab hold of any. Mr Allen sprinted some 200 metres ahead to another ladder and climbed down until he was waist deep in the water. He hooked one arm around the ladder and as the boy rushed toward him, he grabbed his wrist and swung him to the edge of the drain.

He then assisted the boy out of the water and stayed with him until the arrival of paramedics.

By his actions, Mr Allen displayed considerable bravery.

James Ronald Bodsworth, of Gilmore

On the evening of March 13, 2013, Mr James Bodsworth intervened when an armed man attacked another man in Gilmore.

Alerted by a woman’s screams for help, Mr Bodsworth found two men fighting outside a neighbouring house. One of the men knocked the other to the ground, kicked him several times and then stabbed him with a pocket knife. Mr Bodsworth, assisted by another neighbour, seized the offender by the arm and wrestled with him, managing to disarm and restrain him until police arrived.

By his actions, Mr Bodsworth displayed considerable bravery.

Colin Raymond O’Hare, of Gilmore

On the evening of 13 March 2013, Mr Colin O’Hare intervened when an armed man attacked another man in Gilmore.

Alerted by a woman’s screams for help, Mr O’Hare found two men fighting outside a neighbouring house.  One of the men knocked the other to the ground, kicked him several times and then stabbed him with a pocket knife. Mr O’Hare, assisted by another neighbour, seized the offender by the arm and wrestled with him. Although he incurred a deep laceration in his right hand during the struggle, Mr O’Hare and his neighbour managed to disarm and restrain the offender until police arrived.

By his actions, Mr O’Hare displayed considerable bravery.

 

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