SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 31 MARCH, 1953 1805

his continuous encouragement and deter- behind the counter and jostled the Sub- mined leadership his men, outnumbered by Postmaster towards the back shop. Plender- more than two to one, fought their way leith attempted to prevent the second man forward until the bandits were finally de- from grabbing some money from the safe, feated and forced to withdraw, leaving the which was open, but the first man caught Ibans in sole possession of the camp and hold of his collar and thrust him into the in command of the battlefield. Determined back shop. There he switched on the Post to come to grips with the enemy again as Office alarm bell and immediately made his soon as possible Menggong organised a way back into the front shop where one of thorough search of the area and only when the men fired a shot at him at point blank this proved fruitless did he order the with- range but fortunately missed. The other man drawal of his platoon. at this point left the premises. Mr. Turkington, who had heard the shot, entered Awarded the George Medal. the Post Office and as the remaining intruder Thomas Vivian CHISNALL, Farmer, Gwelo, made for the door, Turkington, who was Southern Rhodesia. carrying two saws wrapped in brown paper, hit him on the head with these, knocking Awarded the British Empire Medal him to the floor. Plenderleith ran outside, (Civil Division):— held the door shut and shouted for help. The gunman got to his feet, pressed his Richard Walton Fores Cox, Garage Manager, revolver to Turkington's body and threatened Gwelo, Southern Rhodesia. to shoot him. Turkington knocked him An aircraft crashed into some trees after down again and tried to take his gun away, over-shooting the runway at Thornhill, but the man regained his feet. Turkington Southern Rhodesia. Mr. Chisnall, who was grappled with him and a struggle ensued in bed, heard the crash and went to the during which shots were fired. Eventually scene of the accident as quickly as possible. Turkington was thrown to the 'floor: while The aircraft was burning fiercely and the he was struggling to rise, the intruder fired pilot was trapped by his harness in the more shots at the door lock and Plenderleith, cockpit of the fuselage which was lying on who was outside, jumped back, slightly its side. Despite the heat, Chisnall struggled wounded below the knee. The criminal ran to release the badly injured and unconscious out waving his pistol followed by Turkington pilot but had to move back from the flames. and Plenderleith who both gave chase for A neighbour, Mr. Cox, arrived and attempted some distance but had to give up. to sever the straps of the harness with his While a number of people continued the pen-knife but, after cutting one strap, was pursuit, a Post Office van picked up driven back by the heat. Chisnall then Constables McNiven and Watson and took borrowed a coat and using it and his hat them to where the man was holding an old for a shield, managed to make three or four lady in front of him and pointing his gun approaches, and despite the intense heat, he at his pursuers who were standing a few succeeded in cutting through the remaining yards from him. The Constables left the van straps. The coat which he used to protect and went forward. Constable McNiven told himself was badly burned. The pilot fell the man to hand over his gun, wfiile forward, entangled in the wreckage but Constable Watson got the old lady away Chisnall and Cox together managed to pull from the man, who began to back away, him away from the burning aircraft. They pointing the gun at the Constables. then administered first aid while awaiting the arrival of the ambulance. Although they knew that they were deal- Chisnall, who was burned on the face and ing with a desperate armed criminal, arms, displayed great gallantry and deter- McNiven and Watson pursued the man, mination in his efforts to rescue the injured despite his threats to shoot them and pilot from the burning aircraft, knowing well eventually succeeded in overpowering and that the petrol tanks might explode at any arresting him. time. With the brave assistance of Cox the pilot was saved from being burnt alive. Awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil Division):— Awarded the George Medal. James FOGGO, Member of crew, Government Samuel TURKINGTON, Postman, Shettleston, Pilot Boat, Bermuda. Glasgow. Grover LAMB, Member of crew. Government Pilot Boat, Bermuda. Awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil Division):— Mr. Foggo and Mr. Lamb were members of a volunteer crew of a Pilot Boat which Alfred McNivEN, Constable, City of Glasgow put to sea in an attempt to save survivors of Police Force. • an aircraft which crashed in Bermuda waters. Bernard Colingridge WATSON, Constable, City The two men subsequently manned a six of Glasgow Police Force. foot dinghy taking on board two survivors James PLENDERLEITH, .Sub-Postmaster, Toll- and two others who subsequently proved to cross Road Post Office, Glasgow. be dead. The dinghy was small and leaking Mr. Plenderleith was alone in his sub- and conditions were extremely hazardous Post Office in Tollcross Road, Glasgow, with a strong wind and rough sea. When when two men entered. One confronted picked up the dinghy was awash and on the Plenderleith with an automatic pistol and point of sinking. There is no doubt that demanded money and the other man also Foggo and Lamb risked their own lives to menaced him. The two men then went save the lives of the survivors.