A.R.P. Awards
Members of Champion Rescue Squad Honoured
Two members of a Bromley Rescue squad, Leader Cecil Edward Wright and Mr Albert Purless Harman, have been awarded the British Empire Medal for their part in extricating a man from a bombed house,
the house received a direct hit from a high explosive bomb, and it was discovered that a man was buried beneath the wreckage. Mr Wright an Mr Harman had great difficulty in reaching him, and tunnelled for three houses during the night while the raid was still on, before they were able to remove him safely. Their efforts were not in vain, for the main was alive.
Mr Wright, who lives at 14 Cromwell avenue, Bromley, is 32 years of age,is married and has three children. Before the war he worked with his father’s firm of S. E. Wright and Sons Ltd., builder’s contractors of Bickley. He attended Beckenham Technical School before entering the building trade. He is an associate member of the British Institute of Engineers.
Mr Harman, who is considerably older than his squad leader, is a married man with six children, and resides at 28 Henry Street, Bromley. He served at sea for three years during the last war, being a member of the crew of an armed liner. He is employed by Wright and Sons Ltd., as a carpenter and joiner. For a number of years he was secretary of the former local Territorial Unit F.C.
Both men are members of the No. 5 Rescue Squad of Bromley, which last June was top in a Group competition contested by 62 rescue parties from Bromley, Beckenham, and other local districts. Before they became full-time workers, the No. 5 Squad, all employed by Wright and Sons, had been working for some time on a voluntary basis.
Source:
Bromley & District Times, 31st January 1941 (Page 4)
