Sarah
Hawkins Genealogy Site
Newspaper
Articles
The Evening News and Southern Daily Mail. Portsmouth and Southsea. Monday 17 Apr 1933
Page 5 Column 3
BOY SAVED FROM PIT
MAN'S JUMP IN DARK TO RESCUE MENTAL PATIENT
For rescuing a boy from drowning in a pit, Harold Victor OATEN (39), an L.C.C. Motor-driver employed at the Southern Hospital, Dartford, Kent, has been awarded the bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society.
The boy, Reginald MIDDLETON (12), a mentally-defective patient at the Darenth Training Colony, escaped in the dark from a party returning to Darenth from an entertainment.
OATEN heard cries of distress, and located Middleton in the pit of a dismantled gasometer.
The pit was 20ft. deep and contained water.
OATEN jumped 12ft. into the water and managed to reach MIDDLETON.
He then found that he could not get out, but his shouts were heard by Thomas SMITH, another mentally-defective patient at the colony, who obtained a rope and dragged OATEN and the boy to safety.
<NOTES: Harold Victor OATEN son of Henry or Harry OATEN and Mary Ann DAVIS, married Ruth Elizabeth HUMBLE>