A scarce B.E.M. for Gallantry awarded to Factory Labourer Neville Morgan for rescuing a man trapped under water after the collapse of a canal bridge

British Empire Medal (Civil) E.II.R., with gallantry emblem (Neville Morgan.) nearly extremely fine £300-400

B.E.M. London Gazette 19 May 1967: Neville Morgan, Factory Labourer, London S.E.4.

‘A workman was trapped when a disused railway bridge collapsed suddenly during demolition. The bridge, 75 feet in length and 26 feet wide, consisted of two main girders spanning a canal with steel joists between the girders to form the bridge floor. Two men were working with oxy-acetylene cutting equipment in the centre of the bridge when it began to collapse into the canal. A crane slid sideways, tilted over and pinned one man against the side of the bridge. The other was completely trapped by the crane. The bridge continued its progress for some moments after the initial collapse until part rested on the bottom of the canal, in twelve feet of water. Morgan and other workmen from a nearby factory, heard the crash and ran out on to the towpath where they saw the collapsed bridge and the partly submerged crane and realised that men were trapped in the water. Morgan dived into the canal and swam across to where he thought the men were trapped. One man was completely immersed, trapped by the leg and the water was up to his chin. There was some possibility of a further collapse of the bridge with the added danger that the water level might rise and so drown the trapped man. Morgan dived down into the water several times in an attempt to release the trapped man and to search for other workmen who had completely disappeared. With the help of firemen the trapped man was eventually released.’