Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

County Borough of Swansea Certificate of Bravery, inscribed to Owen Edwards, 8 Bryn Terrace, Fforestfach, for his courage in saving Raymond Tucker, aged 13, of 9 Berw Raod, Maryhill, from drowning in a pond at Cwmdu, on 2nd July 1927’, illuminated and mounted on card, signed by both the Mayor and Town Clerk of Swansea, dated 21 September 1927, good condition £60-£80

The incident for which the certificate was awarded is recorded in the South Wales Daily Post, 4 July 1927:

‘Only the promptitude and bravery of Cwmbwria man averted a tragedy in the pond known locally as ‘The Bounds’ on Saturday afternoon. The man, Mr. Owen Edwards, of 8 Bryn Terrace, dived, fully dressed, into the pond and rescued a 13 year old boy, named Tucker, of Town Hill. ‘The Bounds’ are the reservoirs for the Cwmbwria Works, and after recent heavy rains were at least 10 feet deep.

It appears that several boys, amongst them being Tucker, had gone to the pond to swim, when suddenly the cry was raised that a boy was drowning. Mr. Owen Edwards was sitting near an allotment 70 or 80 yards away.

Hearing the cries, he ran to the bank, and, pulling off his coat, dived in after the boy, who had, by that time gone under, and succeeded in bringing the lad to the bank of the pond. Describing the incident to a Post reporter, an eye-witness said, “Owen came to the surface about fifteen yards from the bank, with the boy struggling in his arms. At times, it seemed that the boy would pull him under in his frantic struggles, but at last Owen got him near the bank, where he received assistance from Mr. D. Reynolds, of the Cwmbwria Inn, who went out up to his waist to help. The boy had by now become unconscious.” After artificial respiration had been employed, he recovered, and was able to proceed home. This plucky effort is all the more commendable, as Mr. Owen is still suffering from the effects of another self-sacrificing incident. Less than two months ago he answered an urgent call from Swansea Hospital for a volunteer for a transfusion of blood. He gave a pint in a futile effort to save a patient.’

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