Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Supervisor

Unit:

Cromer Area, CD Rescue Services, Civil Defence Service (CD), Home Office, British Government

Awarded on:

January 4th, 1943

"During an air raid a bomb demolished a house. After the debris had subsided, Lusby and Woodhouse tunnelled several feet and reached the head of a woman. She was pinned by a beam between the ceiling of the kitchen and the floor of the room above. Woodhouse and Police Constable Woolf then tunnelled further until they were able to lift the beam, but they could not move the victim. Lusby cleared away the debris from the top of the supports which Woolf and Woodhouse were holding up and sawed through the beam and so enabled the rescue to be completed. During this time there was every possibility that the gable end of the roof, which was held by only two small supports, would collapse on all three men. The rescue was made more difficult owing to escaping gas, leaking water-pipes and many live electric wires. The three men acted with promptitude and great courage without regard for their own safety."