[English] BOY SCOUT HONOURED. SHANGHAI BOY GETS BRONZE CROSS.

BOY SCOUT HONOURED.

SHANGHAI BOY GETS BRONZE CROSS.

Plucky Encounter With Armed Robber.

Lieut-Gen. Sir Robert Baden-Powell has awarded the Bronze Cross, the highest award a scout can receive, to Patrol Leader Alexander Ifimchouch, of Shanghai, for risking his life in assisting the French Police to capture an armed robber.

It was on the evening of July 9 last when Ifimchouch, a 16 year-old Russian member of the French Municipal School troop, so splendidly upheld the traditions of Scoutcraft, says the N. C. D. News.

While in his house, 2 Avenue Dubail, he heard a commotion in the street outside. Boy-like, he rushed out to be in the excitement. Almost immediately he saw a man pursued by the police and several bystanders. As the criminal ran he fired to keep off his pursuers, whereupon Ifimchouch took cover behind a concrete lamp post.

When the robber was about five feet from the youth something seemed to go wrong with his revolver, the hammer apparently sticking for an instant. This gave Ifimchouch his opportunity and he grappled with the fugitive, seizing the hand which held the revolver. The man, however, was able to break away and as he ran fired on the boy, the first shot entering the shoulder and coming out at the elbow. The second, luckily, missed. This delay enabled the Annamite police to gain upon their quarry and he was eventually shot down in Avenue Joffre.

The Chief of the French Police wrote a highly commendatory letter in appreciation of Ifimchouch's courage and accompanied the letter with a gift of money. Subsequently the Commissioner of the local Boy Scouts Association recommended him for the bronze cross for gallantry.

Source:

1. Page 8, "Hongkong Telegraph", Tuesday, 2nd March, 15th Year of the Republic of China

   • 18th Day, 1st Lunar Month, Bing-yin Year

   • Tuesday, 2nd March, 1926 Common Era