[English] CADET S. THOMAS. Hong Kong Boy's Gallant Rescue. SAVES FELLOW SCOUT.

CADET S. THOMAS.

Hong Kong Boy's Gallant Rescue.

SAVES FELLOW SCOUT.

Friends of Captain R. D. Thomas, superintendent of the Hong Kong Tug and Lighter Company, will appreciate the following extract from the "Liverpool Post and Mercury," dated May 6 last. The Cadet Stanley Thomas referred to is Captain Thomas's son, who was born in Hong Kong 17 years ago. Stanley left for Canada when he was about five years of age.

"The Mercantile Marine Service Association held its 70th annual meeting at the Town Hall, Liverpool, yesterday afternoon, and had for its chief speaker Earl Stanhope, Civil Lord of the Admiralty.

"A Government colleague of his lordship, Capt. H. Douglas King, an "old boy" of the "Conway" was unable to attend owing to pressure of parliamentary business. The Nation's debt to the Mercantile Marine was the central theme of the address delivered by Earl Stanhope, Civil Lord of the Admiralty, at the annual meeting of the Mercantile Marine Service Association, yesterday. His lordship claimed with pride that the British mercantile Marine had always been free from class warfare.

Interesting Presentation.

"After the meeting an interesting presentation took place. The Lord Mayor, who presided, called on Colonel A. Melly, as representing Vice-Admiral Lorring, the Chief Sea Scout, to explain the circumstances in which the Silver Cross of the Boy Scouts' Association of Ottawa, Ontario had been awarded to Cadet Stanley Thomas, of the "Conway," and himself handed the youth the cross.

"Colonel Melly explained that on March 28, 1925, Thomas who belonged to the 1st British Columbia Sea Scout Troop, and two other boys were on Grouse Mountain in British Columbia, where one of the boys, Sidney Harling, slipped on the ice and fell 800 feet down an exceedingly steep slope. He struck trees on the way down and finally lay unconscious on the brink of another slope 1,000 feet deep. Thomas gallantly descended, sliding from tree to tree, and, reaching the unconscious boy removed him from the dangerous position in which he lay. The other boy he sent to summon assistance, and after three hours and with great difficulty, Harling was rescued. It was stated that Thomas descended the slope at the imminent risk of his own life."

Source:

1. Page 6, "China Mail", Tuesday, 28th June, 16th Year of the Republic of China

   • 29th Day, 5th Lunar Month, Ding-mao Year

   • Tuesday, 28th June, 1927 Common Era