Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: September 24, 1973
• Invested on: November 30, 1973

The initiative shown by James Flaherty inspired others to join in freeing two men and a woman from a car, minutes before it was gutted by fire, following a collision in Kitchener on July 28, 1972. Taking immediate action when he arrived at the scene, Mr. Flaherty exhorted several bystanders to help pry open the doors of the car which were jammed closed. He pulled a partly lowered window from its frame, forced the door open so that with the others they could reach the semi-conscious victims. Working against time, they braved the heat until all the passengers had been lifted and carried safely away. Minutes later, the gas tank exploded and engulfed the wreckage in flames.