Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: April 13, 1982
• Invested on: June 29, 1982

Dr. Timothy Robert Birkhead, M.B.
Erick Pearce Greene, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On 7 July 1980, Dr. Timothy Birkhead and Erick Greene rescued Mr. Greene's wife and attempted to save a man from drowning at Great Island Bird Sanctuary on the coast of Newfoundland. The four who were engaged in the study of sea birds, were loading their boat from a steep rock. A large wave caused the craft to capsize, throwing the woman and the man overboard. Dr. Birkhead immediately dived off the cliff, struggled against the tide and succeeded in bringing the woman to a ledge. He exhausted himself by his numerous attempts to rescue the man, but heavy swells carried his colleague away. Erick Greene, in turn, dove into the water with a rope, threw one end to Dr. Birkhead and they were both able to climb the rocks. In the meantime Mr. Greene's wife had been swept from her ledge into a cave. Her husband hearing her cries managed to send her a tow-line and pull her out to safety. The ordeal had lasted six hours.