Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: May 12, 1980
• Invested on: September 26, 1980

Murray Martin rescued a man and a woman who had broken through the ice on Brannon Lake at Nanaimo on 1 January 1979. The two skaters, along with four others, were returning to shore at the time, and their plight was noticed by Mr. Martin who was skating near by. He went to their aid with a ladder and held it out first to the woman. When satisfied that she would not slip under, he ran to shore for a canoe and took it out to her. She held to its side until others threw a rope and removed her from the water. Turning to the man, Mr. Martin paddled to him with his hands - the only paddle in the canoe having been broken - to a spot where he could reach him with a pole. The man was then taken into the canoe and brought to safety.