Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: December 1, 2000
• Invested on: June 22, 2001

On May 16, 1999, Robert Mason Greenaway rescued a woman from drowning in the Mediterranean Sea at Sitiges, Spain. Mr. Greenaway and his wife were on their honeymoon when, from a lookout point, they heard cries for help. A woman had been swimming near the shore when a strong undertow began pulling her out toward a cliff area. Realizing that the victim was unreachable by land, Mr. Greenaway raced down to the beach and swam through two-metre waves until he reached the panic-stricken woman who had slipped beneath the surface. Although exhausted from battling the powerful riptide, he kept himself and the victim afloat while the pounding surf buffeted them against the treacherous rock face. When he finally managed to get a foothold, Mr. Greenaway wedged himself between two rocks and, in this precarious position, protected the victim from the rough wave action until help arrived.