Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 19, 2003
• Invested on: September 12, 2003

Acting Sub-Lieutenant Allan Herbert Brannen, M.B.
Donnie Davis, M.B.
Medal of Bravery

On August 2, 2002, A/SLt Allan Brannen and Donnie Davis rescued two men who were severely injured during an explosion aboard their fishing vessel at the South Side Wharf on Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia. Messrs. Brannen and Davis were working nearby when they witnessed one man being blown into the water by the blast while the other was left hanging onto the side of the flaming boat, some 30 metres out. Despite the risk of another explosion from remaining propane tanks, Mr. Davis leapt from the wharf, swam to the first victim and helped him out of the water and onto the wharf where paramedics took over. Meanwhile, Mr. Brannen had jumped from another fishing vessel and attached a line to the burning boat to stop it from drifting out to sea. While other fishermen began pulling the vessel toward the wharf, he tied another line around the second victim so that the non-swimmer could be hauled out of the water by helping hands.