Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, 5th type, bronze (Pioneer Birch, Hastings, 14-9-28) with silver straight bar suspension, good very fine, scarce rank £220-260

An extract from the St. Leonards Observer of 15 September 1928 reported: ‘A St. Leonards fireman and two Hastings police officers figured in the dramatic rescue of a lady of 80 from a burning basement room beneath a shop at Queen’s Road, last evening. Fireman George Birch, of No. 3 section of the Brigade, actually effected the rescue after several gallant efforts had failed. Police-Sergt. Barnes, in attempting to rescue the old lady was overcome by smoke. Fortunately he had a comrade at his elbow, P.C. Goodsell, who dragged him to the open air, where he revived at once, and immediately plunged into the smoke again to search for the lady. The fire was in a basement kitchen below a fancy goods shop ......

Meanwhile Mr George Birch, of 56 Gensing Road, and Mr Stanley Sims, both members of No. 3 section of the Fire Brigade, who were passing, had noticed the smoke, and had plunged into the building. They joined in the search. With towels over their mouths and noses, the four men groped their way from room to room. The smoke was so dense that it was impossible for them to tell just where the actual fire was located. Three times the searchers were driven back, but they returned doggedly to the task. Eventually Mr Birch saw the old lady at the other side of a mass of flame. She was staggering from the scullery to the kitchen, carrying a bucket of water! A draught of air from a broken fanlight, which was driving the smoke towards the men, had kept it from affecting her seriously. The room was well alight and blazing fiercely. Birch closely followed by Sergeant Barnes, forced his way through the blaze, and seizing the old lady handed her to to the sergeant, who assisted her to safety. The rescued woman is Mrs Charlotte Ward. .... “What I did was nothing very much.” said Mr Birch modestly when interviewed by an “Observer” reporter. “The smoke was the worst part of it - it was very dense and choking. When I saw the old lady she was standing at the other side of the fire, and I just went to her and handed her to the sergeant, who got her up the stairs.” ....’