certificate/award, after 1934

Historical information

This certificate was presented to Donald David Thomson , sleeper hewer, aged 42 years for rescuing S.C. Curtis, aged 52, G. Wylie, aged 54, J. Dalgleish, aged 5 from flood waters at White gulch on the Snowy River on January 8, 1934.
(The certificate reads as White's Gulch but should be Watt's gulch.)

Significance

Although damage estimated at 500,000 pounds was caused by the unprecedented floods along the Snowy River, no lives were lost because of the courageous actions of men like Donald Thomson.

Physical description

A framed copy of a printed and hand-written certificate from the Royal Humane Society of Australia awarded to Donald David Thomson for rescuing victims of the floodwaters in Orbost January 1934. It is dated 6.3.1934.

Inscriptions & markings

Printed at top of certificate: THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY / OF AUSTRALASIA.
Has names of Society patrons and committee as well as names and ages of those rescued.

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