Arthur Bellmore, 19, factory hand, saved George R. Briggs, 11, from drowning, Attleboro, Massachusetts, December 13, 1945. George broke through ice on Bellmore Pond into water eight feet deep 75 feet from the bank and held to the ice in a hole 10 feet in diameter. Bellmore ran on the ice to within 10 feet of George and then walked cautiously toward him. The ice broke under him, and he swam a stroke or two to George and towed him four feet to the ice. Repeatedly he tried to place George upon the ice, but the edge broke off each time, and he finally trod water and supported George with both hands, George became unconscious. After policemen and firemen pushed a ladder to the hole and a line had been tossed to Bellmore, he lost his hold of George and of the line. Lowering himself under the surface, he got hold of George’s hair and rose near the ladder; and a policeman got hold of him. Although the ice broke beneath the ladder for 10 feet from the hole, Bellmore and the policeman retained their holds and also took hold of the ladder. All were pulled to firm ice as firemen pulled the ladder away from the hole. George was revived. Bellmore had been in the water 12 minutes. He was nearly numb, and he suffered minor cuts on arms and chest. 40631-3456
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