NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 168

13 DECEMBER 2013

NEW ZEALAND BRAVERY AWARDS

The Governor-General, under authority delegated by The Queen, has been pleased to approve the following New Zealand Bravery Awards:

THE NEW ZEALAND BRAVERY MEDAL (NZBM)

Mark John ALLEN

Kenneth William REILLY

Citation

At 6.30 am on 2 May 2011 Mr Ken Reilly and Mr Mark Allen stopped to help the victims of a head-on collision between two cars on State Highway One in North Canterbury. One of the vehicles had caught fire, and the driver had lost consciousness and was trapped inside by her leg. Her ankles were fractured and her clothing had caught fire.

Mr Allen and Mr Reilly used fire extinguishers to put out the fire on her clothing, but were unable to put out the larger fire in the vehicle. As the driver’s door could not be opened, they both climbed into the burning car. It was very difficult to free the driver as her leg was firmly trapped, and they were inhaling thick smoke. They persisted and, once they had her leg free, they were able to pull her from the burning car through the front passenger door. The front section of the vehicle was shortly afterwards engulfed in flames.

Jan Margaret BOYD

Citation

On the night of 21 April 2011 Mrs Jan Boyd was at home at an isolated rural address near Nelson, with her daughter and bedridden husband.

A family member arrived, pursued by his father who was suffering from paranoia and who intended to kill his son. The father then arrived at the house with a 12 gauge Remington 812 shotgun, in a highly agitated and emotional state. Mrs Boyd and her daughter met him at the front door, where he demanded to know where his son was. Mrs Boyd knew he was unstable and had already assaulted his son. She attempted to make him leave by pushing him and the shotgun away with her bare hands, but he brushed her aside and shot his son in the chest at almost point-blank range. Rather than escaping, Mrs Boyd remained in the house, using her nursing skills to tend the injured man until emergency services arrived.

John BOYD

Citation

On the night of 21 April 2011 Mr John Boyd was at home at an isolated rural address near Nelson, with his wife and stepdaughter. Mr Boyd was bedridden with Multiple Sclerosis.

A family member arrived, pursued by his father who was suffering from paranoia and who intended to kill his son. The father then arrived at the house with a 12 gauge Remington 812 shotgun, in a highly agitated and emotional state. Mr Boyd’s wife and stepdaughter attempted to stop him, but he entered the house and shot his son in the chest at almost point-blank range. Mr Boyd’s stepdaughter came into his bedroom and he told her to leave the house. Mr Boyd rang emergency services and was confronted by the armed man who told him to put the phone down. He did so, but left the line open, hoping the operator would hear what was happening. The man shouted wildly at Mr Boyd and threatened to shoot himself as well as his son. Disregarding his vulnerable position and his personal safety, Mr Boyd tried to keep the man focused on him, to give his wife and stepdaughter time to escape.

Gregory Edward Ross CATER
Detective Constable, New Zealand Police

James Phillip COLLINS
Constable, New Zealand Police

Edward Michael LUXFORD
Detective Constable, New Zealand Police

Johan Artemus MULDER,
Constable, New Zealand Police

Liam PHAM
Constable, New Zealand Police

Christopher Charles TURNBULL
Sergeant, New Zealand Police

Andrew Stephen WARNE
Constable, New Zealand Police

Citation

Shortly before 4.00am on 22 December 2009, a Police constable was shot four times, suffering life-threatening injuries, at a residence in Papatoetoe. He collapsed in the yard of the property, which was at the end of a long, shared driveway.

An immediate action team was formed of experienced Police officers, led by Sergeant Turnbull, and including Detective Constable Cater (now Detective), Constable Collins, Detective Constable Luxford, Constable Mulder, Constable Pham and Constable Warne.

The immediate action team made a rapid approach in two vehicles, positioning the vehicles for cover. The first vehicle contained the team that provided cover, comprising Detective Constable Cater, Constable Mulder, and Sergeant Turnbull. The rescue team, consisting of Constable Collins, Detective Constable Luxford, Constable Pham and Constable Warne, was in the second vehicle.

The teams advanced up the driveway on foot, and found the wounded officer. He was seriously injured, including a fractured leg and significant blood loss. Clearly he needed to be evacuated quickly.

Constable Collins, Detective Constable Luxford, Constable Pham and Constable Warne carried him while Detective Constable Cater, Constable Mulder, and Sergeant Turnbull stayed in the property to cover their withdrawal. The wounded officer was carried to one of the patrol cars used in the approach, a distance of about 103 metres, and then driven at speed to the ambulance waiting on the street.

The immediate action team then blocked the driveway with a patrol car and took up observation positions as the gunman had not yet been located. The officers held these positions until relieved by a Crime Squad.

Throughout this operation, the location and number of offenders were unknown. The officers could have waited for the Armed Offenders Squad to arrive, but instead chose to put themselves at risk to rescue their colleague.

Martin Joseph KAY

Colin John WIGGINS

Citation

On 16 October 2010 a car and light truck crashed near Hastings. Both erupted into flames, sending a thick plume of black smoke into the air. The truck tipped onto its side in the road, with its 75-year old male driver trapped inside. The car was thrown into a ditch, with its 17-year old male driver trapped inside.

Passing motorists Mr Martin Kay and Mr Colin Wiggins dragged the driver of the car free and to a safe spot away from the burning vehicles. They then ran to the truck, but could not see the driver as the cab was full of smoke. Mr Kay attempted to smash the windscreen of the truck with a hammer, but was blown back by a gust of smoke.