1953-01-03 — Page 5

Craigery? Rotten Youth? This boy is my answer to that

John Bamford crawled through the flames into the bedroom, snatched up his two young brothers and dropped them from a window into his father's larms fast losing consciousness,

he was in excruciating pain displayed courage of the highest order.

T

HUS did the London Gazette describe the heroism of 15-year- old John Bamford, who for "bravery that has never been surpassed," was awarded the. George Cross.

What is it, when you are 16 years old, that makes you take command of a terrifying situation, plunge into A

vicious Are and

zorcue a brothe:7

What is it that drives you to turn back into the furnace, with your thirt mauled from your back by femea and the sklu aizzling on your hand, to seek a second, brother?

find the answers, 1 went to the spare Uttle house in the bleak pit village of New- thorpe, Nottingham- shire, where John Bamford did these things on October 19.

he

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 1953.

Secret strength of

I talked to John's parents---

Jack, age 39, and Rachel, 40.

and found three strong themes

in the life of John Barnford.

They were his hatred of a bully: his protective

instinct

towards his younger brothers; and hit independence of mind and thought.

"He'd let nobody put on him and he'd rtand up to the biggest," Mr Bamford told me.

TRADITION

He might have added: "This is a niting ecmunity: and there is a tradition underground that is bred in a bay hereabouts; a tradition that brings the best man in the hour of out of s danger.

"And he'd always look after the youngsters," sald Mrs Bem- ford. "He was always fiercest with buliles when he found them on to Brian or Roy.

"He always got them out of danger. He brought Brian out of the canal three years ago."

I think John Bamford saw that fre as the biggest bully of all: and saw it putting his brothers in the wickedest danger they had ever known. de tackled it as he had tackled others.

The initiative that made him tell his father to walt end catch Brian and Roy as they came out of the window was not a new thing.

"He was always independent," stid his Kalher, "He went off and got the job at Mon: Green Colliery on his own. Ho didn't

try the old pals act-he went to

a different colllery to mine,

HID WHIP

John has always been able to size up a situation quickly. When he lived with his grandfather the old man used to threaten him, after mischief, with a whip.

Bamford G.c.

By TERENCE FEELY

Craig liked working In melal Later, a squabble started be Bamford ilked working in metal, tween Brian and Roy, "Be quiet," Benford makes dinner gongs. said Mes Bamford, "or clse." copper bowls-dor mum's buttons. But Craig sawed off revolvers, They sat quietly for scene minutes

and then the. fur made knuckledusters.

again.

was flying

Hi

greyhound Mick

guard over John's unconscious body the night of the fire, growled at the doctor and policemen. That's why, of all the congratula- tians John has had frcen all over the country, the following cheers hich morl:

POCKET CARTOON By OSBERT LANCASTER

"Well, if the Fairyfingers Steam Laundry think that a couple of robins and a quotation from Longfellow are going to wipe put she memory of what they did to those sheets, they can think again !!”

AMERICA COLUMN

from

NEWELL ROGERS

POLICE

CALL ON

Would you accept Stafford-THE BOSS

boy."

thire bull terrier puppy. less dog for a tearless Signed "Dudley, President Staf- Club, fordshire Bull Terrier's Ham Lanc. Redmore, Stone- bridge."

THE ANSWER

Craig liked guns, John Bam- ford liked guns--he's had several. Me Bamford put them over All these things have stiffened But Banford uses his on rabbils. her knee in turn, spanked them the life of young John Bamlord. the boy who lied to read Craig used one on a policeman, and sent them to hel

Westerns, but who loved the Why

Bamford's did

life-

The rough and ever-ready Aelds and woods, too. stream stay sweet at these points, justice of the Bomfords pay while Craig's went sour? say dividends. Handsomely in John's part of the

answer in Mrs ease. Bamford,

which stone the crows who And these are the facts with croake that modern youth is rotun

and

THE

New York. THE Crime Commission has hooked a big fish on New York's waterfront. He Is ex convlet Michael Clemente, labour boss of the East River plers.

And he has been arrested and accused of extorting £842 from a frm of stevedores-the peopla who hire and direct the.dockers. 21 A grand jury has accused stevedores with conspiracy in a payroll racket.

honest stevedores.

Phantom dockers were put on the payroll, Salaries went to

who Other things, too, made the at the core. Tell me about corhoodlums and gunmen, While we were talking. Roy

earnings of (four), Jimmy (eight), Brian sturdy character of John Bam- upton and "Craigery" and, I'll also prey on the (six), and little two-year-old ford. His boxing, for instance: tell you of "Bamfordism"

the bravery. Jets, who was naked frem feet to "The best young boxer in val were tumbling about the village," said Johnny Charbers, kitchen. They began to get out. ex-professional fighter and near of hand.

neighbour. "Plenty of guts he's gol.'

"Sit down and be quiet," sald Mrs Bamford The boys sat down. down happily and They sat they sat down at once.

His love for animals: "He's had rabbits, canaries, dogs," said

M: Bamford.

The John Barfords are the answer to the Christopher Craigs.

And the Mrs Bamfords God bless their common sense and the power of their motherly

arms.

BUT NOW IT'S YOUR TURN, DR MOSSADEQ!

By Peter

Kirk

London. In intervals of conceloushess, on the he received from all over the

I seemingly endless seat world suggestions sentir

well-meaning people who

they hud thought that answer to this problem.

The British Government, having first hand knowledge of how slippery Dr

Mossadeq can be, is determined

the that the question of compensa- tion shall be settled before any other agrecinent is reached.

to find a formula which will satisfy Dr Mossadeq and, at the same time, show that

Among them was M. Johnas- who, happening to be in One day John came to him justice has been done to sen

the time, pre it because the Anglo New York at "You'll not threaten Britain over grinning

sented his scheme to the Persian me with that whip no more," said Persian oil dispute.

Premier. John. "Why?" arkes the old man. ""Eve hid it," said John.

"He etme second out of 80 In a pit trainees' examination, all of his own bat," sald Me Barnford. "I could have helped him to learn, but he never asked me.”

When

and over,

Prine

De Mossadeg does not seem to have been impressed, and nothing more was heard about it-until this week.

It thows how desperate the

The U.S. oil firms do not like the scheme would appear to acknowledge the right of the Persian Government to one-sided ox- Indulge in the propriation of the all industry.

Little Chance

If that right is admitted, then oll concessions in

awakened breadcaster Jerry Leeds at California's station KVSM after carly risers reported hearing 'notfilng but snores on Leeds

early morning programme entitled "Rise and Shine."

THE SHERIFF

WASHINGTON) claime

that

the U.S.can use atomic rockets and guided. missiles in combat whenever needed. They are well stock-piled. And the National Security Resources Board urges in a report to Pro- sident Truman that-the-Govern- ment should encourage greater participation by private enter prise in the use of atomic pow ET,

EAP YEAR has not worked

too well for the girls, in the first nine months they led only 1,500,000 men to the altar, com- pared with 1,595,000 last year. A CORONATION honeymoon

Is In prospect for Miss Jeanne Stuart, the former Lady Docker, and Baron Eugene de Rothschild. They were married Still Cottage, Locust Valley,

community a fashionable Long Island, not far from New York

at

On

The baroness was educated in on the London and appeared London stage in the 1930's. Her dirst marriage, to Sir Bernard Dudley Frank Docker, ended in is head second husband of the Austrian branch

of the

the Duke of Windsor at Castle just Enzesfeld, outside Vienno, after the abdication, and moved to America in 1940.

the Perslan Minister turned down the joint Anglo-American offer of August 30 (and subsequently broke off diplomatir relations with this country) we assumed that the whole

distressing episode State Department has become, their own Middle Eastern As a picture of John's character was

the British that they should be seriously neighbouring fell together from Mr and Mrs Government, at any rate, was considering a scheme which ap countries (to say nothing of banking, family, He entertained

Latin America, where resont- Bamford's lips-ir Bamford still prepared to alt back for a bit to peared to have died a natural

and ment against American com- stubble-haired from the dre: Mrs allow the Persians time for re- death over a year ago, Bamford, good-featured, capable section.

there seems to be little chance mercial interests is growing) would have a perfectly good and motherly--I saw a strange

of the Persions accepting it.

excuse for doing exactly what ilkeness to the character of But American anxiety that another teenage boy who made Persia might go Communist-an They have modined it to Mossadeg has done. news-a liceness to Christopher anxiety the urgency of which make the oil firms the market-

They will not do it until they Cmig.

Britain does not share has ing agency, but otherwise it is

see, whether Mossadeg gets on the same lines.

away with it or not. Craig was mechanically minded caused the State Department to -and 30 is Bunford. Craig Pross on with proposals for a

The British cannot proposo settlement of the dispute, rigged up amateur telephones. Barnford made his own litle

You might have thought that diesel engine

the experience of 18 months

}

Four Hurdles

TUIE EISENHOWER ERA of

good will spreads, Senator Robert Taft has happily ectiled his trouble with the general over Cabinet appointments. He la to be Repubilean floor leader. (the

who steers mon

Government

back

it anyway because Dr Mossadenbusiness in the Senate) and will General Elsenhower's and legislative programme,

CUING-SING with

But before the scheme gets has broken off diplomatie rela- anywhere near being sent to tons with this, country, Craig was a quiet boy. So a negotiation with Dr Mossade Teheran, it has to overcome therefore we can enter into no John. "He's very allent," said would have convinced anyone four very formidable hurdles. Mrs Benford. His father used of the futility of trying to do

him, but the They are:-

to pull his leg about it. "You're business with

zay.

"By God. Juck," said a friend, after the fire, "he showed you if he were too slow to walk lost or not!"

CONTRASTS

aven

if their

2. The British do not like 3. The US. oil firma (who would have to work it) do not like it.

him.

communication

the

♫

formal

PRISON is as hard to get into as to get out of. The Civil Rights Con- So the Americans would have

Kress listed by the Attorney- too slow to walk last," he would Americans still keep on trying. 1. The sebame appears to be to present the plan alone ----**

General as a Communist front which One can admire their pete against American law.

would strengthen Dr Bistence,

Moscadeq's hand by suggesting tried to get in with 716 sup enthusiasm, cannot be shared,

that America has the right to porters, Police kept them

quarter mile from the prison. impose solutions of this kind on

They wanted to protest against Latest Scheme,

Britain.

execution cf atom aples, Altogether, there seems very

Julius

and Ethel Rosenberg, The latest scheme for which

It 4. The British cannot pro- little chance that the proposals, scheduled for January · 12.

finiti will ever

to they are trying to get our con-

their way

was a gloomy demonstration. sent was originally Swedish- pose it anyway.

they do, they to be against Tell almost certainly be turned It appears

Teheran, and if

Marchers were toaked, by cold made.

American law because that law

Tain.. Craig liked films. So does

Over a year ago, M. Albin forbids the setting up of inter- down by Dr Mossadeg, although Bamford. "He goes twice a week

cartels the head of the national

tho regulato to

·TUST BEYOND the end of United States is trying to in Eastwood, the next village," Johanssen,

Swedish Co-Operative Move trade, and this proposal would help things along by a large New York's Underground said his mother.

whose anti- ment, suggested that an inter- set up a gigantle cartel, which cash payment to help Persia's lines, soldiers, Innocent enough, these like national co-operative

alfcraft guns ring the city, are organi might eventually expand Into tottering economy

No doubt, the American lving in leaky, cold canvas tents newer. Nothing in them to sug-sation should be formed to

world's oil. Into a clilor, the other into er fleet, remained in British The British do not like it discouraged by this but no the Korean battle lines. Baviour. But, there me others., hands.

because the scheme seems to doubt they will keep on trying. Trouble is that construction Croir Blood clothes So does It was about the time when them to ignore the most impor It would seem, however, that as unions got into a fuss with the Army over hurry-up building of John. I her baring a coat the oil dispute was before the tant point and that is the ques Dr Mossadeg has been con

U.N.

Security Council, and Dr tier of componation to the cistently, unreasonable, the Eri pretabricated barracks. The he'll buy good un. Bu Crals Mossadeg, was giving, one of his Anglo-Iranian Oil Company for 'tish altitude right and that windowless half-trills barracks Jiked gangster hats and American drapes John wan't go out. If celebrated performantes before the loss of ita installations in It is up to him to make the areawoper by for cala rain

next move, ho thinks his Kió de dashy onder that body,

gest why one hoy should turn market the oil, while the planie : controlling the whole of the late Department will be a little uke, some of those used behind

The Jamane Ke A Certificate, proof that a movement has passed the world's most -stringent tesir with Bylag colours,* Although the National Physical Lalinratory (hackground) is now at "Teddington, these certificates are will called by thể ning of the original famous foundation.

An achievement that startled the most exacting

craftsmen

Q

Page: 5!

KNOWN the world over as the ultimate authority on the testing of timepieces, Kew Observatory in England recorded in 1950 results that startled the most exacting, the most blase craftsmen in our industry.

Rolex entered more than 100 of their men's small watches (23.7 mm, in diameter) for chronometer testing for testing that is usually given only to large chronometers. The movements were to be subjected, in company with large chronometers, to the most stringent tests in the world. The experts were dubious; but Rolex were confident.

For 44 days, in five positions and as three temperatures, those watches were tested.. And when their points were totalled. men connected with the watch industry could- hardly believe, their eyes.

The incredible number of 140 Rolex movements had qualified for and was awarded- the precious, coveted Kew 'A' Certificate.

The Rolex Detrust the peak of Roles per lection, Protected by the Oyster ca. powered with silegt heienes, by the Rolex Perpetual self-winding. 'Hator, t eutomatically and clearly records the date- is window on,he dial.

The full force of this achievement becomes clearer when you realize that the smaller the watch movement the more difficult it is to attain the accuracy necessary to pass such stringent. tests originally designed for chronometers of far greater_`diameter.

For watches so small to be so goodt means only one thing-that the best of workmanship and the highest technical skill go into them. And it is this standard thas makes Rolex the world's first wrist chronometer..

The first wrist-watch over to pass the Kew A Observatory test was a small II ligne Rolex. This happened as long ago 1014..

ROLEX

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