When a bomb demolished two houses, the roof and chimney stack of one house fell across the ruins of the other and the whole formed a heap of wreckage about fifteen feet high. Station Inspector Mahir and Junior Station Inspector Gott〔John Gott also received the George Medal.〕 tore away debris and found a hole down which Mahir crawled. A man, buried up to the chin, was pinned down by a rafter, in a cavity about seven feet deep and two feet wide. Gott had the mouth of the hole widened and then crawled down to joint Mahir. They reached the man who informed them that a friend was below him and Mahir crawled out to investigate while Gott took on his shoulders the weight of the debris above the man's head. At this point P.S. (Sergeant ) Sneddon〔Alexander Sneddon was awarded the British Empire Medal for Gallantry.〕 arrived from another incident and Mahir showed him where the other man was thought to be whilst he himself returned to relieve Gott. Sneddon sent his men to collect buckets from nearby houses to carry away the rubble and organised their work so well that the man was soon released. A lot of rubble had fallen and the strain on the two Inspectors was greatly increased. The whole of the pile was nearly brought down on to the three men when those outside tried to dig through to them. Mahir and Gott used the broken rafter to shore up the cavity and sawed through a bedstead and a sofa, eventually releasing the victim who was only slightly injured. Mahir, Gott and Sneddon were, throughout, subject to the risk of being crushed by shifting rubble and in danger from leaking gas. At one time water from the burst main in the crater outside threatened to overflow into the hole in which the two Inspectors were working. The Inspectors showed resourcefulness, courage and determination and were ably supported by P.S. Sneddon.