BB Gazette Vol.17 No.2 – The Brigade Executive have awarded the Cross for Heroism to Corporal Harry Walker, aged 15, 8th Sheffield Company, for saving a Boy from drowning in the Sheffield Canal on 5th June, 1908. Corporal Walker has also been awarded the Certificate of the Royal Humane Society.

Sheffield Evening Telegraph 9th January 1909 – At the Wostenholm Hall, Queen Street, last night, on the occasion of the 8th (Parish Church) Sheffield Company’s annual tea and entertainment, the Archdeacon of Sheffield presented Harry Walker, a corporal on the company with the Boys’ Brigade “Cross for Heroism”.

On June 5th he was the means of saving the life of a boy of 15 from drowning in the canal. He was himself quite exhausted with the effort of bringing the lad to the bank, and as a result was for soe weeks afterwards seriously ill. The boys had been a member of the life-saving class held in connection with the Company, and therefore his brave action shows the utility of the good work carried out by the Royal Life-saving Society. He is the first lad in Sheffield to gain the “Cross for Heroism”.

Royal Humane Society – Award number 36011