Mexborough and Swinton Times February 25, 1938

Rescuer’s Sprint To Canal
Child Pulled Out Just In Time
Gallant Mexborough Youth

An heroic rescue from the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Canal at Mexborough was effected on Saturday by Wilfred Hague, a youth of 18, of 4, Hewitts Terrace, High Street, Mexborough, who dived in and rescued four-year-old Gordon Breeze, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Breeze, of 61, Schofield Street, when he was on the point of drowning.

Playing Near Canal.

It appears that on Saturday afternoon Gordon and another little boy of his age were playing on the edge of the canal just below the Olympia Hall when Gordon fell in.

Hague happened to be near and without hesitation, he dived in and managed to pull the boy to the side. Neither of them was seriously affected by the ordeal.

Hague told a “Times” reporter that at about 3 o’clock on Saturday afternoon he was cleaning a car at the store where he worked, when he saw a little boy crying. He asked what was the matter, and the child cried “There’s a boy in the canal.”

He went on, “I covered the few yards to the canal in double-quick time and saw the little boy about in the middle: he had just come up for the second -time. I dived in straightaway without removing even my cap or my boots. I reached the boy, grabbed hold of his jersey and managed to struggle with him to the bank. I got on to the bank myself and then pulled the boy .after me; this was the most difficult part of it all. Then someone took the child into an office and rubbed him down, and he was later taken home.”

Clothes Spoiled.

Hague said that the boy was not unconscious, but he had swallowed a lot of water and this had to be pumped out of him. For himself he was not affected physically, but his clothes were completely spoiled and his cap was lost. He added that although he was a competent swimmer he had never done any life-saving. He did not know exactly what to do, but he managed to hold the child up with one hand and to swim with the other.

This was the first time Gordon had left the vicinity of his home without an adult said Mrs. Breeze. Gordon was playing in the yard when she last saw him, and she did not even know he had gone out until , he was brought home in a car about half an hour later.

Her son, she said had since told her that he was playing on the canal bank with another boy when he started trailing his Wellington boot in the water. He fell in and was carried into the middle without being able to help himself.

Just In Time.

When he was brought home, Gordon seemed to have been badly shocked. When he was seen by a doctor, the latter said that if he had remained in the water another minute he would have been beyond hope. After spending the week-end quietly he is now almost himself again and is able to get out to play.

Mrs. Breeze expressed her sincerest thanks to Hague and described his action as heroic and timely. She said it was very fortunate that Hague happened to be on the spot.

A collection has been taken to recompense Hague for the loss of his clothes.