| Citation: | Berlin. For prompt, determined and courageous actions during a fire in a service flat in Berlin.RMP Berlin, 7 July 1982. RMP Routine Patrol.Citation: At 0250 hours on Wednesday 7th July 1982 Corporal Campbell and another Corporal, both of the Royal Military Police Berlin, were on mobile patrol in the city when they received a radio message sending them to a block of service flats in Spandau. On arrival Corporal Campbell saw a female leaning out of a top floor window screaming that her flat was on fire and that she and her baby were trapped inside. Instructing the other Corporal to report to the RMP Control Room, Corporal Campbell ran un the stairs and on arrival outside the flat found a drunken soldier, who subsequently turned out to be Corporal Edwards, who closed the flat door; he did not have a key and was not able to give any coherent information to Corporal Campbell. As the landing was completely engulfed in smoke Corporal Campbell broke the door down and attempted to enter the flat. he was unable to do so due to the volume of smoke, he therefore rushed down the stairs and demanded a wet towel from another tenant, he then made a second attempt to enter the flat but was again defeated by the toxic smoke. He again ran down the stairs and demanded the service issue respirator from the ground floor tenant, and , wearing the respirator was able to enter the flat and by crawling on his stomach underneath the main bulk of the smoke was able to locate the room where Mrs Edwards was hanging out over the window ledge. As he stood up beside her, she became completely hysterical, he therefore removed his respirator and tried to calm her down, but all she could do was to scream "my baby - my baby". Corporal Campbell physically shook the woman to try and get her to stop screaming but he was unable to ascertain any more than that the baby was in another room.; At this stage the fire was getting worse, he therefore assisted Mrs Edwards out of the flat and down to one of the neighbours. He then returned to the flat and by crawling around was able to locate the child's bedroom. Corporal Campbell tried to open the window; being unable to do so, he threw a lamp through the window and was then able to ascertain that the room was empty. Corporal Campbell then commenced a systematic and thorough search of the entire flat, although during the search he was forced to retire on several occasions due to the intense heat. On completion of the search and having satisfied himself that the flat was empty, Corporal Campbell again approached Corporal Edwards who informed him that he had remembered that the baby had been left with some neighbours. The flat was extensively damaged by the intense heat and smoke of the fire before the Fire Brigade arrived. There is little doubt that but for Corporal Campbell's prompt, determined and courageous action Mrs Edwards would probably have lost her life. His complete disregard for his own safety is in keeping with the highest traditions of the Corps of Royal Military Police whose motto is 'By example - shall we lead'.Recommended by:Lt/Col. APM Berlin, Brig. Berlin Brigade, Gen. GOC Berlin. |
