An unusual West Africa Mine Rescue British Empire Medal, Civil Division, EIIR Cypher awarded to Abulai Grunshie, Timber Headman at the Bibiani Gold Mine in the Gold Coast who was awarded the British Empire in the London Gazette of 9th October 1956 for his bravery when a machine driver accidentally fell 40 feet to the bottom of an ore pass. The driver was injured and called for help and at grave personal risk and without regards to the dangers, Grunshie descended into the ore pass by means of a chain ladder and remained there until further help was forthcoming despite the dangers of falling broken ore.
British Empire Medal, Civil Division, EIIR cypher; (ABULAI GRUNSHIE) Mounted loose for wear and housed in fitted Royal Mint case of issue.
Condition: mounted loose for wear, Nearly Extremely Fine
Abulai Grunshie was employed as a Timber Headman at the Bibiani Gold Mine in the Gold Coast and was awarded the British Empire Medal in the London Gazette of 9th October 1956:
‘A machine driver in the Bibiani gold mine accidentally fell 40 feet to the bottom of an ore pass. He was injured and called for help. At grave personal risk and without regard to the dangers involved, Grunshie immediately descended into the ore pass by means of a chain ladder. While carrying out rescue operations some of the broken ore above released itself and fell. Though Grunshie could easily have climbed the rope to safety he stood by the injured man in most dangerous circumstances until further help was forthcoming’.
