BB Gazette Vol.43 No.5 – The Cross for Heroism has also been awarded to Private Frederick Arthur Hicks, aged 13, of the 18th Bristol Company, for rescuing a small Boy from drowning in the River Avon, on the 23rd of August.

The little Boy, with his mother and some children, had been sitting on a high raft moored to the bank, when he overbalanced and fell into very deep water. Hicks, who had just dressed after bathing, saw the incident and swimming over managed to seize hold of the sinking child. He succeeded in swimming with him to the nearest bank, but it was impossible for him to climb out. The alarm was raised, however, and a man ultimately arrived in time to take the child from Hicks’ arms and then assist the rescuer out of the water also. Had this man not come up in time. Hicks and the small Boy would both have been drowned.

Acton Gazette and West London Post 14^th December 1934. …. The Cross was presented by the Lord Mayor of Bristol who congratulated his young fellow-townsman on his gallant action.