b. ? 1871 Crownthorpe, Norfolk. d. ?
DATE OF AM ACTION: 30/08/1907 Tivetshall, Norfolk.
Arthur Hardiment AM
Little is known about Arthur Hardiment, who was an ex Police Officer, having served from 1896-1898 in the Metropolitan Police, who became an artisan in Norfolk. Having spent six weeks in hospital in Norwich following his heroic actions at Tivetshall Railway Station, he disappeared into obscurity. It is known that he had been discharged from the Police due to insanity and spent some time as a lunatic in Lambeth Workhouse.
AM CITATION:
On the 30th August last, at the hour of 2.30 P.M., while the Cromer Express Train on its way from Norwich to London was approaching the level crossing at Tivetshall at the rate of 50 miles an hour, Hardiment and Horace Bloomfield, the crossing-keeper, were standing near one of the gates about 29 feet from the railway track when Bloomfield’s little boy, aged 18 months, was seen to be making for the line from the opposite side of the track to join his father. The cries of the men did not avail to stop the child, and Hardiment thereupon dashed across the line towards the child, knowing that the father, who had lost a leg and an arm, was incapacitated from attempting the rescue. Notwithstanding that Hardiment was but a few paces from the railway track the risk to life was very great seeing that the train was only some 130 feet distant at the moment. Before he was clear of the track, the footplate of the engine had struck his left forearm fracturing both the bones and hurling him into a hedge nine feet away. Just before he was caught by the engine he had the satisfaction of knowing that the child had turned away from the approaching train and had escaped unhurt.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
Acknowledgement:
Allan Stanistreet – Image of Arthur Hardiment AM.