Brave actions awarded
Posthumous honour for Vietnam vet
THE final heroic actions of a Vietnam veteran who stepped in to save a woman being assaulted on a Wilsonton street two years ago have been recognised with a posthumous bravery award.
Norman Linburg Olsen had no thought for his own safety when he rescued a woman and two-year-old child from a violent assault on Bridge St on February 22, 2016.
Mr Olsen had been driving down Bridge St when he saw James Callow assault his expartner and attempt to wrest a young child from the woman’s arms.
He and his wife Isobell had been in Toowoomba four days visiting friends when he intervened in the disturbance.
Callow and the woman fell to the ground and when Mr Olsen, who had stopped to help, approached the pair he was punched and knocked to the bitumen, striking his head.
Mr Olsen’s wife and others came to his assistance until the ambulance arrived and he was taken to Toowoomba Hospital.
He was later airlifted to Brisbane where his life support was turned off the next day.
His assailant, James Callow, was jailed for his manslaughter.
Mr Olsen was yesterday awarded the Royal Humane Society of Australasia bravery award for his actions which, his daughter Katie Lowe previously said had saved three lives.
At the time Callow was sentenced, Ms Lowe said her father had saved the lives of the woman, the child, and the recipient of her father’s liver which had been donated through organ donation.
The RHSA awards posthumous bravery medals to “those who lose their lives in going to the rescue of others”.
The is the second award given to Mr Olsen posthumously after he was awarded a Bravery Medal from the governor-general in March.