The faces of the brave: High honours for courageous actions

These 16 Hawke's Bay people put themselves in danger to help save others. Thirteen showed courage under fire during the Napier siege. Three selflessly rushed to the aid of car crash victims. All are honoured today for their bravery.
Hawke's Bay people have been honoured for their exceptional courage during the Napier siege, while another three people have been recognised for their brave efforts to save lives after horror car crashes.
Nine local police officers, a visiting Waitemata officer, a St John paramedic and three civilians were named for their actions during the May 2009 siege. All knowingly put themselves in danger to help two wounded police officers, Senior Constables Grant Diver and Bruce Miller.
The special bravery honours announced by the government also included Napier policeman Mike O'Leary and his son, Conor, who helped pull passengers from a fiery crash in 2009.
Dannevirke man Grant Exeter was also recognised for helping a man escape from a car which had rolled into a flooded river.
Citations for those involved in the siege have revealed new details of the heroic actions of those who were first to arrive on the scene at Chaucer Rd.
The three civilians honoured were Lenny Holmwood and Guys Hill Rd neighbours Garry Fraser and Christine Jackman, who went to the aid of the wounded Mr Miller.
Mr Holmwood tried to wrestle the gun from Jan Molenaar as he was shooting.
"All I can say is I'm really hon- oured," Mr Holmwood said.
"There were plenty of people there who acted selflessly and I'd do it again.
"I've already been recognised for this so it's a double honour really."
Among police officers named were Constable Kevin Rooney and Waitemata Senior Sergeant Tony Miller, who found the wounded Mr Diver and shielded him with their bodies to protect him.
Also included was Detective Sergeant Timothy Smith, who used a civilian's car to drive Mr Miller to safety, then returned in the rescue party for Mr Diver.
The actions of paramedic Stephen Smith, who volunteered to don a bullet-proof vest and go into the line of fire to help retrieve Mr Diver, were also recognised.
The New Zealand Bravery Star was awarded to Constable Michael Burne, Senior Constable Dennis Hurworth, Detective Sergeant Timothy Smith, Senior Constable Paul Symonds, and civilian Lenny Holmwood.
The New Zealand Bravery Decoration, the next highest decoration, was awarded to Sergeant Heath Jones, Senior Sergeant Tony Miller and Constable Kevin Rooney.
Detective Paul Buckley, Senior Constable Bradley Clark, Detective Sergeant Nicholas Clere, St John advanced paramedic Steve Smith, and civilians Garry Fraser and Christine Jackman received the New Zealand Bravery Medal.
Eastern District Commander Superintendent Sam Hoyle said while his officers were reluctant to be singled out, they all felt "very humbled and honoured".
"Each one of them acted without hesitation in a highly dangerous situation," Mr Hoyle said.
"They put their own lives in danger to help their colleagues and members of the public. There can be no higher honour given to each of them."
He said his team acknowledged there were others who also did amazing things during the siege.
"As District Commander, I am extremely proud of the actions of my staff."
The special honours also included a posthumous award for Austin Hemmings, the man who was fatally stabbed while helping a woman being threatened by an ex-boyfriend in 2008.
Two posthumous honours, for Anthony McLean and Anthony Mulder, were awarded in relation to a river canyoning tragedy in the Mangatepopo Gorge in 2008. Senior Firefighter Mervyn Neil was also honoured for his actions during the Tamahere Coolstore fire in 2008.