MORRINSVILLE - Often it is the little things - like an angry voice at the counter - that spark flashbacks to the day a deranged bomber plunged Morrinsville police into a hostage drama.
But the flashbacks are fading for Sergeant Allan Cantley, who has been awarded the NZ Bravery Decoration for
helping save four people held hostage by Larry Hammond on July 29, 1993.
"It's a total surprise," he said of the award yesterday. "That's the special thing about it."
Sergeant Cantley said little incidents brought back memories for years after the bomb attack. Usually it was a raised voice, because Hammond "was pretty hyped up" before being shot dead at the end of his 45 minute siege.
The 47-year-old was armed with three knives, a crossbow and 14 home-made bombs when he burst into the police station with three terrified hostages. He planted bombs and booby traps through the station and demanded to speak to broadcaster Paul Holmes, who convinced him to release his civilian hostages.
Sergeant Cantley then helped all but one of the remaining hostages to escape. He entered the building with dog handlers to confront Hammond and rescue the last hostage, a constable.
Hammond was shot when he fired a crossbow bolt at one of the dog handlers, hitting him in the arm. He believed a tracking device had been planted in his brain, but an X-ray of his body found nothing.
Sergeant Cantley and three of his troops - Constable George Stafford and Senior Constables Blair Donaldson and John Stuart - have already been given police awards for their actions during the siege.
Sergeant Cantley yesterday said all the police who took part helped to save the hostages, and he was a little anxious about being singled out. He was also having a hard time keeping news of the award to himself, because he didn't like keeping information from his 10 staff.
