Joshua Humphris commended by G-G for bravery in rescuing four from flooded Batchelor school bus

A Batchelor man has shared the incredible story of how he saved three students and a bus driver from a river south of Darwin after being awarded a prestigious honour from the Governor-General.

A passer-by who saved three students and a driver from a flooded school bus south of Darwin and a pair of off-duty police officers who tackled a knife-wielding lunatic in total disregard for their own safety have both been cited for bravery.

Batchelor refrigeration mechanic Joshua Humphris and Alice Springs policemen Senior Sergeant Michael Milde and Senior Constable Luke Bevan were among 33 Australians who received a Commendation for Brave Conduct from the nation’s Governor-General Sam Mostyn on Wednesday as part of the biannual Australian Bravery Decorations program.

Northern Territory Police Senior Sergeant Michael Milde. Picture: LinkedIn

Mr Humphris had just left his residence at Batchelor on the morning of March 7 last year to drop his six-year-old daughter to school when he saw something amiss with a CDC Northern Territory school bus.

“I saw the bus sideways across the road and thought he’d just tried to turn around,” Mr Humphris said.

“I thought we’d better go see if we can pull them out.

“As we got closer I realised the bus was in the water with kids hanging out the window screaming for help.”

Mr Humphris left his daughter on the bank, shifted down to low-four, and reversed into the torrent.

“I wound my windows down, thinking there was a fair chance I’m gonna get washed off here and I’ll need to get out pretty quick,” he said.

Joshua Humphris has been awarded a Commendation for Brave Conduct by the Governor-General after he rescued four souls from a flooded school bus at Batchelor on March 7, 2023. Picture: File

After positioning his vehicle in front of the stricken bus, he climbed out his window and swung onto his tray, where he was able to assist the three children off the bus after they climbed onto its roof.

However, the bus driver, who was in shock, stayed “clinging to the steering wheel”.

After the bus shifted downstream a further metre, pushed by the raging torrent, Mr Humphris swung into action, climbing onto the bus to physically drag the driver from his seat and onto the ute tray, aided by the three young students, an adolescent and two children.

“They didn’t panic, helped me lift the driver from the water and into the ute,” Mr Humphris said.

“Without them, I don’t think I would’ve been able to do it.”

Mr Humphris said while he was proud, he also abhorred the attention.

“I’m probably a little bit embarrassed about the spotlight. Everyone else thinks it’s hilarious,” he said.

Batchelor refrigeration mechanic Joshua Humphris has been awarded a Commendation for Brave Conduct as part of the biannual Australian Bravery Decorations. Picture: Facebook

According to the text of Sergeant Milde and Constable Bevan’s Commendation for Brave Conduct, the pair risked their lives at Alice Springs on the morning of July 17, 2022.

Both officers were off-duty and had attended the Todd Mall Markets with their families independently of one another.

At about 10.45am, Constable Bevan “saw a man chasing another male with a knife”. 

He stepped away from his family and yelled at the offender to drop the weapon.

As he approached, the offender attempted to strike him with the knife. 

Constable Bevan again yelled at the offender to drop the knife.

He was joined by Sergeant Milde, who had witnessed the offender swing the knife at Constable Bevan, and together they tackled the knife-wielding man to the ground.

As they were falling, the offender swung the knife, grazing the right arm of Sergeant Milde. 

Constable Bevan and Sergeant Milde subdued the offender and held him on the ground until

uniformed officers arrived and took him into custody.