A Fine Collection of Life Saving Awards 492
LAETITIA LIFEBOAT MEDAL 1866, silver, obverse: the Austrian brig ‘Osip’ sinking; rev. inscribed in raised letters, ‘Presented to each member of the crew of the Lifeboat Laetitia for the gallant rescue of 7 Austrian sailors from the brig Osip lost off Lowestoft during the storm of Jan. 13th 1866, Esto Perpetua’, unnamed, ring mount and ring suspension, in case, minor edge bruising, nearly extremely fine, rare
£250-300
On the morning of 13th January 1866, the Austrian brig Osip (Captain Guiseppe Descovich of Fiume), with a crew of 11 plus the Falmouth pilot, en route from Falmouth to Hartlepool with a cargo of maize, ran aground in a storm on the Holm Sands off Lowestoft. The yawl Young Prince made for the ship but her help was refused. With the storm increasing another yawl, the Albatross sailed towards the brig but was unable to communicate with those on board and so for her safety made for shore. The lifeboat Victoria then made for the wreck, towed part of the way by the tug Rainbow but because of the high sea and the wreckage from the ship she was unable to get near and had to return to the shore. A second attempt was then made by the lifeboat, Rainbow again towing it part of the way. This time the gallant lifeboatmen were successful and although nothing much of the Osip remained above water, 7 of the crew were brought away to safety. The Captain and the Pilot were amongst those who were lost.
The gallant action in saving Austrian nationals was reported to the Austrian government but being distracted with a war with Prussia at the time, no awards were made. It was not until 1893, twenty-seven years after the incident that privately made medals were issued. These were presented by the Mayor of Lowestoft to the men of the lifeboat who had made one or both trips to the Osip. 29 medals were awarded. The lifeboat Victoria was renamed Laetitia in 1869. See The Osip Medal to the Crew of the Laetitia by Bill Fevyer, L.S.A. R.S. Journal No. 17, p.38 - 40 and The Life Saving Medal for the Wreck of the Osip, by Gary Brown, L.S.A.R.S. Journal No. 39, p.27 - 29.
493
GORLESTON VOLUNTEER LIFEBOAT MEDAL 1903, obverse: sailing lifeboat; reverse: ‘Christean, Oct. 14th, 1903’ (Charles Burgess) 38.5mm., bronze, complete with brooch bar, nearly extremely fine
£240-280 Ex James Spencer Collection, D.N.W. 16 December 2003.
‘On Wednesday evening guns were heard from the lightships. The crew of the Elizabeth Simpson (Gorleston private volunteer lifeboat) at once mustered at the boathouse. A message had already been sent to Gorleston to tell the Institution (R.N.L.I.) not to put off as the John Burch (Yarmouth Lifeboat) was just leaving the beach. The Elizabeth Simpson was however launched and at once made for the wreck. The vessel proved to be the three-masted schooner Christean, a Swedish craft of about 141 tons from Fowey in Cornwall to Leith with a cargo of China Clay. She lay on the Cross Ridge Sand in about 3 to 4 feet of water and great difficulty was experienced by our boat in reaching her, the Elizabeth Simpson grounding 3 times and taking 3 hours to warp down to the doomed ship. Three of the crew of the Christean were drowned before the arrival of the lifeboat, they having taken to a small boat which was swamped. After about three and a half hours hard work, the Elizabeth Simpson returned to the harbour having brought in the 3 survivors of the crew of 6. .... This is indeed a splendid piece of work and for the fact of the launching of the Elizabeth Simpson we dare not think of the consequences as the Yarmouth Lifeboat was not able to reach the ship against the head wind and tide.’
All the crew of the Elizabeth Simpson involved in the rescue received a specially made medal. With some copied research.
494
MEDAL FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA, by Ben Wyon, obverse: a sailing ship in distress perilously near rocks with a lifeboat coming to the rescue; reverse inscribed, ‘To [blank] he risked his own to save anothers life’, 41mm., silver, swivel ring suspension, nearly extremely fine
£60-100 495
MAIDSTONE TYPHOID MEDAL 1897, silver (A. Elkington) with silver brooch bar, minor edge bruising, nearly extremely fine
£180-220 With copied newspaper extract re the presentation of medals.
www.dnw.co.uk
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