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LIFE SAVING AWARDS (Other Properties) 620


A rare Gold Albert Medal for Saving Life at Sea and Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society Marine Medal and Bar pair awarded to First Mate Thomas Averett Whistler of the Ennerdale, for a rescue performed on 17 December 1885, off Cape Horn, and an attempted rescue on 13 December 1886 in Sydney Harbour - the first made all the more difficult by the attentions of a belligerent Albatross!


ALBERTMEDAL, 1st Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea, gold and enamel, reverse inscribed, ‘Presented in the name of Her Majesty to Mr Thomas Averett Whistler, First Mate of the ship “Ennerdale” of Liverpool for his gallantry in rescuing H. Pochin, a seaman of that vessel on the 17th December 1885 and for afterwards attempting to rescue J. F. Beattie, an apprentice belonging to the same vessel on the 13th December 1886’, in slightly warped Phillips Bros. & Son, London case of issue, case lid inscribed, ‘Presented in the name of Her Majesty to Thomas Averett Whistler for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea’; LIVERPOOL SHIPWRECK AND HUMANE SOCIETY, MARINE MEDAL, 3rd issue, silver (Thos. A. Whistler, Ch. Offcr. ship “Ennerdale” for Jumping Overbd. to Save a Shipmate off Cape Horn, Dec. 17. 85) with Second Award Bar inscribed, ‘For Saving Life July 1886’ (sic), in damaged case of issue, extremely fine (2)


£8000-10000 Albert Medal London Gazette 27 July 1887.


‘On the 17th December 1885, as the Ennerdale was rounding Cape Horn, an apprentice named Duncan McCallum fell from aloft into the sea, striking the rigging in his fall. Immediately Harry Pochin, an A.B., leapt overboard after McCallum, who sank before Pochin could reach him. Pochin, afraid of being seized with cramp before a boat could come to his assistance, asked for a life-buoy to be thrown to him, and at the same moment the master called all hands to man a boat. Whistler, who was 24 years old, had been asleep in his berth. He ran on deck and heard Pochin’s hail; calling to the boatswain to heave him a life-buoy, he sprang overboard. secured the life-buoy thrown to him, and succeeded in reaching Pochin. The latter was already on the point of sinking, but with the help of the life- buoy Whistler was able to keep him up. The water was bitterly cold; an albatross hovered round the two men ready to attack them.


Meanwhile considerable delay had occurred in the dispatch of the boat, her lashings had been secured extra firmly for the passage round Cape Horn and, when at last launched, so many men crowded into her that she capsized. When righted and re-launched she rescued Whistler and Pochin, who were now entirely exhausted after 40 minutes in the water. The albatross had to be driven off with a boat-hook. Directly they were lifted into the boat both men became insensible, and Whistler was delirious for some time afterwards.


About a year later, on 13th December 1886, while the Ennerdale was in Sydney Harbour, an apprentice named James F. Beattie was taking the captain’s gig from the starboard to the port side of the vessel when the boat sheered off and he was thrown into the water.


Whistler immediately dived, fully dressed, from the poop, but reached the water too close to the boy, who caught him from behind, put his arms around his waist, and locked his legs in his. They both sank, and whilst under water Whistler cleared himself from Beattie’s grasp, caught him by the shoulder, and struck out for a life-buoy which had been thrown overboard. Before it could be reached, both sank a second time, and Whistler, who was by this time thoroughly exhausted, was obliged to let go his hold of the boy. The body was afterwards found floating in another part of the harbour.’ (Ref. Gallantry, by Wilson & McEwen).


For his part in attempting to rescue Duncan McCallum, who had fallen overboard on 17 December 1885, Able Seaman Harry Salisbury Pochin was also awarded the Albert Medal.


www.dnw.co.uk


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