Life Saving Awards 769
Royal Humane Society, Testimonial on Vellum, inscribed ‘Lionel M. Sharp is justly entitled to the Honorary Testimonial of this society inscribed on Vellum which is hereby awarded him for having on the 9th July 1914 at great personal risk gallantly attempted to rescue the Reverend D. Walters who was unfortunately drowned at Goodwick, Fishguard’, mounted on card, generally good condition
£80-£100
D.C.M. London Gazette 21 June 1916: ‘For consistent good work with a Signal Section. He has set a fine example to those under him when carrying out difficult and dangerous work.’
The following article from The Western Mail, 11 July 1914, gives further detail behind Sharp’s rescue attempt: ‘Assistant-scoutmaster Leo Sharp’s plucky deed in trying to save the Rev. D. Walters from drowning at Goodwick has excited much admiration. He had just finished dressing after a long swim with two other scouts, Exon and Creece, when he heard Mr. Walters call for help. Clad in heavy nailed boots and knickers, Sharp swam out to the distressed clergyman, who had gone down. He dived, and seizing him by the hair hauled him up. Sharp was dragged under twice, but got underneath and pushed Mr. Walters forward, calling on his two scouts to bring a punt. This was brought at once, and within two or three minutes the body was landed. While the other boys went for the doctor and appliances Sharp commenced artificial respiration but without avail. Scoutmaster Sharp is the second son of Captain R. Sharp, Fishguard Harbour, and efforts to secure recognition of his deed are being made in the proper quarter.’
Lionel ‘Leo’ Meredith Sharp was born in Newhaven, Sussex in February 1894. At the time of the rescue he was employed as a Fitters Apprentice, and lived in Goodwick, Pembrokeshire. The Reverend David Walters was 32 and of St. Peter’s Church, Goodwick. Sharp enlisted in the Royal Engineers in September 1914, and served with the 14th Signal Company as a Sergeant in the French theatre of war from 19 May 1915. He distinguished himself on the Western Front in 1916, and was gassed in October the following year. After the war he joined the Merchant navy and was employed as an engineer.
Sold with copied research, including photographic images of recipient. 770
Plym, Tamar, Lynher, and Tavy Humane Society, silver (To James Tos, who risked his own to save another’s life, 1873.) unmounted, edge bruising, very fine
£260-£300 771
County Borough of Swansea Certificate of Bravery, inscribed to Owen Edwards, 8 Bryn Terrace, Fforestfach, for his courage in saving Raymond Tucker, aged 13, of 9 Berw Raod, Maryhill, from drowning in a pond at Cwmdu, on 2nd July 1927’, illuminated and mounted on card, signed by both the Mayor and Town Clerk of Swansea, dated 21 September 1927, good condition
£60-£80 The incident for which the certificate was awarded is recorded in the South Wales Daily Post, 4 July 1927:
‘Only the promptitude and bravery of Cwmbwria man averted a tragedy in the pond known locally as ‘The Bounds’ on Saturday afternoon. The man, Mr. Owen Edwards, of 8 Bryn Terrace, dived, fully dressed, into the pond and rescued a 13 year old boy, named Tucker, of Town Hill. ‘The Bounds’ are the reservoirs for the Cwmbwria Works, and after recent heavy rains were at least 10 feet deep.
It appears that several boys, amongst them being Tucker, had gone to the pond to swim, when suddenly the cry was raised that a boy was drowning. Mr. Owen Edwards was sitting near an allotment 70 or 80 yards away.
Hearing the cries, he ran to the bank, and, pulling off his coat, dived in after the boy, who had, by that time gone under, and succeeded in bringing the lad to the bank of the pond. Describing the incident to a Post reporter, an eye-witness said, “Owen came to the surface about fifteen yards from the bank, with the boy struggling in his arms. At times, it seemed that the boy would pull him under in his frantic struggles, but at last Owen got him near the bank, where he received assistance from Mr. D. Reynolds, of the Cwmbwria Inn, who went out up to his waist to help. The boy had by now become unconscious.” After artificial respiration had been employed, he recovered, and was able to proceed home. This plucky effort is all the more commendable, as Mr. Owen is still suffering from the effects of another self-sacrificing incident. Less than two months ago he answered an urgent call from Swansea Hospital for a volunteer for a transfusion of blood. He gave a pint in a futile effort to save a patient.’
Sold with copied research.
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