Orders, Decorations and Medals

An extremely rare Polar Medal awarded to James Purvis, afterwards a Petty Officer in the Royal Navy, whose seven seasons of exploration and research work were aptly preserved for posterity by the naming of “Purvis Glacier” on South Georgia

Polar Medal 1904, G.VI.R., bronze, 1 clasp, Antarctic 1925-35 (James Purvis) good very fine £2500-3000

Only three Polar Medals for ‘Antarctic 1925-35’ were issued (London Gazette 7 July 1941 refers).

James Purvis served for seven seasons in the Antarctic, namely as an Ordinary Seaman in Discovery during 1925-27, in the same rate in Alert during 1928-30, as an Able Seaman in Discovery II during 1930-31 and as an Assistant Cook during 1933-35. He was later advanced to Petty Officer in the Royal Navy.