Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Stanhope Gold Medal awarded to Ernest T. Johnson, who was also awarded the Daily Herald’s Order of Industrial Heroism

Royal Humane Society, Stanhope Gold Medal for 1927, 1st issue (Ernest T. Johnson), 18ct. gold, hallmarks for Birmingham 1927, stamped ‘Elkington’ on reverse of suspension bar, in Warrington, London case of issue, extremely fine £2000-2400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer.

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‘Between 4 and 5 p.m. on the 10th December, 1926, two men, David Inglis and Ernest T. Johnson, were working in a trench which was being excavated in the garden of Mayvern House, Bury Old Road, Higher Crumpsall, Manchester. The trench was 16 ft. deep, the subsoil at this depth being quicksands. Without warning the trench suddenly collapsed, partially burying Johnson and completely burying Inglis. Johnson could easily have released himself, but realized that if he did so Inglis would have been suffocated, as he was entirely covered, only his hair showing, and he decided at the risk of his own life to remain where he was, and thus try to save his mate. He had constantly to scrape the earth away from Inglis’s head so that he could breathe, and at the same time carry the weight of the crumbling earth above, and so prevent further collapse. Assistance was summoned, but owing to the shifting nature of the sands it took eight hours before the men were finally got out, and during this time the weight of earth Johnson was supporting forced him down to where Inglis was buried, making his position one of the greatest danger’ (Ref. R.H.S. Case No. 48,761). For his gallantry Ernest Johnson was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in Silver and was the recipient of the Royal Humane Society’s Stanhope Gold Medal for 1927.

The incident was also recorded in Gallantry, p.50, ‘Ernest Johnson was working in a deep trench at Manchester when his mate, David Inglis, was buried in quicksand. Johnson stood supporting a great load of debris for eight hours, and kept his mate’s chin above the earth. ‘I owe my life to my pal Johnson, who supported a great load of earth on his back’, said Inglis. ‘He could have moved, but refused, for fear the earth would fall and crush me. He cracked jokes and laughingly told me we should be out in time for the pictures!’

Such was the bravery of his unselfish actions that Johnson was additionally awarded the Order of Industrial Heroism by the Daily Herald (award number 40). Johnson, from Ardwick, was presented with the ‘Order’ at Houldsworth Hall, Manchester, on 25 March 1927. See also The Order of Industrial Heroism, by Fevyer, Wilson and Cribb. Sold with copied cuttings from the Daily Herald reporting on the incident, with photographs of the recipient, copied letters from the United Operative Plumbers & Domestic Engineers’ Association to the Daily Herald concerning the award, and other copied research.