Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Stanhope Gold Medal pair awarded to Victor Leonard Golding

Royal Humane Society, Stanhope Gold Medal, for 1984, 2nd issue (Victor Leonard Golding, 22 August 1983) by Spink, London, 9ct. gold, hallmarks for London 1985, in case of issue; Royal Humane Society Medal, small, silver (successful) (Victor Leonard Golding, 22nd August 1983) in Spink, London case of issue, extremely fine (2) £1800-2200

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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On 22nd August 1983, Victor Golding gallantly rescued a man after an explosion at a chemical works in Canning Road, London. The summary of this brave deed is as follows:-

Salvor and Saved were both on the retort floor of the Nitre Cake Plant (one floor up) to investigate why No. 2 retort was not reaching the usual temperature for a successful operation. The retort suddenly exploded, subjecting Salvor and Saved to acid burns, danger of falling debris and fire, which had started in the wooden roof. Salvor, painfully injured, and in danger of a further explosion and structural collapse of the building, made his way to Saved, injured physically and probably mentally (Hysterical), and by persuasion led and guided him to the ground floor and away from the building. Salvor removed all of Saved's acid contaminated clothing, and washed away and diluted the corrosive acid by dowsing him with water from a hose pipe. He also applied bicarbonite (sic) of soda paste to Saved until the arrival of an ambulance.

Salvor's next main concern was to ensure the safety of the plant for the fire fighters. He courageously returned to the plant, isolated the gas supply and realising the danger from a 500 gallon sulphuric acid header above the roof, whose fractured lines were spraying acid in the area of a retort, isolated the very volatile liquid. In these tasks he exposed himself to injury from flying glass, spraying acid and falling debris. Furthermore, he also drained the header tank, after firstly freeing the valve to the feed lines.

Salvor was suffering from severe shock and was eventually persuaded to go to hospital, although according to witnesses he was more concerned about Saved's condition and the safety of the plant than he was about himself. Salvor received “spotting” acid burns to face, neck, body and legs, all of which he treated himself. He also suffered a cut leg, bruising and severe shock. The fire brigade withdrew at 04.15 hrs.’ (Ref. R.H.S. Case No. 79,166; Acts of Gallantry, Vol. 3).