Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society Medal group of four awarded to Able Seaman C. C. Hillyard, Royal Naval Reserve

British War and Victory Medals (28670 Smn., R.N.R.); Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue; Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society, 5th type, silver (C. C. Hillyard (A.B.), S.S. Onyx, 9 Dec. 1910) ‘double dolphin’ suspension, silver buckle on ribbon, mounted for wear, claw tightened on last, good very fine and better (4) £300-350

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

View
Collection

Ref. Spink Exhibition 1985, No. 96.

S.F.M.R.B.S. records:

‘McNeill, A., Mate of the SS Onyx of Glasgow, and McKellar, D., Second Mate; Rayner, C., Able Seaman, and Hillyard, C.C., Able Seaman’.

‘A gallant case of life-saving at sea having been brought to the notice of the Committee, the following awards were decided upon on December 30th :-

To Captain William Leitch, of the SS Onyx, owned by Mr William Robertson, of Glasgow, a barometer with inscription. To A. McNeill and D. McKellar £3 each and the Society's Silver Medal, and to C. Raynor and C.C. Hillyard £2 each and the Silver Medal’.

‘On December 9, 1910, the SS Maple, of Newry, with a crew of eight, was descried by the master of the Onyx in a sinking condition about fifteen miles SSW. of the Mull of Galloway, a strong N.E. gale blowing and there being a very heavy cross sea. The master of the Maple, on the approach of the Onyx, attempted to launch his lifeboat, but this was at once smashed to atoms on reaching the water. The Onyx's lifeboat was then manned by the two mates and the two A.B.'s mentioned, and with great difficulty the whole crew of the sinking steamer were hauled by means of ropes through the water, and kindly taken care of until they were handed over to the Society's Hon. Agent at Holyhead (Mr John Murch, RN), who attended to their further wants and sent them to Ireland.

The Onyx is a vessel of 219 tons, and the Maple was of 125 tons (net)’.