Orders, Decorations and Medals

Sea Gallantry Medal (Foreign Services), V.R., small, ‘From the British Government, For Gallantry and Humanity’, (Miguel Jimenez) good very fine £300-350

‘The Ettrickdale stranded off the Spanish coast near Gibraltar, in thick and stormy weather, the crew were forced to take refuge in the rigging. Two unsuccessful attempts were made next morning by a Spanish fishing boat to reach the wreck, and a boat manned by Lieutenant Jellicoe and the above mentioned seamen was despatched from H.M.S. Monarch for the same purpose but capsized in the breakers. Finally another Spanish fishing boat succeeded in getting alongside and rescued the whole crew, with the exception of one man who drowned’.

The Board of Trade awarded one silver (to Lieutenant J. R. Jellicoe) and seven bronze medals to the men of the battleship, H.M.S. Monarch, in recognition of their gallant attempt to rescue the shipwrecked crew of the steamship Ettrickdale that was stranded off the Spanish coast near Gibraltar, 12 March 1886. The Board also awarded silver medals and monetary awards to sixteen Spanish fishermen in recognition of their gallantry on the same occasion. The Ettrickdale was en route from Benisaf to the Clyde carrying a cargo of iron ore and esparto.

The young Lieutenant John Rushworth Jellicoe, R.N., was later to become an Admiral and commanded the British Grand Fleet at the battle of Jutland. He was later appointed Admiral of the Fleet and was created an Earl.