Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals group of three awarded to Senior Inspector Maurice Harland

R.S.P.C.A. Life-Saving Medal, silver (Insp. M. Harland 1955) complete with ‘For Humanity’ brooch bar, in case of issue; R.S.P.C.A. Life-Saving Medal, 2 clasps, 1956, 1957, bronze (Insp. M. Harland R.S.P.C.A. 1954) complete with ‘For Humanity’ brooch bar, in case of issue; R.S.P.C.A. Oil Pollution Medal, reverse inscribed, ‘Oil Pollution 1967’, bronze (Sen. Insp. M. Harland) complete with ‘For Humanity’ brooch bar, in case of issue, extremely fine (3) £550-650

Maurice Harland was born in Norton, Yorkshire on 20 March 1906. Formerly employed as a Farmer, he joined the R.S.P.C.A. as a Probationer on 25 September 1950, was appointed an Inspector 4th Class on 23 April 1951 and attained the rank of Senior Inspector on 31 December 1956. During the course of his career he was stationed at Sunderland, April 1951-February 1952; Kendal, February 1952-September 1958, and Dorchester from September 1958 until his retirement on 1 May 1971. Maurice Harland died on 25 September 1994.

During his 21 years service Inspector Harland received many awards. He was Commended for the rescue of a cat from a roof in Kendal, 22 April 1952 and was awarded the Certificate of Merit for assisting in the rescue of a cow from the River Kent at Stramongate Bridge, Kendal, 19 November 1953. He was subsequently awarded the “Manor Oak” Award and Certificate of Meritorious Service for ‘being the most zealous and efficient officer for the past year.’ Harland was awarded the first of his animal life-saving medals in 1954, when he was awarded the Society’s Bronze Medal and Citation Certificate for the rescue of a lamb from a pipe line at Old Hutton, near Kirby Lonsdale, 17 June 1954. He was awarded the Society’s Silver Medal and Citation Certificate for searching for a spaniel lost on Swarth Beck Gill, Arthur’s Pike, Ullswater, 17 February 1955. After being commended for the rescue of a dog trapped in a culvert, he was awarded a clasp to the Bronze Medal and Citation Certificate for the rescue of a sheep from a ledge at Knock Pipe Quarry, near Appleby, Westmoreland, 6 March 1956 and was awarded a second clasp to the Bronze Medal and Citation Certificate for the rescue of three sheep from a ledge at Rainsbarrow Crag, Kentmere, Kendal, 1 September 1957. He was Commended for the rescue of a ewe and lamb from a disused quarry at Kirkby Lonsdale, 9 July 1958.

In 1967, whilst stationed at Dorchester, Senior Inspector Harland was awarded the newly created R.S.P.C.A. Oil Pollution Medal for his outstanding work resulting from the massive spill of oil in the ‘Torrey Canyon Disaster’. The tragedy was described by one expert as ‘the greatest disaster to sea bird life in the history of British ornithology.’ Yet within a few hours of the vessel going aground, the Society had mounted an extensive rescue operation to relieve the suffering of the thousands of birds coated or trapped in oil and stranded in a helpless state all along the south coast and Bristol Channel. In the days and weeks that followed the Society and allied organisations did an immense work in cleaning, rehabilitating or, where necessary, humanely destroying thousands of birds.

With the recipient’s Driving Licence and twelve photographs of the recipient; also with copied service paper, roll extracts and other research.