Orders, Decorations and Medals

Royal Humane Society, large silver medal (successful), by Pistrucci (Henry Skelton, A.B., H.M.S. Tortoise Vit. ob Serv. D.D. Soc. Reg. Hvm. 13 Decr. 1853) fitted with a ring suspension, in Warrington, London case of issue, some contact marks, very fine £450-500

‘On Tuesday, the 13th December 1853, at the Island of Ascension, a boy named William Coombes, while fishing, was seized with a fit and fell into the sea; when in the water, and lying at the bottom, his head was observed to be underneath a large projecting cliff, and it therefore required a great deal of exertion to rescue him from such a dangerous situation, when Henry Skelton, a Seaman of H.M.S. Tortoise, who had been employed at work near the spot, heard a noise, ran out and gallantly jumped into the sea, dived, and in a few moments succeeded in rescuing the boy from a watery grave’ (Ref: Acts of Gallantry, by Lambton Young).

Sold with the original parchment certificate of award - this stained around the edges.