Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Sea Gallantry Medal/Lloyd’s Life Saving Medal pair awarded to Able Seaman W. Mouat of the S.S. Vedanore, for saving life from the S.S. Londonian, 26 November 1896

Board of Trade Medal for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea, V.R., large, silver (William Mouat, Wreck of the “Londonian” on the 26th November 1898) unmounted, correction to first ‘o’ of ‘Londonian’, some marks and bruising to edge, some contact marks elsewhere; Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea, 2nd type, small bronze (W. Mouat “Londonian” 25-27 Nov. 1898) nearly very fine and better (2) £650-750

For this action, 9 silver Board of Trade Medals were awarded to men of S.S. Vedamore and 3 to men of S.S. Londonian.

The Londonian, of the Wilsons & Furness Leyland Line was a steamship of 5,532 tons built in 1896.

The steamship Londonian under Captain E. B. Lee, left Boston, Massachusetts for London on 15.11.1898, with a company of 70 and a cargo of grain and 150 head of cattle. After about a week at sea the ship ran into foul weather, increasing later to a gale and she began to make water; her steering-gear jammed and it became impossible to keep her head on.

The ship broached to and she was thrown on to her beam ends and her engine room flooded. The cattle were driven overboard to lighten the ship which continued to drift for two days and nights, until the morning of the 25th when she was sighted by the Vedamore under Captain Bartlett.

The Captain of the Londonian asked to be taken in tow, but this the Vedamore’s captain declined to do, though he was prepared to take off the crew. About noon therefore, Captain Lee decided to abandon his ship and the Vedamore made an attempt to get a boat alongside, but after three hours struggle the boat returned without having rescued a single man. Other efforts by rocket and line from windward of the derelict were equally unsuccessful and operations had to be suspended until daybreak (26th Nov.) when lines attached to life-buoys were floated down to the Londonian. After many hours one of these was picked up and a heavier line taken on board. A lifeboat was lashed to this and was hauled to and fro between the ships, 22 men being saved on the first journey. At the second attempt the rope broke and the boat capsized. Another boat was lowered by the Vedamore but this was smashed and the crew barely escaped with their lives. These efforts lasted throughout the day and there was another pause during the hours of darkness. Next morning (27th Nov.) one of the Londonian’s boats was got over the side where it at once capsized, drowning all its occupants. A second boat got away with 23 men who were taken on board the Vedamore. All day attempts to effect further rescues continued but without success. At dawn on the morning of the 28th those on board the Vedamore saw no sign of the Londonian, so with the survivors on board the ship proceeded on its way to Baltimore.
Meanwhile the derelict Londonian, with Captain Lee and seven men still on board was drifting helplessly with the gale. At midnight on the 28th one of their flares was seen by the German steamship Maria Rickmers, which sent a boat. After a struggle of many hours a line was passed to the ship and all survivors were taken off.

45 men were rescued by the Vedamore, 8 by the Maria Rickmers, 17 others were drowned. (Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers). With copied research.