Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal National Lifeboat Institution, V.R., silver (Mr George Caulfield Voted 9th July 1897) edge nicks, otherwise good very fine £500-600

R.N.L.I. Silver Medal, voted 9 July 1897.

The Institution’s silver medal awarded to Seamen George Caulfield, and Thomas Rickard, of the Storm King, and to Seamen Christy Kelly, James McLaughlan and Edward Rourke, of the Maymaid.

‘11 May 1897: Off the Nose of Howth, Co. Dublin, the Ringsend trawler Dodger sprang a leak and was taken in tow by the Howth hooker Storm King. The trawler began to sink immediately, so the hooker launched a boat with Mr. Rickard and Mr. Caulfield in it which took off the two man crew. Fowled by the trawler’s boom, the boat was dragged partly down leaving the four men struggling in the water. They regained the boat and righted her, but she was capsized three times by the rough seas. The Howth hooker Maymaid launched a boat manned by Messrs. McLaughlan, Kelly and Rourke and saved all four men.’ (ref. Lifeboat Gallantry, by Barry Cox)