Auction Catalogue
Create new listCarnegie Hero Fund, a bronze award medal, unsigned, winged female and naked male standing on globe, rev. for heroic endeavour to save human life, etc., date 1911 engraved below, edge engraved (Duncan Campbell, Strevenish, Islay, 21st October 1911), 90mm (cf. Medal Year Book 331; Wilson & McEwen pp.69-75). Extremely fine and very rare (£400-500)
The Carnegie Hero Trust Fund of Great Britain was established in Scotland in 1908. The highest award of the Trust, the bronze medal, is awarded only for acts of exceptional bravery. To date 173 medals have been awarded.
On 20 October 1911 the steamship Ena of Kragero ran onto the rocks near the shore of the Mull of Oa, (parish of Kildalton, Islay), and became a total wreck. The crew of eighteen and one passenger, a woman, took to the boats. The last boat was driven by the waves from the ship’s side, leaving four of the crew still on board. Some of the shipwrecked crew located Campbell and brought him to the site of the wreck. The vessel was lying some 40 to 50 yards from shore on a ‘narrow’ between it and a rock. At the fifth attempt Campbell was able to reach the rock. He rigged a rope between the rock and the shore and, in showing the four frightened sailors how to go hand-over-hand on the rope to reach the shore, he saved their lives. Witnesses were of the opinion that Campbell ran a great risk of losing his life in making the rescue, as he did not know how to swim.
Campbell was a small farmer in fairly comfortable circumstances, married and with a young family. The Chief Constable said that ‘he suffered no loss except that he was kept from his farm work for a full day.’ Campbell received the bronze medallion and the sum of £20 from the Carnegie Hero Trust Fund
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