Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The unique Irish Medal for Saving Life at Sea awarded to Skipper Alfred Britton, of the trawler Mannofield, for saving the lives of the crew of the yacht Siren, 1 July 1924

Ireland, Medal for Saving Life at Sea, dark bronze, reverse inscribed, ‘Skipper Alfred Britton “Mannofield” 1st July 1924’, with bronze and enamel suspension bar and original ribbon, extremely fine £2000-3000

The Medal for Saving Life at Sea was the first medal created by the Irish Free State. It was instituted in 1923 by the Irish Minister of Industry and Commerce, as an award for acts of gallantry in saving life on the high seas where a vessel registered in the the state was wrecked or endangered. The medal was designed by Albert Power, R.H.A., the dies made by Messrs. Janvier & Berchant, Paris, and the medal in dark bronze was struck in 1924 by Messrs. P. Quinn & Co., Dublin. The medal obverse, in low relief, shows a two-funnelled steamship sinking by the stern in heavy seas, whilst in the foreground is an oared lifeboat coming to the rescue; on either side are lighthouses symbolic of night and day; above are two reclining figures symbolic of the great oceans and below is a ‘stormy petrel’ with outspread wings. Only one medal was ever issued. A specimen of the medal is known to have been presented to the National Museum in 1935 and one other specimen is known to exist. The medal officially became obsolete in 1947 being replaced by the Medals for Civil Bravery. One can only assume that in the interim the existence of the medal was forgotten as there were surely many instances for when another medal could have been awarded.

‘On the 1st July, 1924 the Yacht Siren owned by William Blackmore, Dun Laoghaire, was making for Dungarven when she was over taken by a severe storm. The Yacht was struck by a wave which carried away the jib and portion of her sail rendering her unmanageable. The crew consisting of Skipper Williams and his brother, of Dungarven were unable to go on deck to show signals of distress being obliged to secure themselves in the cockpit to avoid being washed overboard.

Alfred Britton, Skipper of the Mannofield sighted the Siren at 9 p.m. apparently in distress. On approaching he heard shouting and saw a red light being waved. On coming near it he observed the two men on board in an exhausted condition. He succeeded after some time in throwing a line on board the Yacht but the men were unable to make it secure. He was therefore obliged to manoeuvre close up to the Yacht’s side so that with the assistance of his own crew he could rescue the men as they jumped on board the Mannofield. The operation was attended with great risk owing to the heavy sea that was running at the time and the exhausted condition of the men on the Siren.

The rescued men received every attention on board the Mannofield being given dry clothes, food and sleeping accommodation, and were landed at Dublin on the following morning.’ (Citation, ref: Department of Industry & Commerce, Dublin).

Two days after the rescue, the abandoned Siren was found and taken in tow by the motor boat Macushla to Kilmore, Co. Wexford.

On 14 September 1925, W. T. Cosgrave, President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, accompanied by Mr McGilligan, Minister of Trade & Industry, presented the newly created Medal for Saving Life at Sea to Skipper Britton, of Fleetwood., for saving the lives of the crew of the yacht Siren on 1 July 1924. They congratulated him on his gallantry and good seamanship and wished him every success in his future connection with the sea.

With copied newspaper extracts concerning the rescue (Irish Times, 3 July 1924); the salvage of the abandoned yacht Siren (Irish Times, 5 July 1924) and the presentation of the medal (Irish Times, 15 September 1925); with other copied research.