Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Humane Society, small silver medal (unsuccessful) (Lieut. C. Home Cockran, R.N., H.M.S. “Valiant’ 28 Jan. 1883) solder marks to obverse, suspension refixed, slight contact marks and edge bruising, very fine £240-280

Ex D.N.W. 1 December 2010.

At 7.30pm on 28 January 1883, off Tarbert, Stoker Andrew Hooper, of H.M.S. Valiant, was getting from the steam launch to the Jacob’s ladder, in order to board the armoured iron frigate H.M.S. Valiant, when he accidentally fell into the water. The river was one mile wide at this point and seven fathoms deep, the night dark and a gale was blowing. Hooper could scarcely be seen due to the darkness. Able Seaman George Bennett jumped over the stern and supported the unconscious Hooper. Lieutenant Cochrane [sic] observing by the light of a signal that the men were floating astern in the darkness, also jumped overboard and assisted them to the buoy which was hanging over the stern with a glass hawser attached. All three were picked up by boats in due course, though unfortunately Andrew Hooper was dead. The rescue was brought to the attention of the R.H.S. by the Admiralty. The Society, having approved the award of its silver medal to Cochran and Bennett at its committee meeting of 20 February 1883, despatched these to the Secretary of the Naval Reserves on 24 March 1883 for them to organise the presentations. (ref: R.H.S. case no. 21921). The incident took place ‘Off Tarbert River Shannon’.

Charles Home Cochran (spelt ‘Cockran’ on medal) was born in Bath on 22 June 1850, the son of Alexander Cochran (1814-1903), of Ashkirk, Hawick, Roxburghshire, and his first wife Fanny Batsford. He joined the Royal Navy, being nominated as a cadet on 16 June 1863, joining H.M.S. Britannia on 8 September 1863. He was then posted as a Midshipman aboard H.M.S. Royal Oak on 21 January 1865, before going on to serve on a long succession of ships.

Cochran was promoted Sub-Lieutenant on 2 February 1870 aboard H.M.S. Juno and saw action in the Ashantee War of 1873-4 when he was serving aboard H.M.S. Barracouta. During the campaign he was mentioned in despatches in October 1873 for raising native levees for the King of Assayboo and was promoted Lieutenant on 17 December that year (Ashantee War Medal, with clasp Coomassie).

Promoted to Commander on 30 June 1888 and Captain on 31 December 1895, Cochran commanded H.M.S. Sappho during Queen Victoria’s Review of the Fleet at Spithead on 26 June 1897 and he received the Jubilee Medal issued that year. He accompanied the German Emperor on his Imperial yacht from the Nore to Flushing on 6 February 1901. Cochran received the M.V.O. (4th Class) in 1902 (London Gazette, 2 May 1902) and the Coronation Medal. Following a final period as Captain of Devonport Dockyard and King’s Harbourmaster of the Hamoaze, Cochran was placed on the retired list on 22 June 1905. He was promoted Rear Admiral on 31 May 1906 and Vice Admiral on 3 January 1911.

Vice-Admiral Cochran died on 14 February 1930 at his home The Retreat, Weston Road, Bath and was buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery, Newton St Loe, Bath, on 19 February following the funeral ceremony in the village church.

With copied research on paper and C.D.