Auction Catalogue

20 September 2002

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to coincide with the OMRS Convention

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 818

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20 September 2002

Hammer Price:
£1,100

A scarce Edwardian S.G.M., Great War Lloyd’s Medal pair awarded to Able Seaman Thomas Murphy, Mercantile Marine and Royal Naval Reserve

Sea Gallantry Medal, E.VII.R., small type, bronze (Thomas Murphy, “Ocean Maid”, 6th March 1908), in its fitted case of issue; Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea, small type, silver (Seaman Thomas Murphy, S.S. “Ionian”, 20th October 1917), in its fitted Wyon case of issue, with related Gold Swiss Pocket Watch, the interior engraved, ‘Presented to Mr. Thomas Murphy by His Shipmates in Appreciation of His Bravery and Skill on the Occasion of the Ship “Ionian” being Torpedoed, 19th Oct. 1917’, good very fine (3) £600-800

Thomas Murphy was awarded his Sea Gallantry Medal under the following circumstances, while serving as Mate of the Ocean Maid in March 1908 (P.R.O. BT 261/5 refers):

‘The
Ocean Maid was stranded in Rosslare Harbour. Communication was obtained with the first rocket and three of the crew, including T. Murphy, were landed in a breeches buoy. The Master, who was an old and heavy man, fell out of the buoy when being brought ashore. The three men named rushed into the surf and at great risk brought him ashore. The treatment of restoring an apparently drowned man was resorted to but he eventually succumbed.’

The other two men were from the Coast Guard Station at Ballygeary, and all three received a £1 reward and Bronze Medals at a presentation at Rosslare.

Murphy’s subsequent award of the Lloyd’s Medal was won under the following circumstances:

‘The S.S.
Ionian was sunk by enemy action [torpedoed] in the Bristol Channel on 20 October 1917. The night was very dark and the sea rough. No. 6 boat had been lowered into the water and was full of men, when, before she was clear of the ship’s side, No. 8 was lowered on top of her, causing her to founder, and throwing the crew into the water. Murphy was in charge of No. 8 boat, and it is reported that it is entirely due to the way in which he handled his boat that he was able to pick them all up. He then had about 60 men in his boat, but was found to be the only one who understood navigation. He therefore took charge and succeeded in bringing the boat safely into Milford Haven.’

Presented with the Silver Medal at the Liverpool offices of his employer, the Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Ltd., in June 1918, Murphy was also the recipient of an Admiralty cheque for £25. He later penned a letter of thanks, stating that he hoped to live ‘many a day’ to appreciate his recent award, and to be spared ‘to plough the seas for a longer time.’