Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Board of Trade Medal for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea, V.R., large, bronze (Joseph Catt, Wrecks of the “Fusilier” and “Demerara”, 3rd and 4th Decr. 1863) in named case of issue, case worn, medal nearly extremely fine £200-260

At 8.45 p.m. on 3 December 1863, the Ramsgate lifeboat, the Northumberland, and her crew were towed out by the paddle tug, Aid, after a report had been received of signal guns being fired by the Tongue light vessel. In mountainous seas and a near hurricane, the lifeboat men had a terrible time as the tug battled her way north. The crew of the Tongue light vessel indicated that there was a ship aground on the Shingles. This proved incorrect as after some time the casualty was seen by the lifeboat on the Girdler Bank where it was being pounded by enormous seas. .... with skill and courage the lifeboat was got alongside the casualty which was the ship Fusilier bound from London to Melbourne with emigrants.

At 2.00 a.m., 25 women and children were taken aboard the lifeboat and then transferred to the tug which was waiting in deeper water nearly a mile away. The Coxswain took the boat alongside the Fusilier a second time and huge seas repeatedly swept over both boats and another 40 women and children were rescued and taken to the tug. Two more trips were made saving all 36 male passengers and putting them on board the tug. By then it was 6.00 a.m. and the tug and the lifeboat stood by the steamer whose Captain and crew remained on board. The tug left at daybreak to land 101 people, the lifeboat continuing to stand by the stranded steamer.

When the tug returned some one and half hours later it reported that another vessel was aground on the Shingles Bank. The lifeboat immediately set off towards this casualty. The vessel was the Demerara, of Greenock, with a crew of 18 plus the pilot on board. They had been clinging to the rigging for 11 hours when the lifeboat got alongside and rescued them. Both boats then returned to Ramsgate 16 hours after they had set out.’ (ref. The Sea Gallantry Medal, by R. J. Scarlett).

A total of 22 bronze Sea Gallantry Medals were awarded for this rescue.

With copied extracts from newspapers of the time and other research.