Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Albert Medal for Land awarded to Mrs. F. W. H. Emmett, the wife of the Stationmaster at Peshawar, for gallantry in saving the life of her husband and son following an attack by a murderous fanatic on 7 December 1919- one of only 16 Albert Medals awarded to women

Albert Medal, 2nd Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land, bronze and enamel, the reverse officially engraved ‘Presented by His Majesty to Florence Amy, wife of Frederick William Henry Emmett, for Gallantry in saving life at Peshawar, on the 7th. December 1919.’, in case of issue, minor edge nick, otherwise extremely fine £6000-8000

Provenance: Christie’s, November 1988.

A.M. London Gazette 17.8.1920:

‘On the 7th December 1919, Mrs. Emmett, wife of the Stationmaster at Peshawar, and her children were sitting with her husband, who was in bed with fever, when the eldest boy aged 17 went into the sitting-room, and found an Indian coming in from the garden with an axe, breaking the boy’s forearm. The boy closed with his assailant, and on his mother coming into the room she found that the man, who had dropped his axe, was stabbing her son with a dagger. She went to her son’s assistance and held the man, never relaxing her hold in spite of receiving a stab in her side. At this stage her husband came from his sickbed to the rescue; the Indian wrenched himself free from Mrs. Emmett and stabbed Mr. Emmett in the thigh. Thereupon Mrs. Emmett again seized the man by the wrist, and in spite of receiving several more wounds on her hand and arm succeeded in getting hold of the handle of the dagger. Eventually with the aid of servants the assailant was overpowered. All three recovered; their assailant, a murderous fanatic, was tried and hanged.’

Florence Amy Emmett, the wife of the Peshawar Stationmaster, was severely wounded in the murderous attack, ‘but continued to show the greatest courage by ignoring her own wounds until both her husband and son had been attended to and sent to hospital. There can be no doubt that Mrs. Emmitt’s bravery saved her son’s life and probably her husband’s too.’ She was presented with her Albert Medal by H.M. King George V at Buckingham Palace on 8 March 1921.