Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The superb lifesaving group of seven awarded to Captain John Henry Collin, Merchant Navy, who was awarded the Stanhope Gold Medal for 1896, for rescuing a man from the shark infested Red Sea

Transport 1899-1902, 1 clasp, S. Africa 1899-1902 (J. H. Collin); British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (John H. Collin); Imperial Merchant Service Guild Cross, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse inscribed, ‘Awarded by the Merchant Service Guild to John H. Collin, M.S.C. for Heroism at Sea, August 1897’, hallmarks for Birmingham 1897, with silver top bar; Royal Humane Society, small silver medal (successful) (John H. Collin, 28th July 1896) with silver buckle on ribbon; Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea, 2nd small type, silver (J. H. Collin, Second Officer, S.S. “Sultan”, 28 July 1896) with silver brooch bar; Royal Humane Society, Stanhope Gold Medal, 1st type, for 1896 (John H. Collin) nearly extremely fine and rare (7) £4000-5000

John Henry Collin was born in Walton in 1874 into a seafaring family, his father, Captain Henry Collin being a ship-owner and master mariner. John Collin served in his father’s vessels, the Blue Funnel and Leyland Lines for many of his initial years at sea. Whilst serving on the Sultan, a British tramp steamer, in the Red Sea in 1896, he jumped overboard into a monsoon torn and shark infested sea, to rescue a lascar seaman swept overboard. For his valorous and successful rescue he was awarded the R.H.S. Medal in Silver; the Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea and the Imperial Merchant Service Guild Cross. He was further honoured with the Stanhope Medal for 1896, awarded for the best rescue of that year.

A full account of the rescue reads: ‘On the 28th July, 1896, Esmolla, a Lascar fireman, belonging to the steamship “Sultan” fell overboard .... A life-buoy was at once thrown to him, which he secured, and the steamer was manoeuvred in order to pick him up, but owing to the immense sea which was running at the time, the man aloft was unable to keep him in sight. After wearing the steamer several times he was sighted on the port beam, but by reason of the high sea it was impossible to launch a boat, as it would have endangered the lives of those who might have volunteered to man her. At once H. H. Collin, second officer, without any previous warning sprang overboard with a line and swam after the man, who had now been three hours in the water. He succeeded in reaching him, and making fast the line, by which he was hauled on board in an exhausted state. Extreme risk was incurred, not only from the high sea running but from sharks, several being seen around the steamer, and their presence was known to Mr Collin before the rescue.’ (R.H.S. Case No. 28,627).

In 1899 he was granted his Certificate of Competency as master of a foreign-going ship by the Lords of the Privy Council for Trade of the Board of Trade. During the South African War 1899-1902, he served as 3rd Officer of the Leyland Line S.S. Jamaican, employed in transporting troops to South Africa - for which service he was awarded the Transport Medal. As a Captain he served in the Great War, serving with distinction, being torpedoed, mined and attacked by enemy aircraft - for which he was awarded the British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals.

In 1931, after a long illness Captain John Henry Collin passed away at his home at 17 St. Mary’s Street, Wallasey and was laid to rest at Wallasey Cemetery.

With original Certificate of Competency as Master, 1899; original photograph of the recipient wearing five of his medals (above less W.W.1 medals); sketches of the recipient (2); newspaper cuttings relating to the rescue and awards; obituary from the Wirral Chronicle; envelopes for his Great War medals; together with named lid to the case for his Stanhope Gold Medal. Also with copied research.

The Medal Year Book states that only three examples of the Imperial Merchant Service Guild Cross are known.

See also the article For Valour, by John Wilson, in L.S.A.R.S. Journal No. 38, p.23-27.