Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Humane Society, large silver medal (Do. Fitzgerald Vitam Ob Restitvtam 1801.) minor edge bruise, very fine £300-400

‘Captain Buller to Sir Edward Pellew, Bt., His Majesty’s Ship Achille, off Rochfort, 15 September 1801:
“Sir, the conduct of two gentlemen of this ship has been so very meritorious, and I consider myself under such infinite obligations to them for their exertions, that I conceive I should be very reprehensible was I not to state the circumstances to you for your approbation, and to beg you will have the goodness to forward it to the Board of the Humane Society for their commendation, with any remarks you may think proper to honour it with.
The night before last a young gentleman fell overboard, at eight o’clock, it being very dark, and tremendous sea - the ship going near four knots. Nothing, it seemed, was to intimidate this valuable Officer, Lieutenant Stewart, from endeavouring to render service to any person in so distressing a situation; he jumped overboard, attended by Mr. Fitzgerald, the Purser, and, after swimming about in different directions for twenty minutes, they had the good fortune to recover an only and valuable youth, who was several feet under water. Lieutenant Stewart swims very indifferently; and I hope the time Mr. Fitzgerald was in the water may not do him material injury, as his health has been for some time past in a very precarious state.
From the darkness of the night, and the ship going so fast through the water, obliges me to think it one of the boldest undertakings I have ever witnessed; and I trust it will be considered by you highly commendable, and worthy of being made known by you to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and the Royal Humane Society.”’ (The Naval Chronicle, 1803 refers).

On Captain Buller’s recommendation both Stewart and Fitzgerald were awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Medal in silver. An interesting coda to this act of gallantry was recorded 25 years later, giving further details as to the identity of the boy saved from drowning:
‘In September 1801, during a dark and stormy night off Rochfort, in H.M.S. Achille, then going between six and seven knots, working off a lee-shore under a press of sail, and about half-past nine at night there was a cry of " A man overboard!" Mr. Fitzgerald, who was sitting at the ward-room table, instantly sprung upon the rudder-head, threw up the ward-room window and jumped into the sea; before a boat could be lowered he had gone so far astern as to be out of sight; however, most fortunately, and indeed miraculously, the boat at length found him, together with a little boy, whose life he was instrumental in saving, and who, though apparently dead when brought on boards is now an officer, likely to prove an ornament to his Majesty's service-he is the brother to Colonel Seal, of Mount Boon, near Dartmouth. Mr. Fitzgerald, as may be supposed, was nearly exhausted when taken up by the boat. In this case the Royal Humane Society awarded a medal to Mr. Fitzgerald.’ (53rd Annual Report of the Royal Humane Society refers).