Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War Albert Medal in Gold for Sea awarded to Mr. A. W. Furneaux, Chief Steward of the S.S. Karonga, for gallantry in risking his life to save the life of a wounded Lascar when his ship was torpedoed, on 28 April 1917, freeing him from the wreckage by means of amputating one of his legs with a clasp knife, and then carrying him to the safety of the lifeboat, where he proceeded to dress the wound - one of only two Albert Medals in Gold for Sea awarded to civilians during the Great War

Albert Medal, 1st Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea, gold and enamel, the reverse officially engraved ‘Presented by His Majesty to Alfred William Furneaux, Chief Steward of the S.S. “Karonga”, for Gallantry on the occasion of the loss of that vessel on the 28th. April 1917.’, in case of issue, extremely fine £7000-9000

A.M. London Gazette 22 January 1918:

‘In April 1917, the steamship in which Mr. Furneaux was serving was torpedoed by the enemy, and a Lascar, who was on the spot where certain deck plates had buckled and broken, had his legs so firmly caught between the plates that he would have gone down with the ship. Mr. Furneaux, however, went to the man’s assistance and managed to get one leg out, but the other was nearly severed through above the knee. Finding it impossible to pull this leg out, Mr. Furneaux amputated it with an ordinary clasp knife and then carried the man to a boat. When in the boat he dressed the wound as well as possible, and gave the life belt he was wearing to the wounded man. Mr. Furneaux also rendered first aid in the boat to another Lascar who was badly scalded. Mr. Furneaux was in imminent danger in losing his life in rendering the service.’

Alfred William Furneaux was born in Fulham, London in July 1887, and served as Chief Steward with the S.S. Karonga as part of the Mercantile Marine during the Great War (entitled to Mercantile Marine War Medal and British War Medal). Furneaux distinguished himself when his vessel was torpedoed and sunk by U-63 in the Straits of Messina, 29 April 1917. The Karonga was en route from Newport to Bombay when she was intercepted by the German U-boat captained by Pour Le Mérite recipient Otto Schultze.

The Karonga sank two miles south south east of Cape Schio, with the loss of 18 crewman and the capture of her Master. Furneaux continued in the employ of the Merchant Navy, and served with the cargo ship S.S. Empire Faith, June 1941 - August 1942. The latter served on convoy duty to Halifax, Nova Scotia, during that time. Furneaux was discharged medically unfit for further service in August 1942.

1 of only 2 Albert Medals in Gold for Sea awarded to civilians during the Great War, and 1 of only 25 Albert Medals in Gold for Sea ever awarded.

Sold with copied research, including photographic image of recipient.