Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Royal Humane Society group of three awarded to Commissioned Boatman W. Hibert, H.M. Coast Guard, Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk

Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Willm. Hibbert, Chief Boatn., H.M. Coast Guard.) suspension re-affixed and traces of brooch mounting to obverse; Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (successful) )Wm. Hibbert Commd. Boatman. H.M. Coast Guards. 19 Nov. 1880.) lacking integral bronze riband buckle; Board of Trade Rocket Apparatus ‘Proof of Service at a Wreck’ Medallion, bronze, unnamed as issued, edge bruising, very fine and better (3) £240-£280

R.H.S. Case no. 21,156: ‘At 8:15 a.m. on 19 November 1880 the Brigantine St. Joseph, of Dunkirk, was driven on shore at Salthouse Beach, near Weybourne, Norfolk, in a strong gale. Five of the crew were drowned. William Hibbert, Commissioned Boatman, H.M. Coast Guard, with a line around his body, rushed into the sea and, at great personal risk of being killed by the broken wreckage, threw a line to one of the surviving crew, who was, however, too much exhausted to use it. Mr. Howard Brett, with the same risk, got on board the brig and, together with Hibbard, they succeeded in getting the man ashore. He was, however, in an exhausted state, and expired soon after his rescue.’

The Norfolk Chronicle and Norwich Gazette, 27 November 1880, gives further details:
‘A most distressing shipwreck occurred at Cley-next-the-Sea on Friday morning last, in which six out of seven of the crew of the St. Joseph, from Dunkirk, lost their lives. The mate was saved by a line attached to a chair which was cast ashore and then seized by willing hands on the beach; the other end of the line being round the man’s waist he was pulled through the surf and saved. Another line was thrown on board and two men attached themselves to it, but it broke and they were lost. Three others were either washed or jumped overboard; although two rocket lines, with praiseworthy precision, were thrown directly over their heads, they seemed to be either paralysed with fear or ignorant of their use. A poor lad, now the sole occupant of the ill-fated ship, was gallantly rescued by one of the life saving brigade. This brave fellow, named Howard Brett, at the risk of his own life (aided by Coast Guard Hibbard and the rest of the brigade, who held the life-line attached to him) scaled the vessel’s side by means of the main sheet hanging over her quarter, got on board, and, although in danger of being washed overboard, got to the poor boy, now half dead with cold and fright, and rescued him from a watery grave, but only, alas!, to die some few minutes afterwards from cold and exposure.’

William Hibbard was born in London in May 1838, and joined the Royal Navy on 29 September 1857. He was appointed Commissioned Boatman, H.M. Coast Guard, on 1 October 1875, and at the time of his valiant action was stationed at Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk.

For their services in rescuing a member of the St. Joseph's crew, both Hibbard and Brett were awarded the Royal Humane Society’s bronze medal.

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