Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Bristol Humane Society, silver medallion, 48mm., reverse inscribed, ‘To Aubrey McGuire, for saving the life of Charles Burdon, July 7th 1878’, swivel Crimea type bar suspension, silver buckle on ribbon, contact marks, very fine and scarce £400-£500

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, September 2008.

Aubrey McGuire was born at Woolwich on 16 February 1863, and attended the Bristol Training Ship Formidable which was anchored at Portishead. On 7 July 1878, a boy named Charles Burdon fell overboard out of the bow-port, and, being unable to swim, he was rapidly carried away by the current when McGuire, who was on the swing-boom, took a header overboard, and rescued him at considerable risk to his own life. He was awarded the Bristol Humane Society silver medal and it is reported that Captain Nicholetts also contacted the Royal Humane Society requesting the award of their bronze medal, but to no avail.

McGuire proved to be an able pupil and eventually joined the Royal Navy just prior to his 16th birthday in 1879, Official No. 107771. Initially his character was graded as exemplary, however, within a few years things began to change and he spent more time in the cells than on duty. He served time in naval prisons in Malta and Gibraltar, as well as at home. Finally, he was discharged prior to completing his 10 year term. He appears to have gone back to the sea as a merchant seaman and was drowned whilst serving aboard the Durbridge, on 8 June 1908, in the South Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile.

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