Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Netherlands, Kingdom, Royal South Holland Society Medal for Saving Life from Shipwreck, by G. Loos, 54mm, silver, the obverse featuring a sea rescue scene, the reverse inscribed ‘W. T. Yapp 1911.’ within oak wreath, with ‘ZHMtrvS’ [Zuid-Hollandsche Maatschappy tot redding van Schipbreukelingen] top silver riband bar, in J. M. Lucardie, Rotterdam, case of issue, extremely fine, scarce £280-£320

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, July 2004.

William Thomas Yapp, an Able Seaman in the S.S. Cawdor Castle was awarded the Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea in bronze and the Royal South Holland Society Medal for Saving Life from Shipwreck in silver for his part in saving the crew of the Dutch steamer Willy on 1 October 1911.

The Lloyd’s report states:
‘The S.S. Willy, a steamship of 862 tons gross, left Newcastle-on-Tyne for Amsterdam on Friday 29 September 1911. The wind increased that evening and by the following morning, 30 September, was a hurricane. The forehatch was smashed by a wave and by the evening the ship had struck ground twice near the Leeman and Owerbank, past Hull. The next morning, Sunday 1 October, the crew decided to leave the ship when two English steamers appeared, one of which was the Cawdor Castle. The latter launched her lifeboat and after an unsuccessful attempt rescued eight men from the Willy, promising to return for the remaining eight. However, the situation on board the Willy became so dangerous that the lifeboat turned round and rescued the remaining men. Before the men had returned to Cawdor Castle the Willy had foundered. The salvage took about two and a half hours.’

Captain Edward Weatherston-Day and his First Mate of the Cawdor Castle received the Royal South Holland Society Medal in gold; Yapp was one of six members of the crew to receive the silver medal.