Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Denmark, Kingdom, Medal for Saving Life from Drowning, Christian IX, 2nd type, 47mm, silver (William Morgan) with fixed oval suspension, edge bruising, nearly very fine £200-£240

William Morgan was one of 14 fishermen from Whinnyford, Scotland, who was awarded the Danish Medal for Saving Life from Drowning for his services in rescuing the crew of the Xenia on 1 February 1903- of the 14 recipients, 10 were also awarded Board of Trade Medals for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea.

The cargo steamship Xenia, 1646 tons, was built by Lobnitz & Co. at Renfrew for the United Danish Steamship Company in 1895. During the period 1897-1903 the ship was in service between Copenhagen and North America. On 1st February 1903, on a voyage between Newcastle and Boston with a cargo of coal, the ship ran aground during a gale with snow on the Scars of Cruden, one of the most dangerous parts of the Aberdeenshire coastline. In the heavy seas the decision to abandon ship was soon made. Two men were drowned in lowering the ship's life boats but 20 men made it to shore with the aid of local fishermen, landing at Broadhaven Creek. However, Captain John Kruse and four men remained on board the stricken vessel. The lifeboat from Port Erroll was unable to get to the ship because of the state of the tide but the fishermen from Whinnyfold again sallied forth, this time in one of the steamer’s own lifeboats and after much difficulty succeeded in rescuing the five men. The captain and crew were then cared for by the families of the fishermen.

In the words of Captain Kruse, reported in the Aberdeen Daily Record of 3 February 1903, ‘... When we left Newcastle the weather was fine, but about five o’clock on Sunday morning the wind suddenly veered from a southerly direction to the north-west. The sea became rough and heavy showers of sleet began to fall. We were then off Girdleness, and it was supposed that we were at least twenty miles from land. ... The storm increased in violence, and the showers of snow became so thick that we experienced great difficulty in locating our whereabouts. About seven o’clock our vessel bumped against the rocks. The water broke into the holds fore and aft, and in less than ten minutes she went down with all our belongings on board. We at once realised that our position was hopeless, and no time was lost in getting the steamer’s boats in readiness for being lowered. We had three lifeboats in all. The first boat we launched swamped, and John Johansson, a fireman, who had jumped into it, perished before our eyes. Ernest Raff, the third engineer, was in the act of lowering himself into another lifeboat by a rope, when he lost his hold, and shared a similar fate to that of his mate. By this time some stranger fishermen came to our assistance, and piloted our two remaining lifeboats ashore. Along with four of the crew I remained on the bridge of the steamer till the last, and we had to be taken off one by one by means of a line thrown from one of our lifeboats by the fishermen. ... During my thirty-five years’ experience at sea this is my first serious mishap, but I could not have fallen into the hands of a more hospitable people and I will never forget their kindness although I live to be a hundred years old’.