Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. To coincide with the OMRS Convention

Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, Marine Medal, 3rd type, silver (To Ingvald Petersen, for Gallant Service, 2/3/1939), with silver brooch bar, minor edge bruising, good very fine £120-150

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals Formed by The Late Major David Evans, T.D..

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Able Seaman Ingvald Petersen of the S.S. Newfoundland was awarded a Silver Medal, Certificate and 40 shillings for his part in the rescue of the crew of the steamer Ranger.

On 2 March 1939, the sealing steamer Ranger, 850 tons, was on a voyage from St. Johns, Newfoundland to the Gulf of St. Lawrence to hunt, with a crew of 150 men. When about 60 miles West of Cape Race, she encountered a strong gale and very rough sea which flooded the engine-room and extinguished the fires, rendering the ship helpless. The ship’s S.O.S. was picked up by the Newfoundland, en-route from Halifax, Nova Scotia to St. Johns. The Nefoundland found the striken ship wallowing helplessly, in a strong gale and rough sea, and with a temperature of seven degrees below freezing, ice covered the decks of both ships. The crew of the Ranger were unable to abandon ship in their own boats and so Captain Murphy of the Newfoundland decided to make an effort using his ship’s lifeboat manned by his Chief Officer and six men. This was launched and with great difficulty 18 men of the Ranger were taken off. A second attempt was made but the conditions had deteriorated and so had to be aborted, and it was with some difficulty that the boat regained the Newfoundland. The Newfoundland then attempted to tow the Ranger but after two hour the ropes parted. A message was then received that the S.S. Imogene was on its way with proper towing gear. The Newfoundland stood by giving what shelter it could until the Imogene arrived. The Imogene then towed the Ranger to Trepassey Bay. The Newfoundland landed the 18 men she had taken off at St. Johns.

At an awards ceremony on 18 April 1939, the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, on behalf of the Society presented Captain Murphy of the Newfoundland with a Certificate and Combined Clock and Barometer; the Chief Officer with a Silver Medal, Certificate and Binoculars and the six crewmen with a Silver Medal, Certificate and 40 shillings each.