Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal National Lifeboat Institution, V.R., silver (Mr James Fogg, Voted 11th Decr. 1890) extremely fine £300-350

Voted 11 December 1890: ‘James Fogg, Captain, Fishing Smack Osprey, and George Wilkinson, Seaman, Fishing Smack Osprey.

7 November 1890: In a strong north-north-westerly gale and a heavy sea, the Wigton schooner Jean Campbell was seen to be in distress in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire. The Osprey was returning home having lost her jib and mainsail, but Captain Fogg took her as close to the schooner as possible. Mr Wilkinson then put off with two others in a small punt and succeeded in taking off the schooner’s three man crew. During her return, the punt was swamped and Mr Wilkinson was saved by Captain Fogg and his boy cook, the only ones still on board the smack. The other five men in the punt were lost.’