Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, Marine Medal, 3rd type, silver (Geo. Rees. 3rd Officer. S.S. Malta for Having with Boat’s Crew Rescued Crew of S.S. Dhooliah. 21/12/76) with silver brooch buckle, very fine £140-£180

Extract from Society Records:

‘To Captain Thomas Durrant, S.S. Malta, Mr Rees, third officer, George Black and William Robertson, quartermasters. On the 21st December 1876, at daylight, the Malta, while homeward bound, fell in with the steamship Dhooliah in the Bay of Biscay in a sinking state. Three boats from the Dhooliah brought a portion of the crew on board the Malta, all of whom refused to go back to rescue their shipmates. There was a heavy sea running.

Mr George Rees, third officer of the Malta, with a crew of five volunteers, went in one of the Dhooliah’s boats and rescued all but the master and one of the crew. The Dhooliah’s boat having been stove in alongside the Malta, the same boat’s crew went in one of the Malta’s boats and succeeded in saving the master and one seaman who had remained in the Dhooliah. in all, 43 of the crew of the Dhooliah were saved. While effecting this rescue, George Black had his hand crushed and has since died from the effects of the injuries he received.’

Sold with copied certificates of competency as Only Mate, First Mate, and Master.