The Jack Boddington Collection of Life Saving Medals

Pair: Fireman J. D. Legg, Lyme Regis Fire Brigade

National Fire Brigades Association Long Service Medal (2), 1 clasp, Twenty Years (5664 John D. Legg), rev. inscribed, ‘Lyme Regis Fire Brigade’, silver; another, 2 clasps, Ten Years, Five Years (9159 John Davy Legg), rev. inscribed, ‘Lyme Regis Fire Brigade’, bronze, 2nd clasp loose; together with a silver commemorative spoon inscribed, ‘Boscombe Arcade Fire 1911’, extremely fine (3) £80-100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Boddington Collection of Life Saving Medals.

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In 1911 a young John Davy Legg was working and living in Bournemouth. On the night of the 19/20 October 1911 he was enjoying himself at a social evening at the Shop Assistants Club when fire was reported, shortly after midnight in the nearby Royal Boscombe Arcade. Legg and others ran to help as reported in the Bournemouth Echo of 20 October, ‘Among those who were earliest on the scene was ... and a number of young men from the Shop Assistants Club’ - these young men were amongst those who received Commemorative Silver Spoons for their efforts. John Legg subsequently made his career in the Fire Brigade - serving at Lyme Regis, Dorset, and was awarded two Long Service Medals.

Sold with two photographs of the recipient, original forwarding slip for the bronze long service medal, dated 24 January 1929 and copied extracts from the Bournemouth Echo concerning the blaze.