A Sea Gallantry Medal awarded to Deck Hand Selwyn Ernest Gill, Merchant Navy, for attempting to rescue the crew of the Oku, 1928

Sea Gallantry Medal, G.V.R., silver (Selwyn Ernest Gill “Oku” 11th February 1928) in case of issue, extremely fine £400-450

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer.

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Ex Edrington Collection 1980.

‘The steam trawler Oku of Milford, was in distress on the fishing-grounds off the south-west coast of Ireland early in the morning of the 11th February, having been damaged by heavy seas which caused a serious inrush of water. Signals of distress were made, and these were answered by the steam trawler Limeslade. The Limeslade stood by from 4 a.m. until 8.30 a.m. The skipper then sent away the small boat with a line attached, manned by Down and Gill, to try to reach the Oku. After battling for nearly an hour against the hurricane and the raging sea, they had to give up their attempt owing to exhaustion, and the boat was pulled back to the Limeslade. A dan-cast was then fastened to the line, and Down and Gill later made another attempt to reach the Oku. Again they had to give up. The skipper of the Limeslade then decided to try and get the empty boat alongside the Oku. A longer line was fastened to the boat, the Limeslade was manœuvred into a favourable position, and the boat was drifted down to the Oku and secured by means of a grapnel. After the ten members of the crew of the Oku had got into the boat it was pulled through the water to the Limeslade, and they were helped on board. Although Down and Gill failed in their attempts to reach the Oku they displayed great gallantry and ran grave risk’. (Ref. Gallantry, p. 413/414).

The Board of Trade awarded a piece of plate to the value of £10 to James Gale, D.S.C., skipper of the Limeslade; and awarded the S.G.M. in silver and £3 each to Second Hand Charles Down and Deck Hand Selwyn Ernest Gill. Sold with some copied research.