Pair: James Henry Newton

Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (successful) (James Henry Newton, 10th January, 1894) lacking buckle, in damaged case of issue; Norway, Medal for Heroic Deeds, Oscar II, silver, reverse inscribed in raised letters, ‘For Ædel Daad’, unnamed, in damaged case of issue, first with edge bruising, very fine; second with minor edge bruise, nearly extremely fine (2) £300-400

The Norwegian steamer Edison (289 tons), en route from Rouen to Cardiff, collided with the Norwegian barque Ran (794 tons), en route from Buenos Aires to Hamburg, some forty miles off Seaton, Devon. Nineteen men of the two vessels took to a boat and after 16 hours afloat, drifted towards Seaton. In the surf the boat capsized. James Newton and his brother-in-law, Ernest Watts waded out in the surf to the capsized boat and safely brought in 15 of the 19 men.

‘On 10th January 1894 a collision occurred between two vessels off Seaton, Devon. One of them sank and 19 of the crew were rescued by the other vessel the SS Edison. They got a boat to land them but on nearing Seaton at 8.30 pm the boat capsized and all would have been drowned. James Henry Newton, fisherman, 50, rushed into the surf and one after the other brought out 11 men, and Ernest Watts rescued 4 more; the remaining 4 were drowned.’ (Ref. R.H.S. Case No. 26,945 - Committee Meeting Minutes, 15 February 1895)

‘It appears from the existing information, that the ship, where the skippers of the two ships and 17 men of the two crews rescued themselves after the collision, capsized in the breakers (waves) by Seaton so that all fell into the water.

Four of the sailors were lost during the efforts to reach the shore and it is expected that the same destiny would have struck the others, unless two men, James Henry Newton and Earnest Watts, under severe mortal danger had risked themselves into the breakers and dragged the sailors on shore. One expects that the two men for having fully shown courage on the occasion shown have made themselves deserving of public reward, and it is proposed that each one of them is given the life saving medal of 2nd class.’ (Translation of extract from Official Norwegian Records – Letter from Consul General (London) to Royal Dept of Internal Affairs 19th March 1894). The Medal for Heroic Deeds with the lot has been added.

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