R.S.P.C.A. Life Saving Medal, silver (Gunner Leslie Painter, 1962) crude engraved naming, with ‘For Humanity’ brooch bar, in case of issue, extremely fine £220-260

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

View
Collection

A newspaper cutting, dated 13 March 1943, gives the following details of the award of the silver medal to Gunner J. Leslie Painter, Royal Artillery:

‘.... A dog (a cross-bred whippet) was chasing a rabbit, to which a ferret was clinging, across a field at Larkhill (near Salisbury) when all three animals fell into a 120ft. well. Mr Lang, the dog’s owner, attempted a rescue, but failed. Next morning Gunner Painter volunteered to go down, found the rabbit dead, but dog and ferret were both alive, and both were rescued safely.’ ... The medal was presented to Gunner Painter by the Mayor of Salisbury.

With newspaper cutting and other research.