Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Sea Gallantry Medal group of six awarded to Station Officer William Henry White, H.M. Coast Guard, formerly Petty Officer, Royal Navy, for the cliff-top rescue of men from the P.C.71 at South Shields, 1925

Sea Gallantry Medal, G.V.R., bronze (William Henry White “P.C.71” 25th November 1925); China 1900, no clasp (P.O.2Cl., H.M.S. Aurora); 1914-15 Star (164403 P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (164403 P.O.1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (164403 Boatman, H.M. Coast Guard) mounted court style for wear, contact marks, some edge bruising, nearly very fine (6) £550-600

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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Ref. Spink Exhibition 1985, No. 118.

‘About 7.45 a.m. on the 27th November 1925 the ex-Admiralty vessel P.C.71, with two men on board, under tow to Charlestown, Fife, for breaking up, stranded on the Trow Rocks, South Shields, during a heavy north-east gale accompanied by a hailstorm. While the Life Saving Apparatus was being brought to the spot, Police Constable Darling of the South Shields Borough Police, went with others to the top of the cliff overlooking the wreck and was lowered a distance of about 40 feet down the face of the cliff by means of a life-belt with line attached. He was immersed up to his waist in water. He endeavoured to reach the two men with another line, but failed to do so. A line was then thrown from the ship which he caught and fastened to the other life-belt and line, and these were then hauled on board the ship. By this means the constable was able to haul one man after the other to the place where he was standing at the foot of the cliff.

By this time the Life Saving Apparatus had arrived, and the breeches buoy was then lowered from the top of the cliff and one of the survivors was hauled up the cliff; but when the apparatus was lowered again, the constable and the other man were so exhausted that the constable had to signal for assistance. Station Officer White of H.M. Coast Guard, South Shields, then slid down the rope into the sea and assisted first the other survivor and afterwards the constable into the breeches buoy. These were successively brought to safety, Station Officer White using another rope to steady the breeches buoy and prevent the men from being dashed against the cliff. White himself was then hauled up, at considerable risk to his life. (Ref. Gallantry, p. 409/410).

Constable Darling was awarded the S.G.M. in silver; Station Officer White, the S.G.M. in bronze. Sold with copied research including extracts from The Shields Daily Gazette and Shipping Telegraph.