Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association Bravery Medal, for Saving Life on Land, silver, hallmarks for Birmingham 1913 (James Ferns) with ‘thistle suspension and clasp inscribed, ‘Paisley 12.11.34’, suspension slack, good very fine, scarce £650-750

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A fine Collection of Life Saving Awards.

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Ex James Spencer Collection, D.N.W. 16 December 2003.

‘The hero of the fog period in Paisley this week was undoubtedly James Ferns, a porter at Gilmour Street Station, who risked his life to save that of an elderly lady who had fallen on to the permanent way in front of an oncoming train. That he succeeded is a tribute to his alertness and presence of mind.

The lady in question, Miss Macfadyen, Bridgend, Broomfield, Houston Crosslee, was waiting for the train to convey her to the village and was accompanied by her brother. The fog was very thick at the time and she did not notice that she was so near the edge of the platform, and while walking fell headlong on to the rails.

In the fall she bruised her left arm, and though greatly upset by the incident she rose at once, and her brother attempted to pull her up to the platform.

The porters at the station were awaiting the arrival of the Stranraer Express at the time, and it was in this position that Mr Ferns found the pair as he walked down the platform. He realised the train would be upon them at any moment, and acted without delay.

In an interview with a “Gazette” representative he said, “I recognised that there was no time to get her to safety by trying to pull her up, for I could just see the glow of the lamp of the oncoming train. I then jumped down on to the rails, and, catching hold of the woman, I pulled her to the side of the railway between the near rail and the platform, and threw myself behind her just as the train passed.”

The incident created considerable excitement amongst those on the platform, for it was felt that the plucky porter had not had time to avert disaster. However, when the train came to a standstill, it was not long until he made his appearance between the running boards and the platform, which he mounted, and Miss Macfadyen was assisted up to the platform....
The hero of the incident is a young married man of 25 years of age, residing in Springburn, Glasgow. He has been nine years in the railway service ...’ (Extract from the Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette, 17 November 1934).

Following the incident a testimonial fund was opened for the benefit of the porter. He was subsequently awarded the Carnegie Hero Fund Bronze Medal, £20 and the St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association Bravery Medal for Saving Life. (See St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association Medal for Bravery, by R. J. Scarlett, L.S.A.R.S. Journal No. 7, p32-37). With copied research.