Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Sea Gallantry Medal group of four awarded to Second Mate S. A. Cornwell, of the S.S. Bostonian for the rescue of the S.S. British King, 11 March 1906

Sea Gallantry Medal, E.VII.R., small 2nd issue, silver (Sydney Arthur Cornwell, wreck of the “British King” on the 11th March 1906); British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (Sydney A. Cornwell); Norway, Medal for Heroic Deeds, Oscar II, 37mm., silver, with crown (Mr S. A. Cornwell 2nd Off s/s Bostonian at rescue of crew Schooner “Fjeld” 26/9/03) mounted for wear, good very fine (4) £750-850

‘The steamship British King (4.717 tons), built 1891, of Liverpool, sprang a leak during a hurricane in the North Atlantic Ocean and began to sink on 10 March 1906. In answer to signals of distress the Mannheim bore down, but as the weather was too bad for a boat to be launched she stood by all night, and in the morning with the assistance of the Bostonian tried to form a lee so that a rescue might be attempted. After much difficulty and in spite of terrific weather, a boat was launched by the Mannheim and was so skilfully handled that 11 of the crew of the British King were rescued, but the boat was destroyed. The Bostonian then launched a boat but it was smashed alongside and the crew of the boat were injured and only rescued with difficulty. A second boat was launched from the Bostonian and rescued 13 of the crew of the British King before it was destroyed. Subsequently the British King foundered and five men were picked up clinging to her wreckage. There was a heavy sea at the time of the rescue and those who rendered assistance incurred great risk to life.’ Ref. The Sea Gallantry Medal, by R. J. Scarlett).

Thirteen men of the Bostonian were awarded the Sea Gallantry Medal in Silver for the rescue. First Mate William Brown and Second Mate Sydney Arthur Cornwell were additionally awarded binoculars; other crew members were each awarded £3. One gold and four silver Foreign Service medals were awarded to men of the German S.S. Mannheim. Cornwell was additionally awarded the Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea in Silver for this action. He had previously been awarded the Norwegian Medal for Saving Life for his part in the rescue of the crew of the Norwegian schooner Fjeld on 26 September 1903.

Sydney Arthur Cornwell was born in Maidstone, Kent in 1875. He gained the Certificate of Competency as First Mate of a foreign-going ship on 4 October 1901. Cornwell is listed as the Master of the cargo steamer Baychimo, 1917-23. Interestingly, in 1931 the ship was imprisoned in ice off the coast of Alaska and was abandoned. However the ship did not sink and became a ‘Ghost Ship’, being sighted at sea and in the ice, on and off, over a number of years - the last official sighting being in 1969, 38 years after she had been abandoned!

With copied research.