Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: H. W. Jefferson, Hartlepool Motor Lifeboat.

BRITISH WAR MEDAL; ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION, Silver Medal, Hillary obverse (Voted 12th March 1942), in original case of issue, good very fine (2)

Herbert W. Jefferson, motor mechanic of the motor lifeboat 'The Princess Royal' (Civil Service No. 7) at Hartlepool, was awarded the R.N.L.I. silver medal for gallantry in rescuing five men from the S.S. Hazlewood. The steamer had been driven ashore in a gale and had then broken in half. The two halves were 200 yards apart in very shallow water. Those on the stern part were rescued from the shore by the life saving rocket apparatus and those on the bow by the life-boat. They were swept by heavy seas and could not have lived much longer. Heavy seas were breaking all the time in the life-boat, and so violent were they at times she was almost standing on end. The coxwain, Lieutenant W. H. Bennison, C.G.M., R.N.V.R., was awarded the Institution Gold Medal for conspicuous gallantry on the same occasion.