Orders, Decorations and Medals

A scarce Edward VII Sea Gallantry Medal pair awarded to Alexander McEwen, Chief Steward of the S.S. ‘Bostonian’, for saving life at the wreck of the S.S. ‘British King’ in 1906
Sea Gallantry Medal, E.VII.R., silver, 2nd type (Wreck of the “British King” on the 11th March 1906); Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, Silver Marine Medal (Mr. Alexr. McEwen, S.S. “Bostonian” for Gallant Service at Rescue of 18 of Crew of S.S. “British King” 11/3/06) both medals fitted with silver ribbon buckles, good very fine (2)

The S.S. British King left New York for Antwerp on the 7th March, 1906, under the command of James O’Hagen, with a crew of 47 as well as 8 cattlemen and two stowaways. On the 9th March she encountered a heavy gale and at noon on that day, a heavy sea broke on board which smashed the side of the wooden house on the top deck, and broke adrift the barrels of grease stowed upon the upper deck, which cargo was eventually secured again, and none washed overboard. On the morning of the 10th, while the gale was at its height, it was discovered that one of the between deck ports had been stove in, and No. 2 and 3 between decks full of water. Steps were immediately taken to plug the port, but were unsuccessful owing to the barrels of oil etc. being afloat and washing about with every roll of the ship. Later in the day the German steamer Mannheim was sighted, and on the 11th, the Bostonian. Both were signalled that the British King was water logged, and were asked to stand by. Later on the same day the British King asked for a boat to be sent for the crew, as the vessel was beginning to sink. The weather was so extremely bad that the first boat from the Bostonian was smashed, but a second boat was successfully launched. The first boat to arrive was the Mannnheim’s which took off 11 hands and the third officer. Shortly afterwards the Bostonian’s boat arrived alongside and took off 13 hands, including the Captain, whose leg had been broken the previous day. It was afterwards found impossible to get alongside again and, at 11 p.m. on the 11th March, the British King foundered, with 28 crew still aboard, five of whom were afterwards picked up by the Bostonian which had steamed in amongst the wreckage at once. A total of 28 lives were lost, including Captain O’Hagan who died of hi injuries two days later.
As a result of this rescue the silver Sea Gallantry Medal was awarded to thirteen men form the Bostonian. Of the 81 silver medals awarded during the reign of Edward VII, fifty-four were of the second, smaller, type. Sold with photographs of the Bostonian and the British King.