Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Sea Gallantry Medal awarded to William H. Coward for the Volturno disaster in 1913
Sea Gallantry Medal, G.V.R., silver (William H. Coward “S.S. Volturno” 9th Oct. 1913) a few scratches and some edge bruising, otherwise very fine

William Coward was an Able Seaman aboard the Minneapolis, which was one of no less than 12 vessels that answered an S.O.S. distress call from the Volturno, which was burning after a series of explosions. The Volturno had 654 persons on board, of whom 561 were passengers, being for the most part Polish, Rumanian and Serbian emmigrants. The loss of life in this disaster amounted to 103 passengers and 30 crew. Her Captain was among the survivors. See ‘Dictionary of Disasters at Sea’ for further details.