Orders, Decorations and Medals Including five Special Collections

Royal Humane Society, The Stanhope Gold Medal for 1925 (Duncan L. Souter) complete with gold top suspension bar and contained in its Elkington & Co, Ltd. case of issue, good very fine £1200-1500

Royal Humane Society Case No. 47801: Stanhope Gold Medal 1925. Duncan L. Souter, Seaman, Steam Trawler Honoria.

At 1.30 p.m. on the 16th May, 1925, the steam trawler Honoria, belonging to the Grimsby Fishing Vessel Owners Exchange Co., was engaged taking up her lines and gear about 90 miles off the coast of Iceland, the weather being exceedingly rough, with half a gale blowing and heavy cross-seas running. The trawler was steaming slowly, head to sea, when it was discovered that the Mate, John M. Lee, had been washed overboard and was seen well astern of the vessel. Two lifebuoys were thrown towards him, but he failed to reach either of them, and in about twenty minutes he was seen to give up and lay face downwards in the water. A member of the crew, Duncan L. Souter, then threw off his heavy boots, and plunging overboard, secured one of the lifebuoys, which he took to Lee, and with this supported him until the vessel was got into a position from which it was possible to throw a line, by which means both men were got on board. The Captain states that if the first attempt to throw a line had been unsuccessful, it would have been impossible, owing to the wind and heavy seas, for a second attempt to have been in time to effect a rescue. When got on board Lee was unconscious, and Souter collapsed on reaching the deck. Extreme risk was incurred, it being impossible to launch a boat.