Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Jersey Humane Society, bronze, the reverse inscribed ‘Presented to Cadet C. Bott for Courage and Humanity 31.3.48’, with integral top bronze brooch bar, traces of adhesive to reverse, otherwise nearly extremely fine £500-£700

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, December 2010.

‘Following the reading and adoption of the minutes of previous meeting the consideration of awards was put before the meeting and the Committee on the proposition of J. Bauche, seconded by Capt. Alexandre were unanimous in awarding to Cadet Carl Bott the Society's Bronze medal for his prompt and gallant action in jumping between the Quay and the Highland Queen, a merchant vessel, fully clothed and regardless of the danger to his own life, to save a woman who had fallen over the landtie and was in danger of being crushed between the ship and quay. He was successful in his gallant action, but unfortunately he himself was caught between the bows of the ship and Quay and suffered severe injury and had a prolonged spell in hospital as a result of his courageous action’ (Ref: Jersey Humane Society Minute Book - May 18th 1948).

Carl Bott, a Cadet in the Merchant Navy, serving aboard the Highland Queen, made his courageous rescue attempt at St. Helier’s Harbour, at 12:15 a.m. on 1 April 1948. A woman, by the name of Mrs Phyllis Marie (née Elliott), the mother of five children, had fallen into the water between the quay and the Highland Queen.

Bott jumped in to rescue her but got into difficulties being crushed between the quay and ship. Three other men jumped in and got the woman out, followed by the badly injured Bott. After several weeks in hospital he returned to Aldernay with his mother to convalesce. Recovering sufficiently, he was presented with the Jersey Humane Society Medal on board a vessel of the Jersey Channel Island Shipping Company in St. Helier’s Harbour on 12 October 1948.

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