Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

United States of America, Humane Society of Massachusetts, 4th type, by Wyon, London, 39mm, silver, the obverse featuring a shield bearing the arms of the Society, the reverse engraved within a wreath of oak and laurel, ‘To Frank Wyman 2d. for Gallantry in Saving Life, Charles River Cambridge, May 6th. 1899.’, complete with brooch bar, minor edge bruising, good very fine £200-£240

‘Frank Wyman, of St. Louis, Harvard, made a plucky and timely rescue of one of the law school men from drowning on the Charles River about 5:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon. The act was witnessed by many of the boatmen, and also a large number of spectators from the bridge.
The rescued man was George B. Hastings of Boston, who, at the time of the accident that came near to ending his life, was hustling, with a companion, to effect the rescue of another student, whose shell had overturned and left him struggling in the water.
Wyman and Hastings are members of the Weld Boat Club and were on the river during the afternoon, Wyman in a shell and Hastings with a companion in a canoe. Hastings and his friend had just drawn their craft out upon the Weld club float and Wyman was rowing in, when another sculler in a shell upset down the river, about midway between the Weld and varsity boathouses. Hastings and his companion immediately re-launched their craft and pulled hastily down the river to assist the man in the water. Wyman also started for the same point.
When about half way between the float and the struggling man the canoe was overturned by the efforts of the men to reach the one in peril. Wyman was directly behind them when the overturn came and tried to turn to their aid, but the strong out tide carried him below some distance and prevented his manoeuvring his shell to get alongside. In the interval Hasting’s companion, unaware of the other’s danger, and thinking he could swim, himself struck out for the overturned canoe and climbed upon it.
Hastings sank twice and was rapidly succumbing when Wyman, who had got abreast of him, seeing that prompt action was necessary, stood up in his shell and made a long dive for the drowning man. He came up alongside and grabbed Hastings, then unconscious and sinking, under the arms and in this manner swam with him to the shore. There it took some time and prompt application of restoratives to resuscitate Hastings.
In the meantime the first man spilled into the water had been taken into a rowboat, whilst Hastings’ companion, the overturned canoe and shell, and Wyman’s drifting shell were all rounded up and brought to the boathouse .’ (Boston Globe, 7 May 1899 refers).

The Humane Society of Massachusetts was instituted in 1785 and incorporated in 1791, making it one of the oldest life-saving societies in the world.

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