Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (successful) (Lce. Sergt. E. S. Watson. Manchester Regt. 1st Sept. 1891) with integral top bronze riband buckle, nearly extremely fine £160-£200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Robert Barltrop Collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment.

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Edward S. Watson was born about 1868 and attested as a Private in 1st Battalion the Manchester Regiment at Ashton Under Lyne on 16 July 1887. He served initially at Aldershot and then at Ireland being posted to Fort Camden, Cork. Local newspapers reported that at or about 1.00 am on 1 September 1891, during a violent storm, a sentry at Rocky Island, Cork, heard cries for assistance coming from the sea. The alarm was raised and four soldiers put to sea in a small boat and found four soldiers clinging to the piles at the end of the dock wall after their boat had capsized in the storm; but as they neared the rescue boat also capsized and all the men were thrown into the waves. Lance Sergeant Edward Watson had seen the incident and reported to Second Lieutenant Herbert Ravenscroft, who ordered that a further boat be launched whilst he and Edward Watson swam out to find the one unaccounted for soldier; despite initially failing, they persevered and after having put to sea in another boat succeeded in recovering the by now unconscious Private Lewis. On the recommendation of the officer commanding the regiment both Second Lieutenant Ravenscroft and Lance Sergeant Watson were awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal (R.H.S. Case No. 25,616).

Sold with copied research.