Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas (Part I)

The Naval General Service medal and R.N.I.P.L.S. Gold medal and Second Award ‘Boat’ awarded to Commander Henry Randall, Royal Navy and H.M. Coastguard

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Basque Roads 1809 (H. Randall, Midshipman.); Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, G.IV.R., gold, with additional Second Award Gold ‘Boat’, attached by gold chains to suspend below the medal, the medal inscribed (Lieut. Henry Randall, R.N., Voted Feb. 9. 1825) the boat neatly inscribed across the four thwarts (Lieut. H. / Randall, R.N. / Voted 21 May / 1834) contained in a contemporary fitted case; together with a Georgian silver presentation salver, 27.5mm diameter, hallmarked London 1831, maker’s mark ‘W.K.R.’ for William Ker Reid of Chancery Lane, with central engraved presentation inscription: ‘Presented to Lieut. Henry Randall, R.N., Chief Officer of Coast Guard, by the Underwriters on the Wanderer Schooner wrecked near Elie 3d February 1833, to record His Humane Exertions in saving the lives of the Captain & Crew of that Vefsel.’, edge bruise to the first and light contact marks to the second but generally very fine and very rare (3) £8,000-£10,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

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Gold Medal, voted 9 February 1825: ‘Lieut., R.N., H.M. Coastguard, Elie, Scotland. On 17 January 1825, after the schooner Devoran had been wrecked at the Bridge of Don, north of Aberdeen, her Mate was washed overboard and was drowned. The wreck was seen at 6 a.m.; Lieutenant Randall set up the Manby rocket apparatus on the beach and succeeded in throwing a line on board the casualty at the fourth or fifth attempt. This enabled a boat, manned by coastguards, to bring off the four survivors.’

Gold Boat, voted 21 May 1834: ‘Lieut., R.N., H.M. Coastguard, Elie, Scotland. On 2 February 1833, when the schooner Wanderer was wrecked at Elie, Fife, in a violent storm, Lieutenant Randall and Mr. McCulloch put off in the Coastguard gig with two other men and, at the third attempt, rescued the Master and six men. They were landed under a salute of three cheers from several hundred spectators on the beach.’

Henry Randall entered the navy in June 1806 as a Midshipman. In the Pallas he witnessed the destruction of the French shipping in Aix Roads in April 1809, and accompanied the expedition to the Walcheren. In the Manilla, he was wrecked on the Hakk Sands, near the Texel, and taken prisoner on 28 January 1812, remaining in captivity until 1814. On his restoration to liberty he joined the Prince 98, flag-ship of Sir Richard Bickerton at Spithead, and in August 1815 - at which period he had been stationed for three months off Havre de Grace in the Euryalus - he was presented with a commission bearing the date 22 February 1814. He was advanced to Commander in January 1846, having served in the Coast Guard from June 1820. He survived to claim the N.G.S. medal for Basque Roads, and was one of only five recipients of the R.N.L.I gold medal and gold boat (not counting Sir William Hillary, who uniquely had three gold boats).