A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners

Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (unsuccessful) (John Dunning, 22nd May 1897), extremely fine £80-100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners.

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John Dunning, a Seaman in the S.S. Bendon, was awarded the R.H.S. Medal in bronze for his attempted rescue of the ship’s 2nd Mate, Henry Harvey, who had fallen overboard in the Bay of Naples, seven miles from land, on 22 May 1897.

A life-buoy was thrown to Mr. Harvey but he could not reach it, at which point Dunning jumped overboard and was within 15 yards of Harvey when he suddenly disappeared. Dunning, who was much exhausted by his exertions, was picked up by the Bendon; sold with copied R.H.S. records.