The Jack Boddington Collection of Life Saving Medals

Aspeslet family group:

The Canadian Star of Courage group of nine awarded to Michael Aspeslet, who was severely injured when he attacked a grizzly bear which was savaging his girl friend
Canada, Star of Courage, silver and gold (M. Aspeslet, 30.IX.1971), in Spink, London case of issue; Royal Humane Society Stanhope Gold Medal (Malcolm Aspeslet, 1st October 1971), in Spink, London case of issue; Royal Canadian Humane Association, Gold Bravery Medal (Malcolm Aspeslet, Balu Pass, B.C., October 1 -1971), complete with ‘Bravery’ brooch bar, in case of issue; Gold Medal of Life of Alberta, silver-gilt and enamel (Malcolm R. Aspeslet, For Bravery, 1 October 1971), complete with brooch bar inscribed, ‘Balu Pass B.C.’; Royal Life Saving Society of Canada, Jubilee Medal 1984, Alberta and N.W. Territories Branch, gilt, unnamed; Royal Life Saving Society of Canada, Benefactor Medal, Alberta and N.W. Territories Branch, with clasp, silver, unnamed; Royal Life Saving Society of Canada, Bronze Cross, unnamed, complete with brooch bar; Royal Life Saving Society of Canada, Bronze Medal, 1 enamelled clasp, 1967, unnamed, complete with brooch bar; Bronze Medal, unmarked (awarded by the Harry Ainley High School, Edmonton, for Cake Decoration, 1970)

The Royal Canadian Humane Association Bronze Bravery Medal pair awarded to Barbara Beck, subsequently Mrs Aspeslet, who was savaged by a grizzly bear
Royal Canadian Humane Association, Bronze Bravery Medal (Barbara Beck, Glacier National Park, B.C., Oct. 1. 1972 (sic)), complete with ‘Bravery’ brooch bar; Silver Medal of Life of Alberta, silver and enamel (Barbara J. Beck, For Bravery 1 October 1971), complete with brooch bar inscribed, ‘Balu Pass B.C.’, extremely fine (lot) £3000-3500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Boddington Collection of Life Saving Medals.

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Malcolm Aspeslet, 19, was on a date with his girlfriend, Barbara Beck, 18, taking a hike up to Balu Pass, 6,700 feet up in British Columbia’s Glacier National Park. Caught in a freak snow storm they were forced to spend a night in one of the park’s alpine cabins. The next day, 1 October 1971, the snow had stopped and they set off back down the trail. Some way down they came across a pair of grizzly bear cubs playing in a creek. Knowing the potential danger they were considering walking quietly past the cubs, when charging over a ridge came their mother, half growling, half screaming with rage as she saw them in close proximity to her cubs. Attacking Malcolm, the bear swatted him with a paw, knocking him senseless. Seconds later, when he recovered, he found that he had been thrown over ten feet, but by then the bear had turned her attention on his girlfriend Barbara. He saw her face down and motionless in the snow with the giant bear standing on her leg and gnawing the back of her neck. Without hesitation Malcolm grabbed the hunting knife from his belt, ran and jumped onto the back of the bear. Crazed with anger and desperation he plunged the knife into the bear’s back and neck. The bear shook him off, breaking his wrist in the process, then grabbing him in her paws she squeezed him then swatted him about the head, the first blow taking off most of his scalp, then she raked his face repeatedly with her claws. Near the end of his strength and believing himself close to death, Malcolm stopped moving. The bear apparently satisfied that both threats to her cubs had been dealt with, gave him one last swipe, covered him with dirt and twigs and lumbered away. The bear having gone away, Barbara was able to crawl over to her friend and saw his appalling injuries. Though badly mauled herself, she then ran two and half miles to the forest lodge where they both worked, to get help. Malcolm Aspeslet’s injuries were extensive, initially necessitating over 1,000 stitches and then requiring over 41 skin-graft operations. The attack left him blind in one eye, and although much of the right side of his face was rebuilt by plastic surgery, it remained paralyzed as a result of nerve damage.



For his great courage in tackling the bear by hand to rescue his friend, Aspeslet was awarded Canada’s second highest award for bravery - the Star of Courage; the Stanhope Medal - for the adjudged bravest rescue of the year throughout the British Commonwealth; the Royal Canadian Humane Association Gold Bravery Medal; the Carnegie Hero Fund Bronze Medal (not with lot) and the Life of Alberta Gold Medal. For her part in bringing aid, Barbara Beck was awarded the Royal Canadian Humane Association Bronze Bravery Medal and Life of Alberta Silver Medal. Malcolm Aspeslet and Barbara Beck were married on 21 July 1973.

Sold with extensive documentation, including: photographs of Malcolm Aspeslet before and after the incident; photograph of the Queen presenting the Star of Courage; photograph of the Governor General of Canada presenting the Star of Courage; photograph of the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta presenting the Royal Canadian Humane Association Gold Medal; photographs of Barbara Beck and Aspeslet family; an Investiture Programme for the award of the Star of Courage, 2 August 1973; original certificates of the two Life of Alberta Medals; original certificates for the Jubilee and Benefactor Medals; original cards of authority for the R.L.S.S.C. Bronze Cross and Bronze Medal; Malcolm Aspeslet’s R.L.S.S.C. Resuscitation Award Badge, enamelled; a copy of the Reader’s Digest of April 1976 which carried the full story of the incident with illustrations; a copy of the book, Killer Bears, by Mike Cramond, which devoted a chapter to the Aspeslet incident; a copy of the book Attack of the Killer Grizzly, by Lionel Wilson, which recalls the incident; a well presented folder detailing the incident and the attendant awards, and a large number of newspaper cuttings and extracts.