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Auction: 15003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 256

Snowdown Sinking Pit Bravery Medal, gold (9 carat, Hallmarks for Birmingham 1916) and enamel, reverse embossed and engraved 'Presented to J.H. Tipple by the Directors, Officials, Staff & Workmen of Snowdown and Tilmanstone Collieries', nearly extremely fine, suspended from a gold (9 carat) bar and chain

'On December 7th, 1915, a terrible accident occurred at No.2 Pit, Snowdown Colliery, Kent, when ten miners who were engaged at a depth of 2,100 feet in sinking a shaft. A hoppit and its contents was hurled down on top of the men, due to it being overwound. The hoppit had broken away the electric cables and water pipes, plunging the whole mine into darkness. Two miners were instantly killed, and two were severely injured. Rescue work commenced immediately and several men were lowered down in a smaller hoppit with lamps to the survivors who had spent an hour in total darkness, the water level having reached 4 foot in depth. Eventually, after some hours of rescue work, the dead and the survivors were brought to the surface.

Mr. J.H. Tipple was awarded his Snowdown Sinking Pit Bravery Medal by the Mayor of Dover at Dover Town Hall, 23.9.1916.

The Snowdown Sinking Pit Bravery Medal was instituted in 1908, to commemorate the bravery of those involved in various rescue operations during the sinking of the pit, and was subsequently awarded for bravery during rescue operations during the pit's operational service. 6 Snowdown Sinking Pit Bravery Medals were awarded for this action.

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Sold for
£250