Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 20002 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Space Exploration
Lot: 521

Family group:

The Sea Gallantry Medal and Liverpool Shipwreck & Humane Society Pair awarded to Chief Officer S. C. S. Taws, Merchant Navy, who was killed in action when City of Manchester was sunk off Java in 1942

Sea Gallantry Medal, G.V.R., bronze (Stephen Corner Stephenson Taws "Selma Creaser" 30th October. 1927), mounted on gold pin and in its case of issue; Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, Marine Medal, silver. (To Stephen C. S. Taws.. 2nd Off. S/S "City of Lahore." For Gallant Service. 30/10/27.), mounted on black riband - perhaps by his widow - in its case of issue, very fine

Pair: Acting Sergeant A. F. Cumming, Royal Artillery, who lost two fingers on his left hand in North Russia

British War and Victory Medals (300373 A. Sjt. A. F. Cumming. R.A.), with his Silver War Badge, this numbered 'B75988', good very fine (4)

S.G.M. London Gazette 12 March 1929:

'In recognition of gallantry displayed by them on the 30th October 1927, in saving the lives of the crew of the Newfoundland schooner "Selma Creaser", which was in distress in the Atlantic Ocean.

Stephen Corner Stephenson Taws was born in 1898 and was a native of Houston, Renfrewshire. Taws was awarded the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society on the same occasion as his Sea Gallantry Medal, further details of that award featured in Northern Daily Mail on 10 December 1927:

'Outward bound from New York for the Far East, the City of Lahore, sighted on October 30 last, at 5.25am, what proved to be the Newfoundland schooner Selma Creaser showing a flare and as soon as they passed the schooner fired a rocket. Passing under the stern of the schooner the steamer hailed her, and received the reply that they wished to be taken off and had no boat of their own. Heavy weather had prevailed for some considerable time and there was still a big sea running...Due to the heavy weather encountered, the Selma Creaser was badly strained and leaking so badly that her Captain deemed it advisable to set her on fire before leaving. When last seen the schooner was burning furiously.

In the boat sent away by the City of Lahore with the Chief Officer in charge was Mr Taws, Second Officer.'

Taws was aboard City of Manchester when she was torpedoed by I53 off Java on 28 February 1942. Joseph Berkley, a member of Tulsar wrote to Mrs Taws on 19 March:

'There are occasions when spoken or written words fail to convey the thoughts and feelings we experience.

This is such an occasion. Sad news is always difficuly; not only for the recipient, but also for the bearer.

On the morning of the twenty eighth of February, I had the good fortune to be in the vicinity of the City of Manchester when she was torpedoed and her lifeboats were shelled by the Japanese.

Among the wounded survivors received on board was your husband. My Doctor deemed his condition too critical to permit your husband's transfer to a hospital on shore.

Three serious lung punctures required that he be kept quiet in order to have any chance of surviving.

The following day, the first of March, which was a day of mass evacuation from Tjilatjap, Java, we left port with Mr Taws on board.

In spite of three blood transfusions, oxygen and all other efforts, it was impossible to save his life. One the third of March about 6.40pm he passed away. Next day at 9.00am, I performed the funeral services and we buried him at sea.

I hope you will forgive me for sending his remains to the deep, but under the circumstances it was the only thing left for me to do.'

Taws is commemorated upon the Tower Hill Memorial; sold with old handwritten copy of the letter besides copied research, which confirms his Second World War entitlement.

Archibald Ferguson Cumming was born in 1898 at Oban, Scotland and served with the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery during the Great War. A typed biography states:

'In 1917, they were part of, what my father called, "Churchill's lost expedition". On the 4th November 1918, Dad was in a forward trench spotting for the Artillery. There was a burst of machine-gun fire, a bullet entered the left side of his face, through his tongue, ricocheted off a partial denture on the right side of his face and out. The original burst of fire had blown off 2 fingers from his left hand which had been holding the field telephone.'

Sold together with typed biography, photograph of him wearing his Medals, besides MIC and Silver War Badge Roll.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£700

Starting price
£550