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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 412

Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society Marine Medal, (To Owen Owens. For Gallant Service. 28/10/27.), silver hallmarked for Birmingham 1926, in its fitted case of issue, minor contact wear, very fine

Owen Owens served as a lifeboat man out of Moelfre, Anglesey and went to the aid of the ketch Excel on 28th October 1927. The Excel of Kilkeel was carrying a cargo of coal from Birkenhead to Holyhead when she was overcome by rough seas off Carmel Head. Her master, Captain John Ballance, decided to run for shelter at Moelfre. As her engine room flooded and her gaff was blown onto the deck, she became unmanageable. The ten-oar Moelfre lifeboat Charles and Elizabeth Laura was launched but took a long time searching for the casualty. About 3.5 miles NE of Point Lynas, they found the waterlogged ketch. A German freighter was trying to take her in tow and the crew of three aboard Excel signalled to the lifeboat that they wanted to abandon ship. Waves were breaking over Excel and the lifeboat drove towards her on the crest of a big wave. As she grounded on the deck of the ketch, the three men scrambled aboard.

This was not the end of their troubles. The lifeboat was lifted off by another wave but was found to be damaged and leaking. As darkness fell, they had no option but to stay at sea beating about. Clinging on to their lifelines, they were very exposed in the partly-filled lifeboat. It was difficult to hang on and their eyes were caked in brine.

The veteran of the crew, Will Roberts, who had been injured in the rescue was washed overboard and though he was recovered he died shortly afterwards. One of the crew from the Excel, Henry McGuiness also died that night.

They eventually got near Puffin Island but there was no safe place to land. The Beaumaris motor lifeboat was launched when the Moelfre lifeboat failed to return and eventually saw their distress signals at 5.30am. The Coxswain William Roberts and a master mariner, Capt. Owen Jones, who had taken the place of an injured crewman were both awarded gold medals. Citation below:

'Gold Medal awarded to Second Coxswain William Roberts; and crew member Captain Owen Jones, and Bronze Medal to Bowman William Williams, and crew members Robert Francis, Owen Jones, Thomas Jones, Hugh Matthews, Hugh Owen, John Owen, Robert Owen, Owen Owens, Hugh Thomas, Richard Thomas, Thomas Williams, and (posthumously) William Roberts for the service by the lifeboat Charles and Eliza Laura, in the great gale of 28 October 1927. The lifeboat launched during the afternoon and found the ketch Excel of Poole waterlogged and about to sink. The desperate decision of sailing the lifeboat right over the wreck was made. The three men on the ketch were hauled on board her but the lifeboat herself was badly damaged. Her air-cases kept her afloat but she was full of water. In this condition and with one of her sails blown away, she was beating against the gale all night. Two men, a member of the crew and one of the rescued, died on board. Second Coxswain William Roberts was completely blind for several hours after landing, from the wind and salt water. Mrs Roberts was granted a pension and an allowance for a grandchild dependent upon her.'

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£850

Starting price
£100