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Auction: 5005 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 320

Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society Small Silver Medal, 38mm. (Mr. Ed. Foster 4th Officer S.S. ´Branksome Hall.´ For Rescue Of Crew Of ´Schiffswerft´ In Bay Of Biscay, 6. March 1897), extremely fine, with its silver riband buckle Estimate £ 100-120 ´On March 6th, 1897, at 2am, in the Bay of Biscay, with a gale from the N.W., and a very heavy sea, the S.S. Branksome Hall, Captain Hood, fell in with the dismasted barque Schiffswerft, showing signals of distress. The falling masts had damaged the pumps, broken in the deck in places; and there was 14 feet of water in the hold. The first boat attempted to be launched was stove. At 10.30 a boat from the barque capsized under the stern of the Branksome Hall - three of the crew however were rescued. Not until noon was it possible to send a boat, Mr. Benjamin Dowse, Chief Officer, in charge, and with him Mr. Edward Foster, Fourth Officer, and two quarter-masters. They made two extremely difficult trips, and succeeded in saving the remainder of the crew and Captain. As the men got on board the steamer, the boat was smashed alongside, and lost. A vote of thanks, framed in Russian leather, was awarded to Captain Hood, Silver Medals and vote of thanks to Mr. Dowse and Mr. Foster.´ (58th Annual Report of the Committee of the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society 1897 refers).

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