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Auction: 7022 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 1446

Royal National Lifeboat Institution Medal, silver, Type 2 1862-1903, obverse: head of Queen Victoria with chaple of oak leaves facing left (Mr. Samuel Bate. Voted 2nd May 1872.), good very fine, with original ´dolphin´ suspension Estimate £ 340-380 Mr. Samuel Bate served as Second Coxswain in the Padstow Lifeboat, Cornwall, his citation for the award listed jointly with William Corkhill, Coxswain, Padstow Lifeboat, reads, ´2 April 1872: After a severe struggle, the self-righting lifeboat Albert Edward reached the wreck of the Sunderland barque Viking, which had gone ashore in a strong gale and tremendous sea in Harlyn Bay, west of Padstow, Cornwall. The lifeboat lay under the bowsprit with a single line to the barque. The Mate was the first man down the line with the Master´s baby. The baby was snatched by the bowman, but the Mate missed his hold, was swept away and drowned. The lifeboat was forced to return to the shore after the line parted, and after landing the baby, they battled back to the Viking and rescued the Master, his wife and boy, and three others. The cook refused the lifeboat, lashed himself to a ladder and jumped overboard; he was washed ashore and survived. Three men had swum ashore and were saved by spectators on the beach.´

Sold for
£750