BRITISH ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY LIFESAVING MEDAL US CONSUL ST. HELENA 1881

Description

Offered is a good original Royal Humane Society Lifesaving (successful) Medal in Silver, awarded to Hutchinson J Crouch, US Consul in St. Helena, for saving the life of a woman, who was carrying out the act of committing suicide.

38mm wide circular silver medal on claw and foliated swivel suspender (claw refixed); the obverse with a cheru, nude but for a flowing cloak, blowing on a burnt out torch explained by the Latin legend LATEAT SCINTILLVLA FORSAN (perhaps a tiny spark may be concealed). A three lined Latin text across the exergue reads SOC. LOND. IN RESVSCITAT INTERMORTVORVM INSTIT. with date in roman numerals. The reverse an oak wreath , with Latin motto HOC PRETIVM CIVE SERVATO TVLIT (He has obtained this reward for saving the life of a citizen). Engraved named to rim HUTCHINSON J. CROUCH. 31 AUG. 1881. Mounted in the correct fashion, with intergral ribbon buckle to top of the original faded navy blue ribbon.

The citation for this award reads: Crouch, H. J. United States Consul at St. Helena. Case 21469

‘On the evening of the 31st August, 1881, near Jame’s Town, St. Helena, a woman threw herself off the rocks into the sea with the intention of committing suicide. Mr Crouch (who was in ignorance of the locality) ran to the nearest point where he could approach the woman, divested himself of coat and boots, jumped into the water and swam a distance of thirty or forty yards. He succeeded in seizing the woman and bringing her in an unconcious state to the rocks, where he had much difficulty in effecting a landing. The night was dark.’

The case was sent to the Society by desire of the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies. (Acts of Gallantry, Volume 2, W. H. Fevyer, Royal Humane Society, 1996. p. 55).