Sea Gallantry Medal
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Sea Gallantry Medal WW1 in Bronze. George V head. Medal engraved HARRY CURMAN "LORD CHARLEMONT" 19TH APRIL 1918" Issued to no 1207, deckhand Harry Curman. Royal Naval reserve on H.M.S Crucis. The medal was awarded for rescuing injured sailors off the merchant ship Lord Charlemont, sunk on 19 April 1918. He was awarded by the king in person on the 19/04/1918. He was aslo entitled to the Meritorius Service medal and a 1915 Star Trio. Only 32 Bronze Sea Gallantry Medasl were awarded in WW1
An account of the action follows.
On 19 April 1918 while in convoy, the SS Lord Charlemont of Belfast was torpedoed and sank in the mediterranean. Observing the vessel had been struck, the”Crucis” part of the escort launched a boat and succeeded in picking up the master and 4 Chinese members of the crew. Due to bad sea conditions it was impossible to return to the trawlers and they decided to make for the Spanish coast. The boat reached San jose on the morning of 20 April, two of the chinese sailors died during the journey.
Harry Curman, born in Scarborough in 1988, enrolled in the Royal Navy reserve on 10 August 1914. He was demobilized in April 1919.
SS Lord Charlemont, built in Belfast in 1866, owned at the time of her loss by Sun Shipping Co Ltd was a British steamer of 3209 tonnes. Lord Charlemont, on a voyage from La Spezia to Gibraltar in ballast, was sunk by the German submarine U-34 (Johannes Klasing), 22 miles north of Alboran Island, Morocco. 8 of the crew were lost.
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Additional Information
10146 (MZ-64133)
Your City, United Kingdom
Wessex Militaria stands as a testament to Tim's lifelong passion for military history and collectibles. With previous generations of his family, including himself, having served in the military, Tim had developed a deep passion for collecting medals and other militaria from a young age. His...
