DURING its first century the Institution awarded its Gold Medal for gallantry and conspicuous service in saving life from shipwreck, ninety-five times. Fourteen Gold Medals were also awarded for other forms of service to the Institution, but the last of these was given nearly fifty years ago. Since that time the award has been strictly confined to gallantry in the actual endeavour to save life.

The first Gold Medal was awarded to Captain Charles Howe Fremantle, R.N., for swimming out to a Swedish brig wrecked off Christchurch, Hampshire, on 10th July, 1824.* The last Gold Medals of the century were won by Coxswain Fleming, of Gorleston, and Coxswain Swan, of Lowestoft, for the rescue of the crew of the Hopelyn in October, 1922. Six men have won the Medal twice for gallantry, and the Institution's founder, Sir William Hil- lary, who took part in the rescue of 305 lives, won it three times. Thus, in the course of a century, only eight-seven * See the issue of THE LIFEBOAT for June, 1924.

men have won this, the Victoria Cross of the Life-boat Service.

Of these eighty-seven, only eight are alive to-day—five of them being English, two Irish and one Welsh. The eight were invited to attend the Centenary Dinner and other celebrations in London, as the guests of the Institu- tion. Seven of the eight were able to come : Captain Thomas McCombie, of King- stown, Ireland.

Major H. E. Burton, R.E., Honorary Superintendent of the Tynemouth Motor Life-boat.

Ex-Coxswain Robert Smith, of Tyne- mouth.

Coxswain H. T. Blogg, of Cromer.

Ex-Coxswain John Howells, of Fish- guard.

Coxswain William G. Fleming, of Gorleston.

Ex-Coxswain John T. Swan, of Lowe- stoft.

The eighth, the Rev. John N. O'Shea, of County Waterford, was prevented from coming by illness.

The seven were received at Bucking- ham Palace by the King on the morning of June 30th, being accompanied by Sir- Godfrey Baring, Bt. (Chairman of the Committee of Management), the Hon. George Colville (Deputy-Chairman), Mr. George F. Shee, M.A. (Secretary), and Captain Howard F. J. Rowley, C.B.E., R.N. (Chief Inspector of Life- boats) ; and were decorated by his Majesty with the Medal of the Most Excellent Order of the British EmpireEach of the seven was presented separately to the King, who recognized in Coxswain Howells, an old shipmate with whom he had served in the Teme- raire in 1888.

The record of each man was read out to his Majesty, and *as published in full, next day, in the " Court Gazette." Captain THOMAS McCoMBiE, Kings- town. 1895.

" For gallantly putting off in the boat with other members of the crew of thes.s. Tearaght, of which he was Master, and in two trips saving, at very great risk, the Master, his wife and child, and the crew of the barque Palme, of Fin- land, on the 26th December, 1895. The vessel was wrecked two days previously, and the Kingstown No. 2 Life-boat was totally wrecked while trying to effect a rescue, the whole of her gallant crew, fifteen in number, being drowned.

" Captain McCombie also holds the Silver Medal of the Institution for a life-saving service in April, 1874, when, as Second Officer of the s.s. Princess Alice, he put of! with other members of her crew in the steamer's gig and cutter, and saved three of the crew of the brig Hampton, of Dublin,which was wrecked in Dublin Bay during a heavy W.S.W.

gale.

Major H. E. BURTON, R.E., Honorary Superintendent of the Tynemouth Motor Life-boat. 1914.

" For his gallant conduct and fine seamanship in bringing the Tynemouth Motor Life-boat forty-four miles through the night and storm, unaided by coast lights, to Whitby and, after all other efforts had failed, rescuing on 1st Novem- ber, fifty persons from the Government Hospital Steamer Rohilla, wrecked at Whitby, on 30th October, 1914.

" Awarded Silver Medal for putting ofi with a reduced crew to the assistance of the s.s. Dunelm, which was wrecked close to Blyth Pier, during a whole S.E.

gale with a very heavy sea, on the llth January, 1913.

ROBERT SMITH, Ex-Coxswain, Tyne- mouth Motor Life-boat. 1914.

" For his intrepid conduct and fine seamanship, in conjunction with Major Burton, when the Life-boat under his command proceeded to Whitby and, on 1st November, 1914, saved fifty persons from the Government Hospital Steamer Rohilla, wrecked at Whitby, as stated above.

" Awarded Silver Medal for putting off with Major Burton and a reduced crew to the help of the Dunelm, as stated above.

" Also awarded Silver Second Service Clasp for rescuing on 21st November, 1916, sixteen of the crew of s.s. Muristan, of Swansea, which was wrecked in Blyth Bay, during a strong E. gale with a very heavy sea." HENRY G. BLOGG, Coxswain, Cromer Life-boat. 1917.

" For conspicuous gallantry, tenacity and skilful seamanship in rescuing eleven of the crew of the s.s. Fernebo, of Christinehamn, which was wrecked off Cromer on the 9th January, 1917, during a strong N.N.E. gale and a very heavy sea.

" The work of rescue involved three trips to the wreck and occupied over nine hours." JOHN HOWELLS, Ex-Coxswain, Fish- guard Motor Life-boat. 1920.

" For rescuing in circumstances of great peril seven of the crew of the motor schooner Hermina, of Rotterdam, which was wrecked in a N.W. gale on Needle Rock, off Fishguard, on the night of the 3rd December, 1920. To effect the rescue involved taking the Life-boat into a position of great danger among rocks.

WILLIAM G. FLEMING, Coxswain, Gorle- ston No. 1 Life-boat. 1922.

" For his intrepid conduct and skilful seamanship in endeavouring to save the crew of twenty-four of the s.s. Hopelyn.

After nearly twenty-four hours' efforts in the Gorleston Life-boat, he put off in the Lowestoft Life-boat, and assisted to save the men in circumstances of great peril, on 21st October, 1922.

JOHN T. SWAN, ex-Coxswain, Lowestoft Motor Life-Boat. 1922.

" For. his intrepid conduct and skilful seamanship in rescuing the crew of twenty-four of the s.s. Hopelyn in cir- cumstances of great peril. The vessel was wrecked on the Scroby Sands during a strong N.E. gale on 19th October, 1922, and the rescue was effected on 21st, after the Gorleston Life-boat had made un- availing efforts to save the men.

" Awarded Silver Medal for rescuing the crew of nine hands of the mine- sweeper Condor, which was wrecked on Newcombe Sands, in a very heavy sea, on 22nd November, 1914.

" Also awarded Silver Second Service Clasp for rescuing nine of the crew of H.M. Sloop Pomona, which was totally I wrecked five miles south of Southwold | on the 30th September, 1918, during a whole N.E. gale with a very heavy sea.

" This wartime Life-boat crew was composed of fourteen men over sixty years of age and four over fifty." The King expressed his great regret that Father O'Shea was prevented by | illness from being present, and handed his Medal to Sir Godfrey Baring. This is the record of Ms gallantry : Rev. JOHN M. O'SHEA, Ardmore, Co.

| Waterford, 1911.

" For his example and initiative in ! leading very gallant attempts, by means of a small boat, to save the lives of the crew of the schooner Teaser, which was lost, with her crew of three in Ardmore Bay on the 18th March, 1911, during a whole S.E. gale with a very heavy sea.

After the ceremony some of the men gave their impressions of meeting the King. Coxswain Swan, of Lowestoft, said : " We all liked the friendly way in which the King shook hands with us.

We found the King a very nice gentle- man to speak to, and very homely. I had been given a little hint before we got there by someone who knew. He said, ' Do you go to him in your ordinary way, and he will think more of you. If you don't he will come round on you for it.' ... Of course, Mr. Smith got most of the talk, being the oldest, and having the most medals. The Bang talked to him quite a time." Coxswain Robert Smith, who is now seventy-five years old, with failing sight, said : " The King wanted to know all about my medals, and the presentation gold watch, and what they were given for. I told him all about them, and I told him how one was for saving the life of a bed-ridden old man from fire, and how I went in and carried him out in my arms. Then he wanted to know about this one, and I told him it was given for life-saving out of a fund started by an American gentleman. And I told him about the silver cup what the King of Norway gave me and this watch given by the people of Tynemouth ' for life-boat services.'".