U.S.A., A Presidential Gold Life Saving Medal of Australian interest, engraved "TO J. HENDERSON of the Newcastle Volunteer Life-Saving Crew, in recognition of his heroic services in effecting the rescue, Sept. 27" 1909, of the Captain and his wife and the crew of the American schooner ALPENA.", with reverse of suspension clasp and edge of medal marked '22 Ct.; light hairlines and small surface grazes behind head and to neck of portrait, otherwise extremely fine. The wreck of the Alpena on 25 September 1909, off the coast of New South Wales, Australia, is described in detail in the article 'Two Brave Italians' by Paul Street (L.S.A.R.S. Journal No.57). The four-masted schooner Alpena was en route from Melbourne to Newcastle to collect a shipment of coal when it was hit by a very severe gale near 'Nobbys'. In her attempt to make port with the help of the tug Levert, a squall parted the line between them, leaving her stranded. A pilot steamer, Ajax, under Captain Richard Page, then towed out the Newcastle lifeboat Victoria, under Coxswain Antonio Costa, to assist in saving the lives of the greatly endangered crew. First saving the life of the Captain's wife, with some difficulty, the lifeboat was towed back to save the crew. Bringing 23 crew on board, the lifeboat was capsized twice by huge waves, throwing 20 of the 23 back into the water. From this, the lifeboat recovered 13 people, and the Ajax a further 6. For their efforts, some 14 Presidential Gold Lifesaving Medals were awarded to the lifesaving crews by President William Taft, including J Henderson, whose name is confirmed in the article. Rescue crew members later described this event as the worst night of their lives. Offered with copied research, including the above article in full. The medal was included previously in our auction of 27 June 2016 (lot 392) but is now re-offered due to default. (£3000-4000)
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