Lloyd's Medal for Saving Life at Sea 'On the night of 28 October 1882, off Lowestoft Pier, the Coast Guards were employed on "wreck service" and the rescued man was being drawn from his ship to the shore by means of the rocket apparatus when he was in danger of dropping into the sea about 30 yards from the pier - it appears that the man was only hanging onto the breeches buoy, not in it. Childs at great personal risk jumped into the sea and brought the man to the pier - he was in danger of being driven against the piles of the pier having a man in his arms' (Minutes of the Committee Meeting of 19.12.1882 refer).

Commissioned Boatman Charles Childs was also awarded the Royal Humane Society's Bronze Medal for the same incident (Society Case No. 21,872 refers). In The Story of Lowestoft Lifeboats, by J. Mitchley, the events of the evening of 28.10.1882 are described in full detail, several other vessels having foundered in the same storm - by '10 p.m. it was estimated that there were between 3000 to 4000 people gathered on the piers and South beach' to witness the rescue attempts being made by the likes of Charles Childs and by the time he had been pulled from the water 'he was so bruised that he had to be assisted home'.