UNITED STATES OR AMERICA, Presidential Lifesaving Medal, 2nd. type, gold, reverse inscribed "To C. W. Barcock, seaman H.M.S. Nelson, in recognition of his heroic services, when a member of the crew of H.M.S. Calcutta, to the Master and Crew of the American steamship Balabac at the time of the burning of that vessel on March 6, 1920" with gold suspension bar, extremely fine

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UNITED STATES OR AMERICA, Presidential Lifesaving Medal, 2nd. type, gold, reverse inscribed "To C. W. Barcock, seaman H.M.S. Nelson, in recognition of his heroic services, when a member of the crew of H.M.S. Calcutta, to the Master and Crew of the American steamship Balabac at the time of the burning of that vessel on March 6, 1920" with gold suspension bar, extremely fine

Lot Essay

INDENTsold with extensive research and a copy of "A Conquered Sea" by Jack Boddington

On the evening of March 6th. 1920, a bunker fire took hold and was soon out of control on the American wooden hulled vessel Balabac lying in the harbour of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Officers and men from H.M.S. Calcutta went to assist in fighting the fire and, when the fire spread to the rest of the ship, assisted in taking off the crew. Mr Henry Baker, U.S. Consul at Trinidad reported to the U.S. State Department "I judge that the assistance rendered was most important and probably resulted in the saving of life. Moreover it was a plucky kind and rendered at considerable personal risk to those who undertook it".

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