AN EARLY ALBERT MEDAL OF THE 2ND CLASS, "For Gallantry in Saving Life on Land" to Railwayman James Carney, East India Railway, reverse inscribed "Presented in the name of Her Majesty to James Carney for conspicuous gallantry in Saving Life at the Dinapore Railway Station on the 10th July 1881", numbered "48" with "Phillips Cockspur St" cartouche, very fine, in its named, worn, case of issue

Details
AN EARLY ALBERT MEDAL OF THE 2ND CLASS, "For Gallantry in Saving Life on Land" to Railwayman James Carney, East India Railway, reverse inscribed "Presented in the name of Her Majesty to James Carney for conspicuous gallantry in Saving Life at the Dinapore Railway Station on the 10th July 1881", numbered "48" with "Phillips Cockspur St" cartouche, very fine, in its named, worn, case of issue

Lot Essay

INDENTLondon Gazette 21.3.1882 "The Queen has been graciously pleased to confer the "Albert Medal of the Second Class" on -- Mr. James Carney, a Subordinate employed in the Traffic Department of the East India Railway Company, in recognition of the gallantry displayed by him under the following circumstances.

On the 10th July last, a Native shunting porter was coupling up the wagon of a train that was moving through the Station at Dinapore at the rate of two or three miles an hour. A sudden movement of the train knocked the Native down, and he fell half stunned between the rails and underneath the train.

The man's convulsive struggles threatened every moment to throw him under the wheels of the moving wagon. Mr. James Carney, who was at the time on duty at the Station, jumped down from the platform without hesitation, rushed under the train which was still in motion, and grappling with the injured man, held him down until the train had passed over the two struggling men. In doing this Mr. Carney narrowly escaped being struck upon the forehead by the axle-tree of a pair of wheels as it passed over him.

But for this act of gallantry, the Native, in all human probability, would not have escaped with his life".

More from Medals

View All
View All