Royal Humane Society & Life Saving Awards

Lot 1144    Day 1    Royal Humane Society & Life Saving Awards

Estimate $20,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

UNIQUE FLOOD RESCUE PAIR: Albert Medal in Bronze (2nd Class) Land, with ribbon, reverse inscribed 'Presented/In The Name Of/His Majesty/To/Charles Chapman/For Gallantry/In Saving Life/In The Paparoa Valley/New Zealand/On The/27th March, 1920'; Royal Humane Society of New Zealand (Type 2) in gold (15ct, tot wt including 15ct gold ribbon buckle bar approx 40.35g), with swivelling suspender (O&D.126), by Elkington & Co Ltd, reverse inscribed 'Awarded To/Charles A.Chapman/For An Act Of/Bravery/27th March 1920'. Both ribbons damaged, central enamel section of first medal with slight movement, otherwise good very fine; extremely fine and a unique award pairing for New Zealand.

Together with official cases of issue, the first with GVR royal cypher gold blocked on lid and the second with name of Elkington & Co Ltd on the silk lid lining, this damaged.^^Albert Medal: LG 16/2/1923.^^The King has been pleased to award the Albert Medal to Mr Charles Chapman, of Huarau, New Zealand, in recognition of his gallantry in saving life.^^In the early hours of March 27th, 1920, great destruction was caused by a severe flood which swept through the Paparoa Valley. An immense volume of water descended from the upper valley, where for miles the course of the torrent was marked by land slides. Houses and huts were washed away and, unhappily, some of the occupants lost their lives.^^Chapman, on receiving news of the disaster, put on a bathing costume and at once set out for the Paparoa Township, to find that the river which runs through the Township had become a raging torrent, the water reaching almost to the top rail of the bridge spanning the river. Two men (one of whom could not swim) were clinging to timber in the middle of the river, while a crowd of terror-stricken people looked on helplessly from the bank.^^His first act was to rescue these men. This he did - twice swimming out to them - but only after very strenuous efforts. He then heard that a woman and her child were in danger higher up the river, and went to their assistance. He found the woman clinging to a tree and swam out to her; but to effect a rescue he had to return for a plank. A wooden form was available, and this he endeavoured to tow out to the woman and child. The rope broke, but his second effort, when a length of fencing wire had been procured, was successful, and he brought first the child then the mother to the bank.^^Royal Humane Society of New Zealand citation: Case 508: Charles Augustus Chapman, aged 34, residing at Huarau, North Auckland, rescued Messrs T.Grogan and J.Tait, also Mrs W.T.Cook and her son from drowning, at Paparoa Valley, North Auckland on the 27th March 1920. The valley was in flood and the current swift; logs were coming down and there were submerged tree branches and a submerged barbed-wire fence at the place of rescue. Chapman lived about one mile from the scene and was in bed when called to assist. He then ran most of the way and rescued in succession Tait from his hut, having to swim 150 yards, Grogan from a tree, and Mrs Cook and the child also from a tree. In this last case Chapman had to run and swim a distance of 600 yards. ^^Charles Augustus Chapman was born in Sydney in 1885. He was living at Lane Cove, Sydney, NSW, when he moved to New Zealand in about 1905. His occupation was later recorded as a box maker and then assistant foreman. At the time of the floods in Poparoa, Northland in March 1920 he was employed as an assistant storeman. He was well suited to water rescues as he was a very competent swimmer having won swimming championships in Australia and New Zealand. After the rescues he worked as the manager of Rotorua baths and then made a return to Sydney for a short time. After his return to New Zealand he lived in Wellington and worked as a foreman.^^The award to Mr Chapman of both the Albert Medal and the Royal New Zealand Humane Society Gold Medal is the only time that this joint award has been made in New Zealand. The latter medal was presented to Mr Chapman by the Mayor of Rotorua after the close of the musical competition at the local Winter Show in the first half of July 1924. The Albert Medal was presented by Governor-General Lord Jellicoe at Government House.^^Charles Augustus Chapman died on 21 August 1945 at Auckland. He was prominent in Rotorua and Wellington as a member of the Druid's Lodge. In Wellington he also took a leading part in boating, horticulture, and welfare clubs. He was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son, Able Seaman V.Chapman of the Royal New Zealand Navy.^^With research.^^Ex Mowbray Collectables, International Numismatic Auction 21 (lot 162).