Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Groups

Lot 3629    SESSION 13 (2.30PM THURSDAY 4TH APRIL)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Groups

Estimate $2,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,800

TRIO TO RN ATTACHED TO RAN: British War Medal 1914-18; Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal; Italy, Medaglia Al Valore Di Marina Bronze (Medal of Valour at Sea in Bronze). Lieut. W.Lyne, R.N. on first medal, William Lyne, Leading, Seaman, H.M.S. "Reindeer", 21st April 1887. on second medal, William Syne (sic) Sottufficiale R.N. Gibilterra (Non Commissioned Officer R.N. Gibraltar) 17.mar.1891 on last medal. Swing mounted, good very fine.

Together with book titled, Something About a Sailor by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas J. Spence Lyne K.C.V.O., C.B., D.S.O.and inside on cover page is written, 'To:- Brother Bill &/ Lieut-Commander William Lyne R.N./In affectionate regard/The Author/Thomas Lyne/Xmas 1939', hard cover with dust jacket (this torn and only front section remains), 374pp with 53 illustrations.

William Lyne, born 04Oct1862 at South Queensferry, Scotland; entered RAN on loan from RN 01Jul1913 to 26Apr1920; Chief Bosun 01Jul1913; Lieut 12Sep1917; at HMAS Penguin 01Jul1913 to 24Nov1919; London Depot 25Nov1919 to 26Apr1920. During WWI served at Garden Island in Sydney where he later remained for some years before his retirement with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, settling in Sydney.

The above book pp350-352 recount details of the awards to William Syne as follows.

RHS Bronze Medal: In April 1887 Bill stood out from Thundergap (off coast of Tanganyika) in a 24-ft. cutter under sail when about two or three miles from the coast they ran into a bombarra (a local name for a form of hurricane) when the boat was swamped, quickly filled, and sank, leaving the entire crew of officer, interpreter, marine, and nine men struggling in the water in a running sea over two miles from the shore, with the thought of hungry sharks around them. Bill shouted to all hands to keep together, I conclude as mutual protection from the sharks, but the small interpreter detached himself in some way from the others and was soon a bait for a shark as he was seen no more.

The marine then showed that he was in difficulties and hardly able to swim. Bill got hold of him and kept him afloat with great difficulty until he managed to get hold of an oar to help support him. The current and wind were a little in their favour, but it took nearly two hours to reach the shore, the marine being all the time only semi-conscious and would not hold on to the oar without being encouraged and assisted. The officer came to their assistance for some time as the others by this time had separated. The danger of being 'nipped' by a shark was not encouraging. They eventually got to the end of a reef and the matter became more precarious as Bill himself, alone with the marine, was becoming exhausted. The officer was nearly lost in the last hundred yards before reaching the shore, but the remainder of the crew together got him landed. Bill with his burden by this time had reached a reef some distance away. When the crew were able to assist them to land the marine had nearly passed out and Bill was almost done... When the circumstances of the incident were fully reported Bill was honoured by receiving the Royal Humane Society's medal for his gallant action, which undoubtedly saved the marine's life.

Medaglia Al Valore Di Marina Bronze: On 22 (sic, actually 17) March 1891 a terrible catastrophe occurred in Gibraltar Bay when the Italian emigrant ship the S.S. Utopia was lost with two thousand lives. It was a filthy night, raining and blowing a gale, with poor visibility. The Channel Fleet was in the bay at the time, the ships showing all their regulation lights. The Captain of the Utopia seems to have misjudged his distance and, probably blinded by the storm, dropped his anchor too near the other ships. When she swung to the wind and tide she was carried across the stem of the battleship Anson, was very badly holed, and in a few minutes began to sink. Very soon the hull was under water, just the funnels and mast showing and the upper works awash. The crew and emigrants numbered over two thousand, and of this number only a few hundred were saved.

Brother Bill, who was serving in the Camperdown, but on shore at the time, was a close witness of the accident. He commandeered a boat manned by a couple of 'rock scorpions' (natives of Gibraltar) and pulled out to the scene of the accident, saved about twelve lives, and rendered valuable assistance by passing others he could not take into other boats. For this service Bill was publicly presented with the Medal for valour at Sea by the Italian Government, with a letter of thanks for what they were pleased to call 'his gallant conduct'.

With research.