Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 3982    SESSION 19 (2.30PM FRIDAY 28TH JULY)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $25,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $23,000

PAIR FOR SHARK ATTACK RESCUE: Star of Courage; Royal Humane Society of Australasia Stanhope Gold Medal. Trevor Allan Viney on back of suspension bar of first medal, Trevor Allan Viney 9th March 1989 on last medal. Both medals engraved. Good extremely fine.

Ex Noble Numismatics Pty Ltd, Sale 72 (lot 2343).

Together with Star of Courage miniature medal, riband bar with star, and lapel star, all in case of issue by Royal Australian Mint; case for Stanhope Gold Medal by Spink & Son Ltd, London.

Also awarded the Royal Humane Society of Australasia Clarke Medal but in accordance with The Royal Humane Society rules when the recipient has also been awarded the Stanhope Gold Medal then the Stanhope Gold Medal only will be presented. An extract from the Royal Humane Society of Australasia's letter to Mr Viney states, 'That although you have been awarded the Clarke Gold Medal and will be listed in our records as such you will be presented only with the Stanhope.'

Star of Courage: CAG No.S100 20/4/1990, to Trevor Allan Viney.

Citation: On 9 March 1989 Mr Viney went with friends to Waitpinga Beach. At about 8.15p.m. he was sitting on his surfboard 200 metres from the shore when he saw one of his friends, 50 metres to his left, go under the water while his surfboard remained on the surface. He came up two seconds later calling out that he had been attacked by a shark. Mr Viney immediately paddled out and when half way there saw the shark's head. On reaching his friend he saw that the shark still had hold of him and he jumped from his board into the bloodstained water alongside him. He kicked where he believed the shark to be until he struck it and continued to kick until it disappeared. His friend, still alive, was in shock and Mr Viney dragged him on to his surfboard and caught a wave. He swam and dragged him to within twenty metres of the shore where two other friends came to his assistance. They dragged the victim to the beach and there unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate him were made. By his actions Mr Viney displayed conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril.

Stanhope Gold Medal: 9686 - Trevor Allan Viney, SC, student, aged 19 of Christies Beach, SA was surfing on his board at Waitpinga Beach just after sunset on 9 March 1989 with a friend who was about 50m away. Trevor then saw his friend splash into the water off his board and go under for a few seconds. When he broke surface, he called out, 'Shark! There's a shark!' Trevor immediately started paddling to his friend and on the way he saw the white underside of a shark's head, about 50cms across. When he reached his friend struggling in the water, he saw that the shark had his jaws around his friend's thigh. He slipped off his board and started kicking at the shark, feeling the shark's rough skin on his feet. Trevor sensed that the shark then swam away and he got his friend, stiff and shaking as in shock, onto his board, managed to catch a wave that brought him and the man, who later succumbed, to shore.

With a folder of research including b&w photos; Royal Humane Society Annual Reports; letters from Government House, Adelaide; The Premier of South Australia (J.C.Bannon); Lord Mayor's Room, Adelaide; Governor-General's Office, Canberra; The Royal Humane Society of Australasia; Entr?e Cards (4) to Government House, Adelaide; Investiture Booklet for Government House, Adelaide; various newspaper reports and other items.