Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 13 27 Nov 2017
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Military Orders and Medals, Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry, A very rare Boys' Brigade Cross For Heroism, 2nd Type, awarded to Pte Charles Clark of the 7th Company The London Boys Brigade (Pte. Charles Clark 7th London Coy. 12th Feb 1931), heavily toned but very fine detail
Extract Derby Daily telegraph dated 17th March 1931: Brigade Boy's Heroism – Girl Rescued From Canal.
The Boys' Brigade Cross for heroism has just been awarded to Private Charles Clark, of the 7th London Company, for rescuing a girl from drowning in the Grand Union Canal, Harlesden, a few weeks ago.
In this case a youth was practising a dance step with a girl on the brink of the canal when the girl overbalanced and fell in. The youth dived in, and after repeated attempts to save the girl sank and was drowned. Clark was walking near-by with other boys when he heard cries for help, and, running to the towing-path, saw the girl in the water. It was a pitch dark winter's night, and the water at this point is in a filthy condition, but Clark stripped and dived in. He succeeded in reaching the girl, but had a severe struggle with her until she became unconscious. Then he eventually managed to swim with her to the bank.
The girl who was rescued was Miss Kathleen Garland, her boyfriend who tried to save her but was drowned was Arthur Watson and Charles Clark was 14 years old when he performed the rescue for which he was awarded the Boy's Brigade Cross For Heroism.
The Cross was instituted in September 1902 and the first awards were made in 1904. The cross was only awarded 194 times up to the end of 1985, including five posthumous awards. The second type award, as this is, was instituted in 1926 when the Boys' Life Brigade amalgamated with the Boys' Brigade, the second type has the addition of a Geneva cross behind the anchor in the centre of the obverse.
(300-400 GBP)
Extract Derby Daily telegraph dated 17th March 1931: Brigade Boy's Heroism – Girl Rescued From Canal.
The Boys' Brigade Cross for heroism has just been awarded to Private Charles Clark, of the 7th London Company, for rescuing a girl from drowning in the Grand Union Canal, Harlesden, a few weeks ago.
In this case a youth was practising a dance step with a girl on the brink of the canal when the girl overbalanced and fell in. The youth dived in, and after repeated attempts to save the girl sank and was drowned. Clark was walking near-by with other boys when he heard cries for help, and, running to the towing-path, saw the girl in the water. It was a pitch dark winter's night, and the water at this point is in a filthy condition, but Clark stripped and dived in. He succeeded in reaching the girl, but had a severe struggle with her until she became unconscious. Then he eventually managed to swim with her to the bank.
The girl who was rescued was Miss Kathleen Garland, her boyfriend who tried to save her but was drowned was Arthur Watson and Charles Clark was 14 years old when he performed the rescue for which he was awarded the Boy's Brigade Cross For Heroism.
The Cross was instituted in September 1902 and the first awards were made in 1904. The cross was only awarded 194 times up to the end of 1985, including five posthumous awards. The second type award, as this is, was instituted in 1926 when the Boys' Life Brigade amalgamated with the Boys' Brigade, the second type has the addition of a Geneva cross behind the anchor in the centre of the obverse.
(300-400 GBP)