A good Distinguished Service Medal recipient’s Royal Humane Society Lifesaving Medal in Bronze for a successful act, type 2 to Petty Officer Jack. G. Grace, H.M.S. Scarab, Royal Navy for saving the life of a fellow member of the crew in Hankow Harbour, China on 4th September 1920 when he jumped into the water along with Sick Birth Attendant Hubbard and swam in a strong current to get hold of the man and keep his head aboard water, after which they would drift downstream until pulled aboard a hulk in the harbour.
Royal Humane Society Lifesaving Medal in Bronze for a Successful act, type, 2; (JACK. G. GRACE. R.N. 4TH SEPT. 1920.) In box of issue.
Condition: edge-knocks at 2 and 5 o’clock, Very Fine
Jack G. Grace was born in Tring, Hertfordshire and joined the Royal Navy on 17th December 1904 for 12 years service, having been serving as a Boy sailor since 21st July 1902. He would see Great War Service aboard H.M.S. Victorious, H.M.S. Jupiter, H.M.S. Bonaventure, H.M.S. Perth. He would granted a wounds certificate for wounds he had received in action on the 1st October 1918 when Perth was attacked by a German submarine in the Bay of Biscay.
Grace would be aboard H.M.S. Scarab in Hankow Harbour on 4th September 1920 when he successfully saved the life of another member of the ships crew. A newspaper report states:
The following extract from a paper from China will be read with interest by residents of Tring. On Saturday evening as the Ship’s steward, Harrison was going ashore from H.M.S. Scarab, the gang plank leading from the vessel to the bulk alongside which she is lying came away from the bulk and threw him into the water. Taking into consideration the rough state of the water it was extremely fortunate that Harrison was not crushed between the ‘Scarab’ and the hulk. As it was he was carried astern quickly by the current. S.B.A. Hubbard, who was on deck a the time of the accident, watched for a moment or two to see if Harrison was able to swim, and seeing that this was not the case, without having time to get off any clothes., he took a header after the drowning man. Immediately after Hubbard, Petty Officer Grace leapt into the water to assist, and the two rescuers did a hardy swim to overtake Harrison who was fast being carried out of reach by the current. After a considerable struggle against the short waves and wind, Grace and Hubbard managed to get a hold on to Harrison and keep his head above water, after which the three drifted downstream until they came alongside the N.K.K. hulk, where they were all safely pulled aboard. Witnesses from the shore speak most warmly of the speedy and unhesitating manner in which both Hubbard and Grace went into the rescue of their comrade, and of the bravery required for this action in view of the exceedingly dangerous condition of the river at the time. It would be well if these witnesses were to inform he proper authorities with the recommendation that the Royal Humane Society’s Medal for bravery in the saving of life should be bestowed upon Hubbard and Grace. Petty Officer Grace is a well known Tring lad and holds the Distinguished Service Medal which was awarded to him during the Great War.
He would be discharged from the Royal Fleet Reserve due to age limit on the 16th December 1936. He would re-enlist for World War Two Service.
