Great War pair and Royal Humane Society Medal in bronze, 3rd large type awarded to Chief Petty Officer E. Pratt, Royal Navy who was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s bronze medal for saving the life of a lady who while attempting to land from a barge, fell into the sea at St. John’s, Newfoundland. Clad in oilskins and heavy sea boots, jumped in and supported her till ropes were got and they were pulled out.
Group of 3: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (161501 E. PRATT. C.P.O. R.N.) Royal Humane Society Medal in bronze, 3rd large type; (EDWIN PRATT H.M.S. “CHARYBDIS” SEPT 30 1903)
Condition: Very Fine
Edwin Pratt was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire on 26th March 1876 and first served with St. Vincent as a Boy 2nd Class on 10th July 1891, before being advanced to Boy 1st Class on 19th March 1892. He would then join Active on 21st October 1892 and would serve be advanced to Ordinary Seaman on 26th March 1894 and then Able Seaman on 1st April 1894. He would leave Active for Excellent on 23rd May 1894 remaining there until 16th January 1895 before subsequently serving aboard Victory II from 17th January 1895 to 11th March 1895, Crescent from 12th March 1895 until 15th October 1897, Victory I from 16th October 1897 until 6th December 1897, Excellent from 7th December 1897 until 24th January 1898, then Prince George from 25th January 1898 until 22nd November 1901, being advanced to Leading Seaman on 1at April 1898, Petty Officer 2nd Class on 2nd April 1899 and then Petty Officer 1st Class on 1st September 1899.
Pratt would leave Prince George for Charybdis on 23rd November 1901 and whilst serving there would be awarded the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze Medal and Certificate in case number 33003, and would be noted in the Royal Humane Society Report of 1903:
‘On the 30th September 1902, a lady in an attempt to land from a barge, fell into the sea at St. Johns, Newfoundland. Pratt, clad in oilskins and heavy sea boots, jumped in and supported her till ropes were got and they were pulled out.’
He would leave Charybdis on 6th April 1904 and join Impregnable from 7th April 1904 until 31st July 1905, followed by Victory I from 1st August 1905 until 28th April 1906, Excellent from 29th April to 2nd June 1906, before returning to Victory I from 3rd June 1906 before being advanced to Acting Chief Petty Officer on 1st December 1906, he would leave Victory on 1st April 1907 to serve aboard Sapphire until 1st January 1908 being advanced to Chief Petty Officer on 1st December 1907 and further being noted in his papers that he would be awarded a Testimonial on vellum by the Royal Humane Society for sacing life at Portland on 24th June 1907.
He would then serve aboard Prince George from 1st January 1908 until 2nd February 1909, Jupiter from 3rd to 4th February 1909, Euryalus from 8th February 1909 until 19th April 1909, Leviathan from 20th April 1909 until 27th February 1911, Excellent from 28th February 1911 until 4th January 1912, St. Vincent from 5th January 1912 until 17th May 1912, Bellerophon from 18th May 1912 to 6th June 1912, St. Vincent from 7th June 1912 to 10th December 1912, Antrim from 11th December 1912 until 19th December 1913, Shannon from 20th December 1913 until 4th June 1916, Victory II from 5th June 1916 to 12th August 1917, Egmont from 13th August 1917 until 18th March 1919, then Victory I from 19th March to 27th May 1919 when he was demobilised.
