C.Q.D. Medal 1909, silver (Phillip McGoldrick) some edge bruising, good very fine £180-220

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Life Saving, Police and Fire Brigade Medals from the James N Spencer Collection.

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The liner Republic, left New York for Genoa and Alexandria with some 250 first class passengers, 211 steerage and a crew of 300. At about 5.30 on the morning of 23 January 1909, near Martha’s Vineyard, in dense fog, the Republic collided with the Italian emigrant steamship Florida, bound from Naples to New York and carrying about 800 souls. Wireless, then in its infancy, saved the day. In response to a ‘C.Q.D.’ signal (All Stations Distress - popularly ‘Come Quick Danger) the White Star liner Baltic and the liner Furnessia came on the scene, to be followed by the French liner Lorraine. Together they managed to save most of the passengers and crew; two first class passengers killed and two injured from the Republic and four seamen killed on the Florida. The Republic, although taken in tow, later sank. The saloon passengers of the Baltic and Republic subscribed to a fund to provide medals to the crews of the Republic, Florida and Baltic.