Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A most unusual submariner’s Royal Humane Society Medal awarded to Engine Room Artificer T. H. Duckworth, Royal Navy, for lifesaving in the South China Sea in 1927

Royal Humane Society, small silver medal (successful) (Thomas H. Duckworth, R.N., 20th Oct. 1927), in its (damaged) Elkington & Co. fitted case of issue, complete with riband buckle for wearing, suspension claw slack, otherwise good very fine £350-400

Thomas William Duckworth was born in Carlisle in May 1903 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy Artificer in January 1919. Volunteering for the submarines in August 1923, he was awarded his Royal Humane Society Medal for lifesaving in the South China Sea while serving in the L. 4 - the Society’s joint citation (Case No. 49,157) with fellow submariners, Able Seaman H. P. Patterson and Stoker 1st Class E. Wright, states:

‘At 8.10 p.m. on 20 October 1927, H.M. Submarine L. 4 sighted the S.S. Irene entering Bias Bay, South China and suspecting that she was in the hands of pirates, ordered her to stop, and as she did not do so, shells had to be used. She caught fire and when she was burning the submarine went alongside to take off her passengers and crew. This was difficult on account of the swell and four passengers lost their lives. The three above named men repeatedly dived from the submarine into the sea and rescued drowning Chinese who had jumped over board. Each man saved about ten who without doubt would have been drowned as there was a considerable swell. The night was very dark and there was only one small light to illuminate the scene. The men rescued were up to 200 yards from the submarine and the ships were two miles from the shore. The submarine returned to Hong Kong with six European officers and 226 Chinese from the S.S. Irene. Wind S.E. force 3. No lifebelts were worn. Some of the men saved were pirates and resisted.’

Duckworth’s captain, Lieutenant J. C. Halahan, R.N., was awarded the D.S.C. for the same incident.

Having also been advanced to Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class during his time in the Far East, Duckworth returned to the U.K. to take up an appointment in the H. 43, but was killed as a result of a motor cycle accident on 23 December 1928.