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when a U-Boat torpedoed the Lusitania in 1915
within sight of land. His body was not recovered,

and his poor wife was given his wages up to the
sinking plus one day’s pay. His medals, never
worn by the man whose name is engraved upon
them, are now part of history I have the pleasure

of being custodian of. The mere hunks of metal
rowed over to a and ribbons have a story behind them and the
blazing cargo ship amid an feats for which the recipient received them.
Atlantic snowstorm in February and gallantry Thus, I share what I know about the men, the

rescued most of the injured and dazed crew ships they sailed on and the circumstances of
and officers. It was a grueling seven-hour the deeds, acts and in the case of the waiter, the
ordeal of rowing back and forth until the ship ultimate sacrifice.
burned down to the waterline, was declared a I then move on to the next medals in the

hulk and slid under the waves. Not only were display case. I come to the Lloyd’s of London’s
the rescuers cheered by the passengers of the Meritorious Service medals. The first is from an
Cymric, but when the ship arrived in New York, Atlantic voyage in 1899.
they were feted by the press, humane societies, The medal had been established to be given

and their own line. “Bosun Bob’s” career was to those who were instrumental in the saving
further sweetened when in 1912 he was on the of ship’s cargo, the ship itself, or the crew—all
S.S. Carpathia that answered the S-O-S from insured by the enigmatic Lloyd’s.
the RMS Titanic. Someone broke up his set of The first medal was to an officer of the

medals about twelve years ago and I only have Hamburg-Amerika Line’s S.S. Bulgaria. The
his Sea Gallantry Medal. Bulgaria was a fairly new combined passenger/
Then I am able to relate the story of a career cargo ship built to bring immigrants to the United
Cunard Lines man who was a Third-Class waiter States from Hamburg to New York. The return

on board the RMS Lusitania. He had made well trip would be mostly crew and cargo, which
over 100 voyages on various ships between the Bulgaria lade on and left for Germany. The
Liverpool and New York. Leaving a wife and cargo included 120 horses on-deck along with
children behind, he vanished on the fateful day 41 passengers. She was hit by a severe hurricane

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