YEAR’S BRAVEST DEED

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 4, 26 March 1927, Page 13

YEAR’S BRAVEST DEED

TRAWLERMAN’S GALLANTRY The bravest deed of 1926 was rewarded when the gold medal of the Royal Humane Society reserved for an act of heroism worthy of that description was given to Harry Smith, the mate of a Lowestoft drifter. Smith's gallantry was officially described in the following terms: On the afternoon of Sunday, October 31, 1926, the steam drifter Sarepta was returning to Lowestoft from the Ashing grounds in heavy squalls and very cold weather. Alfred Marjoram, while cleaning the nets with others of the crew, was thrown overboard by a heavy lurch of the vessel. He was wearing heavy sea-boots and oilskins and was soon some three hundred yards astern. The engines were reversed and the boat brought round, a lifebuoy being then thrown to him, but he was too exhausted to make use of it. "Harry Smith, the mate, having thrown off his oilskins and sea-boots, jumped overboard and reached Marjoram as he was sinking. A line with lifebuoy attached was thrown from the vessel, and Smith getting his arm over the line the two men were hauled alongside and with difficulty got on board, both men being washed under the vessel's quarted. Marjoram being now unconscious and Smith exhausted and bruised. "During this time the boat was drifting to leeward, and had the line attached to the lifebuoy broken by a sudden strain caused by the rolling of the boat both men must have been drowned.”