Halifax explosion hero's medal bought by War Museum

[JPL]

The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa has acquired an Albert Medal for Saving Life at Sea earned by a Canadian naval volunteer who was killed trying to prevent the Halifax explosion of 1917. Albert Charles Mattison, 44, commanded a small steamboat that tried to approach the French ship Mont-Blanc, which had caught fire in Halifax harbour after collision with the Norwegian vessel Imo. The War Museum paid £19,000 (about $30,000) for the medal at auction in London. The Albert Medal for Saving Life at Sea was introduced in 1866 and named in honour of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, husband of Queen Victoria. The medal was awarded until 1971 to individuals for saving lives at sea. The medal was awarded to Mattison on Feb. 18, 1919. Read the complete article here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2011/04/07/halifax-explosion-medal.html

Jean-Paul

[Michael Johnson]

I'd missed that, Jean-Paul. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Sales of the Victoria Cross grab the headlines, but for my money this Albert Medal was a steal.