TOPIC:

Not all RHS awards to men who serve in the ABW were medals. Some were awarded Certificates or Testimonials on Vellum. Today there are two types, one for actually resuscitating someone or another for having "made a significant contribution to the saving or attempted saving of a life, though their own life was not necessarily at risk".

The below QSA was issued to 4145 Pte. B. Wilson, North'd: Fus: who was awarded a RHS Testimonial on Vellum for saving a life on the Orange River on 17 October 1899.

Burton Alexander Wilson was born on 15 January 1878 at Tottenham, London. He was the son of Henry and Florence Wilson who lived at 52 Treherne Rd., Lambeth and then later at 44 Smith Street, Westminster, London SW. Henry was a commercial clerk. He had an elder sister Evelyne M (1872). In the 1891 census, his father was a widower and possibly his sister had died too. His father was listed as a Fish Restaurant Keeper. Wilson enlisted when he was an 18-year-old fishmonger in the Northumberland Fusiliers on 23 January 1894. He served with the regiment in the Sudan expedition and was awarded the Queen's and Kings Sudan medals. He also served in Gibraltar, Malta and Crete. He later served with the regiment during the 2nd Anglo-Boer War and was the recipient of a Humane Society's Certificate for saving a life in the Orange River on 27 February 1900 . He was discharged at Newcastle on Tyne on 22 January 1906. He married Julia (Catherine) Howard (2 Aug 1880) at St. Peter’s, Vauxhall, London on 9 January 1904. In 1910, Wilson and his family were living a 3 Victoria Villas, Brookwood. The 1921 census shows they lived at 22 Patmore St., N. Battersea SW8. It also indicates that Wilson was an unemployed Wet Cooper (Sherwoods & Co. on Clapham Rd.) and his wife was a cook for Dr. H. Turner of 12 Shepherd Mkt. Mayfair. They had a five-year-old daughter, Joyce M. Wilson who lived with them. Wilson died on 22 November 1954 in Camberwell and is buried in New Cemetery Camberwell.

He is also entitled to Queen’s Sudan, Khedive’s Sudan with Khartoum clasp, and KSA with 2 clasps. if anyone knows of their location, please contact me as I would very much like to reunite Wilson's group.

I've been corresponding with the Royal Humane Society and they have been most helpful. This is what I've learned so far regarding Pte. Wilson's RHS award, which was a Testimonial on Vellum and not a certificate as noted in his service papers.

I am currently awaiting more specific details from the case book and will post them when I have them in hand.

Case No: 30487
Name: Wilson (Pte) B.
Date of incident: 17 Oct 1899
Place of incident: Orange River, Cape Colony, South Africa
Award given: Testimonial on Vellum

As promised, here's the info from the case file.
The Committee met on 15 January 1900 to discuss several cases of which Case 30487 was one.

The details are that at 10:30am on 17 October 1899, Pte. C O'Leary of the Royal Munster Fusiliers was bathing in the Orange River. He got out of his depth and was in danger of drowning due to a very strong current. Pte. B. Wilson and S. Carrity of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers along with Pte. P Hogue of the 1st Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers all entered the water and successfully rescued O'Leary. Vellum(s) were awarded to each of the three privates. Lt. Col. Money of the 1st Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers was sent the decision on 15 February 1900, and on 24 February 1900 the Vellums were sent to the War Office.

It's interesting to see the recapitulation of the awards by that committee in the row above the case on the second page.

More research has turned up the following on Wilson.

Burton Wilson
Birth 1875
Death 22 Nov 1954 (aged 78–79)
Burial Camberwell New Cemetery Camberwell, London Borough of Southwark, Greater London, England
Plot Square 103, Grave 11217
Memorial ID 218444993