TOPIC:

An historically important wreck of the Warren Hastings Royal Humane Society small silver medal and later Boer War Natal and Transvaal operations group awarded to Lance Corporal R. Newby, 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, later Corporal, Army Pay Corps who distinguished himself during the wrecking and eventual sinking of the R.I.M.S. Warren Hastings on 14 January 1897. He dove from the ship and assisted a man of the York and Lancaster Regiment to a rope so that he was got ashore. He was mentioned by name along with 17 others in Army Order 40 in April 1897, and was one of 18 men who were awarded silver medals by the Royal Humane Society for their gallantry during the event. Remarkably of the 1246 individuals on board, only two natives lost their lives by drowning when endeavoring to swim to land. Newby later served in South Africa during the Boer War with the Army Pay Corps where he took part in operations in Natal and Transvaal.

Group of 3:
Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 2 Clasps: Natal, Transvaal; (787 CORPL. R. NEWBY. A.P.C.)
King’s South Africa Medal 1901-1902, 2 Clasps: South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; claw tightened (787 SERJT R. NEWBY. A.P.C.)
Royal Humane Society, small silver medal, successful; (LCE-CORPL. R. NEWBY, 1st BATTN, KING’S ROYAL RIFLES. 14th JAN. 1897.) with silver buckle on ribbon.

Richard Newby was born in Everton, Liverpool and was a Printer by trade when he enlisted at Liverpool on 17 March 1892. He served at home until 7 December 1893 when he travelled to India. He arrived in Mauritius from India on 18 January 1897 having been aboard the Royal Indian Marine Troopship Warren Hastings when it was wrecked on the Isle of Reunion on 14 January 1897.

For his bravery in the aftermath of the wreck, Newby would later be awarded the Royal Humane Society Silver Medal along with seven others as part of R.H.S. Case No. 28742:

"At 2.20am on the 14th January 1897, the Royal Indian Marine Troopship ‘Warren Hastings’ conveying troops from the Cape to Mauritius, was wrecked on the Island of Reunion.
The night was so intensely dark that it was impossible to distinguish anything more than a few feet away, and the rain failing in torrents. The sea at the time was calm, with a moderate swell, the backwash being sufficient to prevent any one landing without assistance. Perfect discipline was maintained and the obedience, good order and coolness displayed by the men was remarkable. Even when it was expected that the vessel would heel over, the men stood quietly aside to allow the women and children to be taken to shore. The total number of persons on board was 1246, and all were safely landed with the exception of two natives, who were drowned in endeavoring to swim to land. There were numerous acts of devotion and gallantry in saving life, and Lieut-Colonel M. Forestier-Walker, commanding the troops on board, named eighteen men as having specially distinguished themselves, one of these being Lance Corporal R. Newby".