Obverse: A nude boy with short cloak flying out from his shoulder, blowing on a torch held in his right hand. Legend: 'LATEAT SCINTILLVLA FORSAN'. Exergue: 'SOC . LOND . IN . RESVSCITAT . INTERMORTVORVM INSTIT . MDCCLXXIV'. Reverse: Within an oak garland tied with ribbon, name of recipient and inscription. Legend: 'HOC PRETIVM CIVE SERVATO TVLIT'. Inscription: 'F. LIARDET VIT . OB . SERV . D . D. SOC . REG . HVM . 1832'. [straight lines]. Signed on obverse: 'PISTRUCCI'.

Lieutenant Francis Liardet (1798-1863), on 12 January 1829, rescued John M'Mahon, who had fallen into the sea from the maintopsail yardarm of HMS 'Jaseur'. M'Mahon could not swim and Liardet held him above water until both men were picked up by boat. On the same voyage, he also rescued Midshipman Dunlop from shark-infested waters off the coast of Africa.

Francis Liardet (1798-1863) was one of a family of Swiss origin, prominent both in British naval and military service from the 18th to the 20th century. Francis was the son of a Royal Marine officer and was only 14 when he was wounded in the 'Belvidera' while escaping from an American squadron in the War of 1812, and later more severely so when commanding the schooner 'Union' in the suppression of West Indian pirates in 1823. He was commander of the 'Powerful' on the coast of Syria and at the capture of Acre in 1840, being promoted to captain in 1841. He distinguished himself in saving lives in hazardous circumstances on several occasions and the Museum has two Royal Humane Society medals awarded to him for this in 1832 and 1834 as well as his Turkish Syrian medal (1840) and Naval General Service medal (1848). Between 1849 and 1858 he also published three books intended to help the education of young naval officers. He married, 11th October 1842, Caroline Anne Filmer (widow of Lieutenant John Jervis Gregory RN) by whom he had two daughters and one son. In 1856 he was appointed one of the four Captains of Greenwich Hospital, where he died in 1863.