Obverse: Head of George V (left). Below bust 'G.R.I.' Legend: 'FOR GALLANTRY IN SAVING LIFE AT SEA'. Reverse: Three men, one of whom is signalling to a rescuing life-boat in the distance and a woman with a baby, on a raft and a broken spar in a stormy sea. Inscription on edge: 'FREDERICK JAMES BAILEY "VOLTURNO" 9TH OCTOBER 1913'. Fitted with a cusped bar and scarlet ribbon with narrow stripe near each edge and a pin brooch.

Frederick James Bailey (1879-1933) was a boatswain’s mate on the British ship SS 'Devonian', one of eleven that came to the aid of British cargo liner SS 'Volturno' (1906), sailing from Rotterdam to Halifax and New York, after it caught fire in heavy weather in the mid-Atlantic on 9 October 1913. He was in the crew of 'Devonian'’s lifeboat 3, launched at 22.25 and which tried until 01.00 on 10 October to get near 'Volturno' but only picked up one passenger. Later that morning he was also in the crew of 'Devonian' ’s lifeboat 5, launched at 06.05, which made three trips to 'Volturno', returning by 07.40, with a total of 57 further passengers. One more swam to the ship, making the total saved by 'Devonian' 59. Of the 657 on board 'Volturno' - most being emigrants and 93 being crew - 532 were saved by the various ships that came to help after picking up her radio distress call. (With thanks to Andrew Baker for supplying details: April 2015)