Obverse: Bow end view of a three-masted vessel under topsails in a heavy sea. In foreground a hut and a man firing a rocket apparatus, a boat pulling off. Legend: 'LIFESAVING BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK'. Exergue: 'INCD. 29TH MARCH, 1849'. Reverse: Legend: 'VITA FELICIBUS AUSIS SERVATA'. Inscription incuse within a laurel wreath tied with ribbon: 'Presented to John Owen Davis, Chief Officer of the steamship Rappahannock, in recognition of his humanity and courage in commanding the life boat and making three trips to the rescue of 19 persons from the burning steamship Volturno during a heavy gale and high sea in mid-ocean, October 10. 1913.' On edge: 'Tiffany & Co. Sterling'.

SS 'Volturno' (1906) was a liner owned by Canadian Royal Line and under charter to the Uranium Line. While travelling from Rotterdam to New York carrying emigrants, she caught fire in the North Atlantic on 9 October 1913. She issued SOS signals and eleven vessels responded and took off 521 passengers and crew. The casualties mainly occured before they arrived, when six boats were launched. but owing to the gale blowing at the time only two got away safely. Four capsized or were smashed against the ship's hull and all the occupants were drowned.

John Owen Davis was Chief Officer in the SS 'Rappahannock' (1893) Furness, Withy & Co., Liverpool. He was in charge of a boat crewed by eight men. At the second attempt, he got alongside the burning vessel and brought back 13 women and four children. On his third attempt, he could not get near to 'Volterno' and his help was not required. He was amongst the officers of eleven ships, who were presented by the Board of Trade with binoculars or a piece of plate. The 'Times' gives his surname as Davies.