Uniface badge: A life buoy superimposed on a foul anchor, a ribbon above Legend Obverse: 'WILDFLOWER ELBE JAN. 30 1895'. Inscription on ribbon: 'NEW YORK RECORDER MEDAL'. Inscription: 'Britannia's drumbeat following the sun, Thrills not more far than this brave action done'. Reverse Legend: 'Presented by the N.Y.Recorder and its readers to E. Hutchins of the Wildflower for the rescue of the 21 survivors of the Ill-Fated Elbe'. Suspended by chains from a badge consisting of an enamelled shield parted per pale with the flags of the United States and Great Britain superimposed on crossed oars. This in turn hung by chains from a gold ribbon-brooch.

The 'Elbe' foundered during the night of 30 January 1895 following a collision with the Aberdeen steamer 'Crathie'1883, in the North Sea. The crew were only able to launch two lifeboats because the derricks were frozen. One of these capsized. The twenty occupants of the remaining lifeboat were picked up by the Lowestoft fishing smack 'Wildflower'. Fifteen crew members and five passengers survived, 334 lives were lost.