Silver, 'Ministry of Marine' lifesaving medal. Obverse: Head of King Louis Philippe laureate (left) Legend: 'LOUIS PHILIPPE I ROI DES FRANCAIS'. Reverse: An oval shield with inscription having as supporters a female figure (left) holding a laurel branch, and Mercury (right) with caduceus, both standing on a pedestal decorated with an olive branch (centre). Inscription: 'MINISTERE DE LA MARINE A CREWS (WILLIAM) GARDE-COTE COURAGE ET DEVOUEMT PR SAUVER DES MARINS FRANCAIS EN DETRESSE 1839'. Punched with a hole and fitted with a ring and a tricolour ribbon.

Awarded to coastguard William Crews (1799-1879). Crews went to sea as an apprentice in 1814. He married Susanna Bery Carey in Dartmouth in 1819. Their daughter Ann Matilda Crews was born in Worth Matravers in 1839 - there was a coastguard station nearby. 'The Morning Post' 1 December 1838 mentions a French lugger laden with wine totally wrecked to the West of St Albans Head near Swanage. Crews moved to Deal from Cowes in 1844, in 1845 to Walmer and in 1847 he was discharged and retired to Paignton, Devon with his wife and two daughters. He died at Collaton in 1879.