Hero Auctions Medal.

[Fouro]

A bravery medal awarded to a hero of the Piper Alpha disaster was sold for £4,200 at auction.
Merchant Navy Captain Ian MacKay from Johnstone received the Queen's Gallantry Medal after saving the lives of three oil workers during the 1988 tragedy.
Along with two other crew members of the diving support vessel Lowland Cavalier he spent hours searching for survivors. Ian who suffered burns to his eye and one hand decided to sell his QGM to help make sure the Piper Alpha story and victims are remembered by future generations.
I thought I should enter this post as today the 6th July 2021 is the 33rd anniversary of the disaster.
I say Well Done, Captain MacKay.

Regards from,
Fouro.

[j.sabourn]

I’m very pleased he is still with us Fouro and thanks for your post about the same ... JS

[j.sabourn]

I thought I had to answer this post in a bit more different manner. Yes it is 33 years since the disaster and the selling of Ian’s medal disturbed me in two different ways. Briefly 1. Did he sell it for the cash that’s needed , which if he did it makes me sad. 2. Did it mean so little to him he saw no further use for it. I don’t want to know his circumstances as is none of my business , but a medal given by the hand of the Monarch and with the agreeance of his peers I would of thought would of been much more use bequeathed to his successors than sitting in some collectors box of pretty things . I met Ian in May 1991 with his wife in a Harrogate hotel when he was also awarded the Numast Award he had his medal with him in its presentation box and was very proud of it . If he has had children in his marriage it is an object they should have in my opinion to remember him by.
The 6 th. Of this month will probably mean the same to him as others , and if he is like others there will not be one day of those 33 years he hasn’t remembered , so if he reads this it’s good to see you to see you good as that old comedian said.
If the same Medal is destined for a museum, my interaction with same was not very good as went up to Aberdeen 3 years ago and paid a trip to the museum to see the George medal of one of my frc crew. When I started asking questions they had no answers. I think one of our researchers found out for me, also another one of crew survivors from the Sandhavens frc who died an early death also. I can’t remember the actual facts now but to me they were very sad. If she wants to repeat them it is up to her. I must assume I have made a mistake in my counting heads Fouro as had assumed there were 4 men in the boat of the Lowland Cavalier as the paper says 3. Easy to get mixed up in the frenzy at the time. Apologies if necessary. However that makes my previous statement of 16 men going into the bedlam and 14 coming out , to 15 going in and 13 coming out , and as said to Thomas don’t like 13 as a number . Have got out of bed to write this as couldn’t sleep thinking I had made a mistake unerringly. Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

This post now might bear somewhat a few degrees off medals. Medals have a sentimental value so always have a monetary value to someone also. As seafarers we did a lot of travelling outside of actually on ships, I did as flew all over the world at one time to join and leave certain vessels. I got to the stage where I worried about being caught destitute in some Godforsaken flea ridden country and unable to get out , otherwise being stranded with no money. Passing through Singapore often I purchased a gold chain to hang round my neck , I hardly ever wear it now as not inclined to jewellery, but at the time it gave me a great feeling of security as gold is a commercial product and could be sold easily anywhere in the world at one time .whether this was a false premise or not I never had the misfortune to find out , but it was a great comforter at times. JS

[j.sabourn]

Going back once again to the disaster of disasters , every year since 1988 i have had communications from mainly the media who have been seeking something to put in their tabloids to suit the occasion , this year the message has finally penetrated and has been peaceful without me having to be rude , so the old saying time cures all or at least diminishes the shock waves for some. I dont mind speaking about it to people who understand shipping and the meaning of shipboard lore , I have said in the past as well as the actual survivors from the Platform there were others who succumbed to the after affects which you will never hear about. I have had at least two from different sources saying of their problems in dealing with the situation and they were at least 2 miles away from the centre, one of whom entered a phyciatric hospital 30 years later. One certain suicide and 2 suspected ones, at least one death due to excessive drinking , and this was without even looking for. Early deaths at a much too early an age and much closer to home is one of my own FRC crew , and the early death of a crew member of who survived the loss of the Sandhavens FRC. Also the early death of the Sandhavens master . All these deaths in one way or another receiving a large contribution in hastening them from the after effects of this disaster. There are probably many more which I can do nothing about only listen to and agree. Looking back in retrospect if the same happened again I would do nothing any different , that is the one consolation I have. The rest is you just play the hand you were dealt. Cheers JS

[Fouro]

Speaking about medals as such, e.g. say I saw the photo of a Queen's Gallantry Medal or any similar medals they wouldn't affect me in any way, but if I saw a photo of a 'Dead Man's Penny'(plaque) this would fill me with sadness and I would then ask myself, 'is this all.what my three gallant uncles lives were worth'.
One thing for sure, a Dead Man's Penny' wouldn't raise much money being auctioned.
Sad thoughts indeed.

Regards from,
Fouro.

[j.sabourn]

#6 .. Fouro if I was able to send you a photo of same I would as have the official reason for such. Which I think I have put on here before . I am sure there are plenty on here who can send you a picture .As regards the penny I have something similar which I put on the gold chain which I mentioned in another post , this is not for the reason. As you stipulate but for another reason which I put great store by and
has certain engravings on, others on site will know what I am talking about . Different things people have different evaluations on , a christening spoon some put great value on , but cash wise is worth very little. Souvenirs , keepsakes, memory’s of certain times what ever one wants to call them.
The official description of the medal recently sold is...QUEENS GALLANTRY MEDAL ( Q.G.M.) Instituted in June 1974 by H.M. Queen Elizabeth 11, for exemplary acts of bravery , The Award is typically given to members of the Police, Fire and Ambulance services.
The first awards were made to three men who displayed courage and complete disregard for personal safety when an armed attempt was made to kidnap Princess Anne in the Mall in London.
Apart from this one must remember the Queen is the longest serving monarch we have ever had and in years to
come anything appertaining to her time on the throne will be a collectors items especially if it came from her personally. Regards JS

[Tony Taylor]

This post now might bear somewhat a few degrees off medals. Medals have a sentimental value so always have a monetary value to someone also. As seafarers we did a lot of travelling outside of actually on ships, I did as flew all over the world at one time to join and leave certain vessels. I got to the stage where I worried about being caught destitute in some Godforsaken flea ridden country and unable to get out , otherwise being stranded with no money. Passing through Singapore often I purchased a gold chain to hang round my neck , I hardly ever wear it now as not inclined to jewellery, but at the time it gave me a great feeling of security as gold is a commercial product and could be sold easily anywhere in the world at one time .whether this was a false premise or not I never had the misfortune to find out , but it was a great comforter at times. JS

From very early on in my career I had a $20 and $5 bill which was my "get back to the ship" money, in event of being skint one way or another; still have those two notes

[j.sabourn]

I’ve still got my gold chain Tony , don’t think it’s enough to bury me as the gold standard is down and the funeral directors are up. Not like the old sailorman with a gold ring in his ear for the same reason, where a piece of canvas was enough in any case and probably the sower took it as his payment for all the homeward bounders he had to put in. Hope you’ve still got your penny or can you remember it ? Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

#10 I opened your media report Marian and just shows me how the media manipulates its readers into thinking along different tracks. To me they have lost most of their credibility that is if they ever had any. I have little doubt Ian told them a true account in all faith, but they have chosen to print it with the grammar chosen deliberately , because you cant tell me they must know by now with all the thousands of words they have printed in the past. The search for hours is printed so that it appears that the crew of the boat went for many hours searching, this is correct in itself, but it was from the deck of the Lowland Cavalier itself that this was done. This is where I have probably made a mistake in the number of boat crew as I have a picture sitting in front of me right now of 3 of the Lowland Cavalier in Harrogate and was told another couldnt make it as was working in Brazil. However of the three that were at Harrogate one was the Master, of the ship and was receiving the Award for his splendid efforts in leading the block search , and this I have always believed. However someone else has also mentioned on site about some other ship doing so , so I keep my mouth shut as not 100% sure of my statement, as too many cooks spoil the broth. I therefore only speak for my own vessel. The Piper Alpha incident as regards loss of life was all over in 3 hours , no matter how you look at it , so the searching for bodies was part of the cleaning up process and was carried out by many ships. The reason why I refused to talk to the media for many years was just because they inflate any story to suit their readers and their own thinking. Truth of any occurrence they print is always suspect to me. They are given the truth but choose the full stops and commas. The helicopters were there only in the latter stages so film footage only began then also. Cheers thanks your efforts of the past and of course the present. Cheers JS
PS I forget the circumstances of the later deaths of Dundee Jim and Ian Latham and dont know if would be suitable to put on here , or is a bit too private , but they should also be remembered , anyhow you would be a better judge than me of that as believe you have had contact with their families if I remember right, JS