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The Royal Humane Society | Small type, to 'Frederick J. Belton. R.N.R. 18TH MAY 1916', EF, £325

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With ribbon buckle. RHS case no 42,467: At 7am on 18 May 1916 a boat which was being towed by HMS Carbineer capsized, throwing JWA Lilliman (19) into the sea near Hern Isle (possibly near Kirkinner, Wigtownshire, though the LSARS rolls suggest it was in 'the Channel'). The ship was traveling at 10 knots at the time. Frederick Belton (19) jumped overboard from his ship and supported him until the were picked up by a dingy. The Admiralty brought the rescue to the attention of the RHS. The Society approved the award of its bronze medal to Belton at its committee meting on 11 July 1916, sending this to the Admiralty on 18 August that year for them to organise its formal presentation.

Frederick John Belton was born in 1897 (Newton Abbott Register Office, Oct-Dec 1897, vol 5b, p 89), a son of merchant sailor James William Belton and his wife Alice Mary, and grew up in Teignmouth, Devon. With the outbreak of WWI he joined the RNR on 22 September 1914 aboard HMS Vivid. He subsequently served aboard HMS Defiance, Carbineer, Deiellook [possibly, file entry illegible], Grafton, Vivid, and President III, being demobilised on 21 February 1919. His papers note he received the 1914-15 Star trio. He then emigrated to the USA, settling in New York. He appears to have worked initially aboard a lightship at Staten island. He initially applied to become a naturalized US citizen in January 1921 and was granted US citizenship in 1927 and appears on the 1930 US census married to Jemma, a New Yorker with two children from a previous marriage. He was noted as serving as Master of the lightship LV95/WAL 519 from 1938 (see www.uscg.mil/History/WEBLIGHTSHIPS/LV95.asp). EF condition.

1914-15 star trio named SD. 2143. J. Belton, D.H., R.N.R.' and a gold sports medal (9ct) named 'T.R.F.C. Devon S.C. J. Belton. 1928-29' (presumably Teignmouth Rugby Football Club). Frederick's younger brother John, born in about 1899, enrolled in the RNR on 17 July 1915 aboard HMS Vivid. He then went on to serve aboard HMS Prince Edward, Vivid III, Defiance, Vivid III, and Borcobel Duke [possibly, file partly illegible], before being demobilised on 27 February 1919. With RHS, RNR details, 1901, 1911 and US census and other details, EF, £325.