Canada, Dominion. A Royal Canadian Humane Association Bravery Award, Bronze Grade, Rescue in the Niagara River 1913

In bronze, obverse illustrating the King's crown above the inscription "ROYAL CANADIAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION", all within an open-ended wreath composed of a branch of laurel leaves on the right and a branch of maple leaves on the left, reverse engraved in a combination of running script, along with Gothic and capital letters "AWARDED TO F.G. Preston for Courage in the rescue of PETER W. LANGGAARD from drowning at NIAGARA FALLS OCTOBER. 1913.", the medal with a reeded border on both sides, measuring 47.8 mm in diameter, ornate swing suspension, lightly frayed original ribbon suspended from a hanger inscribed "BRAVERY" with pinback, exhibiting spotting and light oxidation on both sides, edge nicks, better than very fine. Accompanied by photocopied research papers and photographs documenting the rescue, along with three colour photographs showing the whirlpool rapids. 

Footnotes: 

1. The purpose of the Royal Canadian Humane Association (RCHA) is to recognize deserving Canadians for their acts of bravery, in Silver and Bronze Grades. The Silver Medal is awarded for acts more gallant than those for which the Bronze Medal is awarded. 

2. Frederick Guernsey Preston was born on March 17, 1872 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the son of Frederick John Preston and Guernsey. He married Sarah O'Neal in 1898, the couple having two children: Anna Elizabeth Preston (born 1898) and Frederick Henry Preston (born 1900). He worked as a Fireman with the Grand Trunk Railway for twelve years, in addition to being a Steeplejack painting suspension bridges. During the summer months, he owned and operated a souvenir and refreshment stand at the whirlpool rapids. Preston received the Royal Canadian Humane Association, Bronze Grade, on February 16, 1914 from Mayor Dores, for saving the life of Peter W. Langgaard from drowning in the whirlpool rapids in the Niagara River at Niagara Falls, Ontario, on October 23, 1913. The rescued Langgaard was a sailor and movie stuntman, from Detroit, Michigan, attempting to shoot the rapids of the Niagara River in a motorboat, when a piece of driftwood lodged in his motor's propeller, stopping it, forcing the vessel to be carried around and around in the whirlpool. Three times the boat was drawn close to the axis of the pool, where there was tremendous suction, but each time it was diverted toward the outer edge of the whirlpool. As darkness was falling, the boat began to fill with water. A search light was brought to the scene and the light was directed on the boat as it swung around the whirlpool. Four hours after the boat entered the whirlpool, Preston left the bank with a rope fastened to his arm, swimming about 125 feet, then grasping the boat as it swung around in a current flowing at 8 mph. Men stationed on the bank then pulled Preston and the boat to the bank, with Langgaard uninjured. Preston was also acknowledged as being a recipient of the Carnegie Medal, a bronze medallion awarded to civilians who risk death or serious physical injury to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others, along with $1,000, presented to him by Mayor Glendening on July 3, 1915. He later joined the Niagara Parks Police as a motorcycle policeman in 1915, serving with them for twenty-eight years. Preston died on November 6, 1960 at Niagara Falls, at the age of 88 and is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Welland, Ontario.