Nationality:

British

John Gibbard was serving as an Able Bodied Seaman aboard the Royal Mail Steamship ‘Cardiganshire’ on 4th November 1924 when he was involved in the rescue of seven men of the Schooner ‘Inspiration’ of St. John’s, Newfoundland which was abandoned, dismasted and in a sinking condition in heavy weather in the North Atlantic on 4th November 1924.

At 7.30am on the 4th November 1924 a vessel was observed flying signals of distress. The Cardiganshire bore down on her and found her to be the schooner ‘Inspiration’ of St. John’s, Newfoundland, bound from Pernambuco to St. John’s, in ballast, dismasted with rudder and rudder post gone and in a sinking condition. The weather was rough and squally, with a high sea running.

The Chief Officer was sent away in charge of the lifeboat and brought back the crew of seven men, who were later landed at Liverpool. The lifeboat was holed and severely damaged in the process, arriving back at the ship half full of water.’

Gibbard would go on to see Second World War service in the Atlantic, most likely as part of the Merchant Navy.

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• - London Medal Company
  - Nottingham Evening Post, 22 December 1924
  - The Scotsman, 23 December 1924
  - Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, 23 December 1924
  - Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 29 December 1924
  - East End News and London Shipping Chronicle, 30 December 1924