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“The Queen has been pleased to confer the decoration of the Albert Medal of the first class on Mr William John Nutman, late master of the steamship ‘Aidar,’ of Liverpool. The following is an account of the services in respect of which the decoration has been conferred:—At two A.M. on the 19th January 1896, while the steamship ‘Staffordshire,’ of Liverpool, was on a voyage from Marseilles to Port Said, signals of distress were observed to be proceeding from the steamship ‘Aidar,’ also of Liverpool, and the ‘Staffordshire’ immediately proceeded to her assistance. As the ‘Aidar’ was found to be sinking fast, three of the ‘Staffordshire's’ life-boats were at once launched, and with great difficulty, owing to the darkness and the heavy sea, succeeded in rescuing her passengers and crew, twenty-nine in number. At 6.10 A.M. the only persons left on the ‘Aidar’ were Mr Nutman (the master), and an injured and helpless fireman, whom he was endeavouring to save, and whom he absolutely refused to abandon. The steamer was now rapidly settling down, and as it was no longer safe to remain near her, the officer in charge of the rescuing boat asked Mr Nutman for a final answer. He still persisted in remaining with the injured man, choosing rather to face almost certain death than to leave him to his fate. The men in the boat were obliged to pull away, and immediately afterwards, at 6.17 A.M., the ‘Aidar’ gave one or two lurches, and foundered. After she disappeared, Mr Nutman was seen on the bottom of an upturned boat, still holding the fireman. Half-an-hour elapsed before the rescuing boat could approach, but eventually Mr Nutman and the fireman were picked up and taken on board the ‘Staffordshire,’ where the injured man was with difficulty restored by the ship's surgeon.”— Cf. The Standard, April 9th, 1896.