b. ? d. ?
DATE OF AM ACTION: 20/11/1878 Boucan, near Bayonne, France.
Very little is known about John McIntosh AM other than he received his medal from the Provost of Ardrossan on 23rd October 1879.
AM CITATION:
On the 20th of November, 1878, at about 5.45 P.M., a fire suddenly broke out. on board the French ship ” Melanie,” which was lying in the River Adour, at Boucan, near Bayonne, loaded with 500 barrels of petroleum, of which 40 were on deck. A mass of flame shot up from the main hatch and the ship quivered all over from the explosion of some of the barrels. The ship’s seams opened at once, and the petroleum pouring through spread a belt of flame around the ship. The master and a seaman then jumped overboard, but the mate remained to try to save his son, who was lying helpless under some heavy objects which had fallen on him. Captain PETER SHARP, Master of the ” Aunabella Clark,” of Ardrossan (which was lying close by in the river), accompanied by a seaman, named JOHN MC!NTOSH, came at once to his assistance. They rowed their boat through the flames, picked up the seaman-who had jumped overboard and took the mate from the blazing vessel. Captain SHARP and MCINTOSH both sustained very severe injuries. It was feared at first that Captain SHARP would lose the sight of one eye and JOHN MCINTOSH the use of bis hands.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
