CLEARING out an elderly relative's house has revealed tales of family heroism and tragedy for a former Fishguard mayor.

Among the family artefacts Richard Davies discovered were a medal and a certificate awarded to his grandfather, Captain Henry Parry in 1915, as well as newspaper articles detailing a terrible family tragedy.

Captain Parry was awarded a medal from the King of Norway for saving nine men at sea while he was an officer on the steamship the Eveline.

Reports at the time said that the men had been adrift at sea for ten days in a small boat. A rope was thrown to them but the sea was too rough and they were too weak to catch hold of it.

Undaunted, Captain Parry tied a rope around his waist and launched himself off the side of the ship into the rough sea. He swam to the stricken boat and managed to get a rope onto the vessel and was then able to assist the nine men back onto the Eveline.

For this act of heroism and extreme bravery Captain Parry was awarded a medal from King Oscar of Norway for 'particularly meritorious service to His Majesty the King'.

Unfortunately, not all Captain Parry's heroic acts had such a happy ending.

Also among the family artefacts was a certificate from the Royal Humane Society, dated April 13 1915, awarded after he dived into the harbour at Lowertown to rescue his three-year-old daughter, Annie Parry.

A newspaper report from the time describes how Captain Parry had jumped into the harbour, fully clothed, during high water and in the dark, to rescue the three year-old who had fallen over the harbour wall.

"He swam bravely towards the little girl, but the small form had drifted on the waves and it took some time to reach her," reads the report.

It goes on to describe how Captain Parry swam back towards the quay 'with supreme effort', having to stop and rest at the harbour wall while he supported the child between his knees. All the while his wife, the girl's mother, watched from land.

Captain Parry managed to get the child ashore 'after a severe struggle' but it was too late. An inquest recorded a verdict of accidental drowning and commended Captain Parry for his bravery.

"The medal turned up when one of the family who was very old died," said Mr Davies. "It goes back over 100 years.

"He was a real hero. He lived on the Quay in Lowertown and saved a few other lives down there as well."