S.G.M. 'The British King sprang a leak during a hurricane in the North Atlantic and began to sink on 10th March 1906. In answer to signals of distress, the Mannheim bore down but as the weather was too bad for a boat to be launched, she stood by all night, and in the morning, with the assistance of Bostonian, then launched a boat but it was smashed alongside and the crew of the boat were injured and only rescued with great difficulty. A second boat was launched from the Bostonian and rescued 13 of the crew of British King before it was destroyed. Subseqently the British King foundered and 5 men were picked up clinging to her wreckage. There was a heavy sea at the time of the rescue and those who rendered assistance incurred great risk to life' (P.R.O. BT261-5 refers).

In all, 13 silver S.G.Ms were awarded to men of the Bostonian for this rescue whilst men of the Mannheim received one Gold and four Silver Foreign Services S.G.Ms.

British King, one of the large cargo fleet belonging to the British Shipowners' Company, was a Steamer of 4,717 tons launched in 1891 and wrecked about 500 miles off the American coast whilst on passage from New York to Antwerp.