THE LIFE-BOAT The Journal of the Royal National Life-boat Institution

VOL. XXXIII SPRING, 1953 No. 364

THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET 154 Motor Life-boats 1 Harbour Pulling Life-boat LIVES RESCUED from the foundation of the Life-boat Service in 1824 to May 31st, 1953 - 78,220

Disaster at Fraserburgh

MONDAY the 9th of February, 1953, Two Fishing Boats Escorted In was a fine sunny day at Fraserburgh, Though the swell was very heavy on the coast of Aberdeenshire. A there was a considerable interval light easterly breeze was blowing, between the waves, and several small but there was a very heavy swell. fishing boats, by waiting for the Fraserburgh harbour faces a little "smooths" in the swell, were able to south of east. The swell was from the enter harbour without difficulty. The north-east and was breaking across life-boat escorted in the Evangeline. the harbour mouth. She went out again and escorted in the A number of fishing boats were Good Way. It was then reported to returning to harbour at midday. In the coxswain that the Harvest Reaper that swell the entrance might be was waiting off Kinnaird Head, a dangerous, and it was decided to send little way up the coast. He went out the life-boat to escort them in. out for the third time to find that the The maroon was fired at 12.48. A Harvest Reaper had decided to make few minutes later the boat was for Macduff and was steaming away. launched and the coxswain, who had He put about, and when he reached the just returned in his own boat from north pier, standing out eastwards into fishing, took her out into the bay. the sea, he made a half circle to come Coxswain Andrew Ritchie, a fisher- round the end of it. The life-boat man, had served in the life-boat for now had the heavy swell right astern. twenty years and for seven years had What happened next was told by a been coxswain. The motor mechanic, man watching from the pier-head and G. F. Duthie, had served as the motor by Second-coxswain C. G. Tait, the mechanic of life-boats at Fraserburgh. only man, of the seven on board, who for thirty years. The other five came ashore alive. members of the crew were experienced The life-boat was travelling at full fishermen. The life-boat herself, the speed just off the end of the north John and Charles Kennedy, was a pier, and two to three boat's lengths 46-feet Watson cabin boat with two away from it, when a very heavy swell 40 h.p. diesel engines, built in 1937. lifted her stern, and as it passed under 470 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 the life-boat it broke alongside her out, but in the shallow water, close to amidships. She ran on this swell for the rocks, where the capsized life-boat two or three boat's lengths. The cox- had drifted, she could do nothing. swain was at the wheel; the assistant motor mechanic was under the canopy Rescuers Waiting at the engine controls; the second- As soon as the life-boat grounded, coxswain had just gone under the the bodies of the five men floated out canopy; the other four men were stand- from under the canopy on a receding ing in the cockpit with the coxswain. sea. Men were waiting on the rocks. They went into the sea and brought A Big Swell Rears Up four bodies ashore. Two doctors were The life-boat had now passed the waiting on the rocks. Ambulances end of the north pier and it is probable were waiting. From the time when that the coxswain was just turning the bodies were recovered until they her to starboard to enter the harbour reached hospital a few minutes later, when a second, and even bigger, swell and again at the hospital, every effort was made to revive them, but they ;reared up astern. It broke right aboard her, not over the stern but were dead. over the starboard quarter. It filled These four men were wearing their the cockpit. It flung all the men life-belts. The fifth man, John Craw- except the coxswain, who was holding ford, was washed out with the others, the wheel, right under the canopy but his life-belt was seen to float off and against the engine-controls. It his body, and he was not recovered filled the canopy. It flung the life- for two days. The belt too was boat's stern round, so that she was recovered, undamaged, but with the now broadside to the swell, and waist-belt unbuckled. It is possible turned her right over. that he had tried to free himself of it The coxswain was thrown clear of in his desperate attempt to escape the boat. He could be seen swimming from under the canopy when the life- strongly towards the harbour. Then boat was on top of him. a piece of wreckage struck him on the head, and he could swim no more. The News Reaches the Institution It was about 2.30 in the afternoon Trapped Under the Canopy that the news of the disaster reached the Institution, and at onoe the The other six men were trapped district inspector (general), Comman- under the canopy with the life-boat der E. W. Middleton, V.R.D., R.N. V.R., on top of them. Only the second- was sent from London to carry out coxswain escaped. He managed to an inquiry, and Mr. S. E. Bartholomew, force himself down in the water suffi- of the Operations Department, with ciently to get out from under the money to supply any immediate needs life-boat and the guard-rails, and rose of the families. The northern district to the surface. He was then ten inspector, Lieutenant E. D. Stogdon, yards to seaward of the boat. He R.N.V.R., the northern district engin- tried to swim to the harbour-entrance eer and the northern assistant surveyor but could not make it. The swell of life-boats were told to go at once carried him southwards across it. A to Fraserburgh. All arrived that night rope was flung to him from the south or early next morning. Mr. R. A. ier. He caught it, but could not Oakley, the surveyor of life-boats, left Eold it. He was carried on south- next day to take charge of the work wards and was washed up alive on the rocks to the south of the harbour. of salving the boat. The capsized boat was also carried southwards, and from twenty to Salving the Life-boat thirty minutes after she capsized she For the next three days an on-shore went ashore on the rocks, about a gale made any work impossible. hundred yards south of the south pier. Through those days the boat lay on As soon as the disaster was known the rocks battered by the seas. On the fishing boat Golden Harvest put the 13th of February the gale moder- SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 471 ated and it was possible to examine GEORGE FLETT DUTHIE (55), the her. The seas and rocks between motor mechanic, who left a wife and them had by then torn away or six children. damaged beyond repair all her super- CHARLES TAIT, senior (61), the structure and upper deck. On the bowman, who left a wife and three same day the difficult work was begun children, one of them Charles Tait, of getting the boat off the rocks. She junior, the second-coxswain, the only was jacked up; launching ways laid; man to come ashore alive. the tops of rocks split off; and on the JAMES NOBLE (32), the assistant morning of Sunday the 15th she was motor mechanic, who left a wife and refloated on the rising tide. Still bot- two children. tom up she was towed into harbour. JOHN CRAWFORD (52), who left a There she was turned right way up, wife and three children. and the fire brigade pumped the water JOHN RALPH BUCHAN (23), who left out of her. a wife and two sons, one born seven She was carefully examined. The weeks after his death. engine-controls were set at full-speed ahead. There was nothing to show any failure of the engines themselves. Nor The Pensions was there sign of any other failure of The Institution pensioned the six material in the boat. To have re- widows, as if the men had been paired her would have cost over sailors, soldiers or airmen, killed in £10,000. The engines, propellers, action, with allowance for six children propeller-shafts, engine-coolers and under the age of sixteen. It gave radio telephone were taken out. What £500 to the Provost of Fraserburgh's was left was handed over to a local fund for the dependents, made an shipbreaker who undertook to break allowance to Second-coxswain Charles it up within a week. Tait for as long as he was incapacitated In her sixteen years the John and by his injuries, and paid all funeral Charles Kennedy went out on service expenses. 98 times and rescued 199 lives. The Institution also sent a letter of thanks to the skipper and crew of An Earlier Disaster the Golden Harvest. Thirty-four years ago, on the 28th of April, 1919, the first motor life-boat to be stationed at Fraserburgh, the Messages of Sympathy Lady Rothe.s, left the harbour in a full The Duchess of Kent telegraphed to gale from the north-north-east. In the Fraserburgh: middle of the bay a heavy sea struck "Deeply distressed to learn of her on her port bow, followed by tragic disaster. Please convey to another, which threw her on her beam relatives of those who lost their lives ends. All but three of her crew were my profound sympathy. Marina, washed out of her. The life-boat was President, R.N.L.I." a self-righter, and righted herself at Among the many others who sent once. Four of the men climbed messages of sympathy were the Royal aboard again, two hung on to the life- North and South Holland Life-saving lines. The boat and the nine men were Society, the French Society for Rescu- thrown up on the beach. Neither the ing the Shipwrecked, the Danish Life- coxswain nor second coxswain had boat Institution and a number of the been able to regain the boat. They Institution's life-boat stations and too were thrown up on the beach. branches. The crew of the Port Erin They were still alive, but so injured station, which had assembled to launch and exhausted that they died at once. ten days before, sent to the Provost's fund the rewards which they had The Six Men and Their Families received from the Institution, and Mrs. The six men who lost their lives on Helen Brunton, of Inveresk gave the 9th of February were: £1,000 of shares in Bruntons (Mussel- COXSWAIN ANDREW NOBLE RITCHIE burgh) Ltd. The gift will be used for (39), who left a wife and four children. the life-boats in Scotland. 472 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRIXG, 1953 The Funerals The New Crew and the New Life-boat The funeral service of five of the By the 21st of February, twelve six men was held on the 12th of days after the disaster, a new crew February in the Old Parish Church. had been enrolled. It included Second The church, which holds a thousand coxswain Charles Tait, the only sur- people, was full. Thousands more vivor of the old crew. He will serve stood outside. When the coffins, each again as second-coxswain- His covered with the Institution's house- younger brother joined the crew. The flag, were taken from the church to the new coxswain is the brother of the old. cemetery, each for separate burial, the procession which followed was On the 25th a reserve life-boat—of over a mile long. The whole town was the same type as the last boat— in mourning. Lord Aberdeen, the arrived at the station. She will be Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire, and there until a new life-boat can be built the Provost and full council of Fraser- and sent to Fraserburgh. burgh and the Provost and councillors of Peterhead attended the funeral. The Institution was represented by A Public Inquiry Commodore the Right Hon the Earl Howe, C.B.E., V.R.D., R.N.V.R., the On the 30th of March a public deputy chairman of the Institution, inquiry into the deaths of the six men Lord Saltoun, M.C., a member of was held, under the Fatal Accident the Committee of Management and a Inquiry Act, in the Sheriff's Court at vice-chairman of the Scottish Life- Aberdeen. The Sheriff said that it boat Council, Commander S. W. F. was clear that there had been no Bennetts, D.S.O., D.S.C., R.N., de- mechanical fault. Neither had there puty chief inspector of life-boats, Com- been any negligence. It was one of mander E. W. Middleton, V.R.D., those unfortunate risks which men R.N.V.R., inspector (general) of life- called upon to serve in life-boats had boats, Lieutenant E. D. Stogdon, to undergo. He paid a tribute to R.N.V.R., northern inspector of life- the experience and self-sacrifice of the boats, and Mrs. Jan Paton, organising men who were lost, and of the one secretary for Scotland. The sixth man who had been saved. "He has." man, John Crawford, was buried next the sheriff said, ''joined up again, in day by the Salvation Army, of which spite of all that has taken place. Such he was a member. The Institution's devotion to the call of the sea is some- wreath for each of the six coffins bore thing to be proud of." the words "in proud and grateful The jury brought in a formal verdict memory from the Committee of that the cause of death was asphyxia Management, officers and staff." by drowning.

Chief Organising Secretary MR. JOHN TERRY, the district organ- Borough Council. He joined the ising secretary for London, has been Institution in 1935 as joint organising appointed chief organising secretary secretary for London, and in 1939 of the Institution and personal assis- became organising secretary of the tant to the secretary, a new post which Outer London District. During the replaces the post of deputy-secretary. six years of the war he served in the Mr. Terry, who was educated at the Foreign Office, and returned to the Edinburgh Academy and Magdalen Institution in 1945. In 19t6 he College, Oxford, was from 1931 to became organising- secretary for the 1937 a member of the Kensington whole of London. SPUING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 473

The Problem of Designing Life-boats

Self-righting Life-boats or Life-boats which cannot self-right

By Commander T. G. Michelmore, R.D., R.N.R. Chief Inspector of Life-boats

WHENEVER a life-boat of the type From Non-Self-Tighter to Self-righter— which cannot right herself is capsized and Back Again the same questions are asked. "Why For the first thirty years in the cannot all life-boats right themselves? history of the Life-boat Service there Is it not time now that the Life-boat were no self-righting life-boats. In Institution had a fleet of nothing but 1851 the first self-righting life-boat was self-righters?" built and it was believed then that the Each time those questions are asked, problem of the life-boat had been and have to be answered. They were solved. For the next forty years asked at once when the Fraserburgh nearly all the life-boats were self- life-boat capsized on the 10th of righters, except that at some stations February, 1953. Here are the on the east coast the men refused them. answers. They preferred a more stable boat. Every type of ship is designed for They trusted to their own seamanship some special purpose. She has some to keep her from capsizing. quality essential for that purpose. In 1886, the disaster at Southport, For that reason she is a compromise. when a self-righting life-boat capsized In order to give her the special quality and did not right herself, led to the needed something has to be sacrificed, re-examination of the whole question. the price has to be paid. That is the It was then decided that the self- great problem of all ship designing. righting principle should be retained What is true of all ships is specially in the lighter boats working close in true of the life-boat. shore, and that for the larger types, which would have to go well out to The Two Kinds of Life-boat sea, it would be better to sacrifice the There are two main types of life- self-righting principle and have more boat, the self-righting life-boat, and stable boats. That is the principle the life-boat which cannot self-right, on which, ever since, the fleet of the but which is much more stable. The Institution has been built. The self-righting life-boat, if she capsizes, Watson type designed then was the will turn right way up in a few beginning of the modern life-boat seconds. To enable her to do this she fleet. is given higher end boxes at bow and The experiences of the sixty-five stern than the other type of life-boat. years since that first Watson boat was That is to say, she has the disadvan- built fully justify the decision which tage of exposing a greater surface to the Institution then took. In those wind and seas. She has to be years there have been something like narrower, and for that reason she is 170 boats of this type in the fleet. more likely to capsize. That is the They have taken part in hundreds of price which has to be paid for the self- services. Thev have rescued thou- righting quality. sands of lives. And the Fraserburgh The other type, being broader and life-boat is only the second of the having low end boxes, is easier to type to capsize in all those years. The handle, She is more stable. She is first was the life-boat at The Mumbles less likely to capsize. But once she which was lost in April, 1947. has capsized she remains bottom up. In her again, as in the self-righting The Figures of Capsizes life-boat, the price has to be paid for Here are the figures of capsizes since the qualities which are given to her. 1852 when the first of the self-righting 474 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 life-boats came on service. During little by little, been able to reduce the that century 92 self-righting life-boats height of the end-boxes. We have capsized and only 13 life-boats of the done this and still been able to keep types which cannot self-right. the power to self-right. There is no Today there are, in the fleet of 154 finality in the design of life-boats. motor life-boats, 75 of the Watson We are always working on the problem boats, 18 Barnett boats, which are a of improving the stability of the boats. development of the Watson type, and But the risk of capsizing is always 54 others of different types which there. It cannot be said of any boat cannot self-right. There are only seven nor, in fact, of any ship, not even the self-righting life-boats. Queen Elizabeth, that she is so con- The self-righting principle is used structed that it would be impossible only in the light types of life-boat, but to capsize her. All that we can do, while there are only seven self-righters and it is being done, is to get such a there are 43 light life-boats, of the balance of qualities in our boats as same length and weight, which cannot will make that risk as small as possible. self-right. These are the Liverpool boats. At all stations where a light A Great Coxswain's Opinion life-boat is placed, the crew have their The problem cannot be summed up own choice between the two types. better than by quoting what Coxswain There are only seven self-righters Henry Blogg of Cromer said some because the life-boatmen themselves years ago. No man in the whole nearly always prefer the more stable history of the Life-boat Service has boats. so splendid a record. He has won In August, 1952, the self-righting the George Cross and the British life-boat at Bridlington capsized. She Empire Medal. He has won the righted herself at once, but her crew Institution's Gold Medal for outstand- have asked that they might now have ing gallantry three times. He has a boat of the more stable type which won the Silver Medal four times. cannot self-right. This has been given No man has ever had greater exper- to them. ience of life saving. He said: "I have been a seaman all my life The Risk is Always There and forty-five years of it have been spent as a life-boatman. From that At the same time the Institution is experience it is impossible to guarantee steadily improving the self-righting any boat against disaster. It does type. It is getting rid of those points not matter what type of boat it is, you in its design which make it a less sea- cannot ensure against accidents. All worthy boat than the type which depends upon the force of the storm cannot self-right. We have, little by and the judgement of the crew."* little, been able to increase the beam *A full account of the capsize at Fraserburgh appears of the boat by a foot. We have, on page 469, and of the Bridlington capsize below.

Bridlington Bowman Killed on Service AT 5.8 on the afternoon of the 19th of the coastguard had a line across. August, 1952, the coastguard at Brid- On reaching the entrance to North lington telephoned the life-boat station Landing, the life-boat met the R.A.F. that two girl bathers were being rescue boat 357, which had on board washed seawards in Thornwick Bay, the body of one of the girls and was and at 5.35 the life-boat Tillie Morri- making for Bridlington. The life-boat son, Sheffield was launched. A very received a semaphore message from strong north-north-east wind was coastguards on top of the cliffs north blowing, and the sea was extremely of North Landing asking her to search rough. After rounding Flamborough in that area. Head, the life-boat, which was in radio The search was continued along the communication with the Flamborough cliffs into Big Thornwick Bay, and the life-boat, learned that a body was life-boat then continued westwards and floating off North Landing and that searched Little Thornwick Bay. She SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 475 found nothing and altered course again boat up. It was now about eight to repeat the search to the eastward. o'clock in the evening. As she entered Big Thornwick Bay The five life-boatmen who had swum from the westward a big swell and for the shore all reached it, but the sea, caused by the ebbing tide, the bowman, Robert P. Redhead, had been wind and the backwash from the cliffs, injured, and shortly afterwards he died. was seen coming down on her. The Both the girls to whom the life-boat coxswain shouted: "Hang on; water had put out lost their lives. coming." Then the sea struck the life-boat and rolled her right over. Rewards The Institution made the following Five Thrown into Sea awards: Of the seven men on board, five To HERBERT SMITH, life-boatman, were thrown into the sea. The two for his skill and resource, the thanks of remaining were the coxswain and the the Institution inscribed on vellum. assistant motor mechanic. The cox- To DEREK NIGHTINGALE, the assist- swain held on to the wheel as the boat went over, but the force with which ant motor mechanic, for his skill and she righted herself threw him out. resource, its thanks inscribed on vellum. The assistant motor mechanic, Derek To each of these two men, to the Nightingale, was wedged under the coxswain, and to each of the other after canopy. He heard shouts and four members of the crew, a special found one of the crew, Herbert Smith, award of £10, in addition to the reward hanging to the guard chain. He on the ordinary scale of 19s. each. lifted one of his legs into the boat and To COXSWAIN RICHARD B. COWLING, then Raw the coxswain and bowman of Flamborough, who organised and in the water. He tried to reach them, took charge of the shore party which but the swell washed them away, so hauled the life-boat up the beach and he returned to Smith and hauled him later relaunched her, a letter of appre- aboard. He then saw that some of the ciation and £10. crew had already reached the shore. To LIEUTENANT E. TAYLOR, the When the life-boat capsized the assistant honorary secretary of the anchor had fallen out of the boat and station, and to MR. H. A. MARTIN, the the men found that she had anchored district officer of coastguard, Filey, herself. Between them they got her letters of thanks. under control. Smith, though his arm The Institution has pensioned the was hurt, took the wheel. .Nightin- widow of the bowman, Robert Red- gale cut the cable, started the engine head, as if he had been a leading and pulled in all loose ropes. Smith rating in the Navy killed in action. then steered the boat clear of the It also paid all funeral expenses. broken water. Nightingale stopped Rewards on the ordinary scale to the engines and they looked round for the Bridlington crew and helpers, any men still in the water. They saw £11 3*. 6d.; special rewards to Brid- none, and set course for Bridlington, lington crew and Flamborough cox- but when they were off North Landing swain, £80; compensation for loss of they found that the boat was leaking clothing and wages to Bridlington and decided to put back to Thornwick crew, £65 Os. 9d.; expenses in hauling Bay. Soon afterwards one of the up and rehousing the boat and bring- engines stopped. They then streamed ing a reserve boat from Whitby, the drogue and the swell carried them £109 3s. Id. Total rewards and on to the beach. There the crowd expenses (apart from pension and was waiting and helped to haul the funeral expenses), £265 7s. 4d.

Portrait on the Cover THE portrait on the cover of H.R.H. Mr. Cecil Beaton, of Kensington, and the Duchess of Kent, President of the is reproduced by his very kind per- Institution, is from a photograph by mission. 476 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953

The Worst Floods in Living Memory ON the night of the 31st January- wards a quarter of a mile north-west 1st February the sea invaded large of the pier. At 2.29 the life-boat was areas of land in many parts of the launched again. The westerly gale east coast, when exceptionally high was still blowing, and the sea remained tides were driven higher by violent rough. The life-boat found that a northerly winds often reaching gale motor boat had put a man aboard force. The floods which resulted were the ketch and taken her in tow, but worse than anything known in this the ketch had broken loose. A life- country within living memory, and boatman was therefore put aboard 307 people lost their lives. In making the ketch, and the life-boat towed her an appeal for funds to relieve the dis- to Southend pier, where she was tress the Lord Mayor of London, Sir made fast at three o'clock. Rupert De la Bere, M.P., declared: Ten minutes later, at 3.10, an empty "I doubt if in the past century so fishing boat was seen rolling heavily much devastation and misery has ever and drifting in the fairway three fallen on our country in forty-eight quarters of a mile south of the pier. hours in peace time as that which has The gale was still blowing. The life- taken place during the past week-end." boat was launched at once and put The work of rescue and relief began two men aboard the drifting boat, at once, voluntary organisations co- which was the Patience, of London. operating with detachments of the She then towed the boat to the pier, armed forces and civil defence workers. arriving at 4.5. As the Prime Minister stated in his The next call came at 10.18 that first report to the House of Commons night. The coastguard rang up to say on the disaster, "Organisations of all that the tanker Kosmos F, of Sande- kinds, national and local, military and fjord, had gone aground on Shoebury civil, reacted immediately to the call Sands two and a half miles east of upon them." Southend pier. The life-boat was launched at 10.45. The gale was Thirty-Six Hours at Sea then blowing from the west-north- west, and the sea remained very A number of calls were made for rough. The life-boat stood by the the services of the life-boats, and tanker until she refloated after about between nine o'clock on the morning of half an hour. The tanker wirelessed the 31st of January and four o'clock her thanks to the life-boat and then on the afternoon of the 2nd of February anchored, and the life-boat returned to the Southend life-boat, Greater London, her station, which she reached five Civil Service No. 3, was called out minutes after midnight. seven times and was at sea for a total of twenty-six hours thirty-five minutes. Help to Canvey Island The first call came at 8.53 on the She then made for Canvey Island, morning of the 31st of January. The where it was thought that her help coastguard rang up to say that a barge might be needed because of the fast- two miles south-south-east of the pier flowing and extremely high tide, but at was making distress signals and that 1.5 she received a wireless message the pilot boat had put out. A westerly that her help was needed at the sewage gale was blowing, with a rough sea, works at Leigh Marshes. She there- and at 9.23 the Southend life-boat fore immediately altered course and was launched. However, the pilot made for the marshes, but she found boat took the crew of two off the that the men who had been working motor barge Adriatic, of London, and at the sewage works had already got the life-boat was not needed. away, and she returned to her station, She reached her station again at where she was moored at 2.10 early 9.45, and at 2.3 in the afternoon the that morning. coastguard telephoned that a Cornish At 3.30 in the morning the coast- ketch Wanderlust was drifting sea- guard told the coxswain that the Essex SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 477 County Police had asked for all avail- The Clacton-on-Sea life-boat Sir able boats to help in the evacuation Godfrey Baring was also out on service of Canvey Island. At 3.40 the life- at the time of the floods. At 1.35 on boat left her moorings once again in the afternoon of the 1st of February a a west-north-west gale with a very message was received from Jaywick rough sea, taking her boarding boat that a number of people were marooned with her. However, she learned that on the roof of a bungalow. At 1.45 two people who had been in danger on the Sir Godfrey Baring was launched Canvey Island were now safe, and and took a dinghy with her. A she returned to her station, arriving moderate west-north-west gale was at 5.55. blowing with a rough sea. The cox- At 8.15 that evening a message was swain took the life-boat as near to received from the Town Clerk of the bungalow as he could. Then, Southend asking if the life-boat would using the dinghy, the life-boatmen help to take people off Foulness rescued five men, a woman, two Island. At 9.3 the life-boat was children, two dogs and a cat. The launched once more, taking two small rescued people were given hot soup boats with her. She made for Foul- and biscuits, and the life-boat took ness in a strong north-westerly wind them to Clacton pier. She reached and a rough sea. Life-boatmen took her station again at 4.30. Rewards the two small boats through a gap in of £14 19*. 3d. were paid. the sea wall near a farm on Foulness Island, but the inhabitants of the farm Award to 73-year-old Man would not leave. The life-boatmen Six men not connected with the then took the boats further along the Royal National Life-boat Institution sea wall, and the men rowed them received the thanks of the Institution amongst a group of houses. Again inscribed on vellum for gallantry in none of the occupants wanted to leave saving, or attempting to save, life until daylight, and the life-boatmen during the floods. Three of them were asked as many people as possible to from \Vells, Norfolk: Mr. Frank Smith, be ready to be taken off in the morning. harbour master, and Mr. Fred Ellender and Mr. George Jay, employees of the Wells Council. Two were from South- A Hundred People Marooned wold, Suffolk: Mr. Frederick Mayhew, When daylight came the two small a 73-year-old long-shore fisherman, boats took 22 people to the sea wall, and Mr. Ernest Stannard, a 41-year- and from there they were transferred old disabled master mariner. The to the life-boat. The life-boat took sixth was Mr. W. V. Burrell, a fisher- them to Burnham. It was low tide man of Aldeburgh, Suffolk. now, and the life-boatmen who were On the night of the 31st January in left on the island used the small boats a northerly wind of gale force Mr. to transport about 100 marooned Smith, Mr. Ellender and Mr. Jay people to lorries and jeeps. The life- launched a fourteen-feet flat-bottomed boat returned to Foulness, took three rowing boat, passed through gaps in more people to Burnham, and then the sea defences, and rescued the made for a different part of the island. Station Officer of Coastguard, who was When the police stated that everyone marooned on Wells beach. The opera- had been evacuated, the life-boat tion lasted four hours. Mr. Smith had returned to her station, which she earlier been awarded the British finally reached at four o'clock on the Empire Medal. afternoon of the 2nd of February. Mr. Mayhew and Mr. Stannard res- Two of the cases, those of the ketch cued three American women and a Wanderlust and the fishing boat baby, who were clinging to the roof Patience, were property salvage cases. of a floating house on the same night, For other services rewards totalling landed them from a rowing boat, and £99 3s. 6d. were paid. The Institution then returned to the house and rescued sent a letter of appreciation to the three United States servicemen. Mr. coxswain and crew of the Southend Mayhew had also been awarded the life-boat. British Empire Medal. 478 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 Mr. Burrell received his award for was possible. At Sheringham, Nor- services during attempts to repair the folk, the boathouse doors were washed damage done by the floods. On the away. At Cromer, Norfolk, the port 17th February seven men were repair- side of the boathouse was severely ing breaches in the banks of the River damaged and the main doors were Aide, when the two boats in which washed away. The decking of the they were working were swept through pier was also washed away, and a a gap into the river. Mr. Burrell and temporary cat-walk had to be built another man immediately launched a down the pier. The boat herself was boat and succeeded in rescuing four lifted four feet out of her keelway. At men who were clinging to an upturned Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, Nor- rowing boat. Two of the other men folk, the electric winch and other managed to reach an island and were electric fittings in the boathouse were later rescued by a Naval helicopter, damaged. At Lowestoft, Suffolk, the but the seventh man drifted away. storehouse was washed away and all Mr. Burrell set off in a dinghy to gear was lost. At Margate, Kent, the search for him but failed to find him. boathouse was badly damaged and the concrete floor was broken up. The decking of the pier was washed away. Many Life-boat Stations Damaged The life-boat was transferred to Rams- The total damage to property caused gate harbour. At both Walmer and by the floods amounted to many mil- Dungeness, Kent, large banks of lions of pounds, and among the owners shingle ahead of the boats had to be of property who suffered severe losses cleared away by detachments of the was the Institution itself. Repair armed forces. work, of a greater or lesser kind, had The two Scottish stations which to be carried out at fourteen English suffered were Buckie, Banffshire, and and two Scottish stations to put right Eyemouth, Berwickshire. At Buckie the damage. At Sunderland, Durham, the launching doors and at Eyemouth the main boathouse doors were dam- the main boathouse doors were aged, and there was heavy siltation damaged. on the slipway. At Seaham, Durham, there was damage to the boathouse Institution Bears Whole Cost substructure. At Runswick, York- shire, the main doors of the boathouse In spite of this extensive damage all were badly damaged, and there was boats, except Cromer No. 1, were ready some damage to the decking of the for service by the evening of 2nd slipway. At Whitby No. 1 station, February. Cromer No. 1 was ready Yorkshire, the main doors were jam- for service by noon next day, and med and severely damaged. At Scar- Cromer No. 2, which is launched from borough, Yorkshire, the boathouse the beach, was available for service electrical plant was damaged, and throughout. there was severe damage to the boat- The cost of repairing the damage has house doors. At Humber, Yorkshire, been between £10,000 and £15,000. many cottages were damaged and for The Committee of Management decid- some time Spurn Point, at the end of ed at a meeting held in April that the which the life-boat station stands, Institution itself should bear the was completely cut off by floods, con- whole of this cost. No appeal is being tact with the outside world being made either to the Government or to maintained by radio link with the the Lord Mayor's Relief Fund. Cromer coastguard radio-telephony The loss of life and damage suffered station. in the Netherlands as a result of the At Wells, Norfolk, the boathouse floods were even greater than those doors were washed away and the suffered in this country. A letter of causeway leading to the boathouse condolence was sent by the Secretary was also breached in several places. of the Institution to the Royal North For some time the boathouse could and South Holland Life-boat Society. be approached only by boat from Wells A similar letter of condolence was village, and at low tide not even this received by the Institution. SPRING, 195,'i| THE LIFE-BOAT 479

Rescue from a Trawler About to Sink AT 5.30 on the morning of the 15th of feet of water. Her port rail was awash, January, 1953, the coastguard told the and she was pounding with the swell. honorary secretary of the Thurso life- The coxswain, Angus S. Macintosh, boat station that the steam trawler D.S.M., thought he would have to take Sunlight was reported ashore on the crew off by breeches buoy. But Holborn Head and in need of immed- he soon realised that the trawler was iate help. on the edge of a ledge and might at The life-boat H.C.J. was launched any moment slip off and capsize. He at 5.50 and searched along the coast therefore decided to go alongside at to Holborn Head and beyond to Spear once. This he did by putting his bow Head without sighting anything. From to the lee quarter of the Sunlight and Spear Head the coxswain could see the getting a line aboard. With its help whole coastline to Brims Ness, and he came alongside, head to sea. as no flares were visible he decided that The crew of the trawler quickly the trawler must be to the east-ward. scrambled aboard the life-boat by way When the life-boat was again off of the trawler's gallows, and they were Holborn Head the trawler Loch Park all clear by 7.10. The operation took reported by radio telephony that she only five minutes. The trawler be- was close to the Sunlight. She gave came a total loss. the life-boat a course, and some In recognition of his services in fifteen minutes later the coxswain carrying out this quick and efficient found the Sunlight on the Spur of rescue in difficult and dangerous con- Murkle in Thurso Bay. ditions, without damage to the life- A moderate westerly gale was blow- boat, the Institution awarded its ing, the sea was rough, and there Thanks on Vellum to Coxswain Angus was a strong flood tide. S. Macintosh. The Sunlight had run aground 200 To him and each of the other seven yards from the shore. Rocks on the members of the crew it awarded £2 in Spur of Murkle consist of long ledges addition to the rewards on the ordinary running out to sea, covered with large scale of £l 10s. per man. Scale boulders. The Sunlight was aground rewards, £13 19*.; extra rewards, £16. on one of these ledges in about seven Total rewards, £29 19*.

The Life-boat Service in 1952 FOR the third year, in the seven years members of life-boat crews, and who put since the war ended, the Life-boat out on their own initiative in whatever Service set up a new record. In 1952 boats were at hand. In all these cases its boats went out to the rescue 657 the Institution rewarded the rescuers. times. That is more than ever before The grand total of lives rescued by in time of peace, and though the figure life-boats and shore-boats was 449. is considerably below the busiest years Life-boats also saved from destruction of the war, yet it is well above the yearly 65 boats, and helped in various ways average of launches—617—during 320 more. those six years of the war. In the From its foundation on the 4th of course of these launches life-boats March, 1824, to the end of 1952, the rescued 346 lives. Institution has given rewards for the In addition the Institution gave rescue by life-boats and shore-boats rewards for the rescue of 103 lives by of 78,051 lives. shore-boats. In nearly half the cases the boats were manned by life-boat- 1932 and 1952; A Comparison men, often with the help of other men, An analysis of the figures for 1952 but in rather more than half they were and the figures for 1932 shows the manned by people who were not chief reason for the great, and increas- 480 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 ing, work of the Service. In 1932 the aeroplanes were aeroplanes of the Air total of launches was 337. That is to Force of the United States with head- say, the launches in 1952 were nearly quarters in Great Britain. Besides double what they were twenty years the lives rescued, life-boats saved three ago. But during the six months of of the ships. gales, January, February and March, October, November and December, they were only a little more than a Medals for Gallantry third as many; and during the two Two silver and four bronze medals spring months of April and May, they were won by life-boatmen for gallan- were not quite twice as many. It is try. Coxswain Frederick Upton, of during the four summer months that Walmer and Coxswain Denis R. Price, the chief increase has come. In those of Margate, won silver medals, and months there were three times as many Coxswain Henry O. Thomas, of Torbay, launches in 1952 as in 1932—297 as Coxswain Douglas Kirkaldie, of Rams- compared with 99. Over 30 per cent gate, Coxswain Malcolm Macdonald, of the total launches were to holiday of Stornoway, and C. Percy Cavell, makers and small craft in difficulties. motor mechanic at Walmer, won The second cause of increase has bronze medals. Coxswain Upton and been the number of calls reporting Percy Cavell had previously won, aeroplanes in distress. In 1932 the respectively, the silver and bronze number of launches to aeroplanes was medal. A bronze medal was also won six. In 1952 it was 87. The great by a fifteen-year-old boy of Sidcup, majority were to service, not passen- Tony Metcalfe, for a shore-boat rescue. ger, aeroplanes. In 79 of the 87 Thus, of the seven medals, five were launches either the calls had been won by men of Kent. false alarms, or the life-boats could find nothing, or their help was not needed. New Life-boats Ten new life-boats went to the coast. Loss of Life One life-boatman was lost at sea, Expenditure and Income the bowman of the Bridlington life- boat which capsized in a very rough The total expenditure was £744,226, sea. She righted herself, and her an increase of over £26,000 on the crew either got aboard again or swam previous year, but nearly £70,000 less ashore, but the bowman had been than in 1950. injured, and though he swam ashore he The total income was £739,708, an died almost at once. The Institution increase of over £83,000 on 1951, and pensioned his widow—his only depen- only £2,154 less than the record dent relative—as if he had been a lead- income of 1950. ing rating in the Navy, killed in action.* The increase in expenditure was due to the large sum spent on the construc- tion and repair of life-boats, which Services to Foreign Vessels was over £91,000 more than in the Life-boats went out to the help of previous year. The total cost of 61 ships and six aeroplanes belonging administration during the past ten to 18 different foreign countries and years has been only 3.76 per cent of the rescued from them 106 lives. Fifteen total cost of providing and maintain- of the ships were from Holland; six ing the Service. from France; six from Sweden; six Second largest item in the expendi- from Norway; five from Germany; ture was the payments to coxswains, four from Denmark; three from the crews and launchers, and their families United States; three from Panama; —to those engaged in the actual work three from Greece; two from Finland; of rescue. It was £114,708, a slight one each from Belgium, Spain, Iceland, increase on the previous year. Turkey, Argentine, Liberia, and The full statement of accounts will Estonia, and one was Swiss. The six be published in the next number of * A full account will be found on page 474. The Life-boat. SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 481

Her Majesty Queen Mary BY the death of Her Majesty Queen of sympathy to the Queen and to the Mary on the 24th of March, 1953, the Duchess of Kent, President of the Life-boat Service lost one of its three Institution. The Queen telegraphed: Royal Patrons. Queen Mary was the "I am sincerely grateful for your third of the five queens—Queen Vic- message. Please assure all those for toria, Queen Alexandra, Queen Mary, whom you speak that I deeply value Queen Elizabeth (now the Queen their sympathy." Mother), and Queen Elizabeth II— The Duchess of Kent telegraphed who have given the Service their her "heartfelt thanks" to the com- patronage, and she was associated with mittee, officers, crews and voluntary its work for 57 of her 85 years, only workers of the Institution. six years fewer than Queen Victoria. At their meeting on the 9th of April As Duchess of Cornwall and York the committee of management sent she became President of the Ladies' the following "humble and loyal Auxiliary of the Life-boat Saturday message" to the Queen. Fund in 1895, and in 1902, as Princess "The Committe of Management and of Wales, she became a vice-patron of the officers and staff of the Royal the Institution. King George V, on National Life-boat Institution, the his accession to the throne in 1910, honorary officials of its branches and became the Institution's Patron. A of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild through- year later Queen Mary also became out the British Isles, and the cox- a Patron, and for the first time the swains and crews of its life-boats round Institution had two Patrons. their coasts, desire to express to Your During those years Her Majesty Majesty their deep grief at the death showed her personal interest in the of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Service in a variety of ways. As Mary, to offer to Your Majesty their Princess of Wales, in 1903, she received loyal and deep sympathy, to assure purses for it at Marlborough House you of the devotion of the Service to from 125 ladies from all parts of the your Person and Crown, and to place country. As Queen she was present on record the gratitude of the Life- with the King, the Prince of Wales boat Service of Great Britain and and the Princess Louise, Duchess of Ireland to Her Late Majesty for her Argyll, at the life-boat variety matinee association with its work as Vice- at the London Hippodrome in 1930. Patron and as Patron during 57 years On Queen Mary's death the chair- and for the personal help which, on man of the Committee of Management, many occasions, she gave to the Sir Godfrey Baring, Bt., sent telegrams Service."

The Bravest Deeds of 1952 THE Maud Smith reward in memory already awarded him its bronze medal. of John, Seventh Earl of Hardwicke, The reward given by Mrs. Porter, for the bravest act of life-saving of of Felixstowe, for the bravest deed of the year by a life-boatman was the year by a life-boatman was awarded to Coxswain Douglas Kirk- awarded to Robert Leng, the assistant aldie, of Ramsgate, for his courage on motor mechanic at Flamborough, who the 20th of August, 1952, in taking swam ashore from the life-boat on the the life-boat alongside the stern half night of the 27th of July, 1952, and of the American steamer Western landed on the rocks in the darkness Farmer, which had broken in two, to find and succour a young man who after a collision, to rescue five men, had fallen down the cliffs. For this knowing that it might, at any moment, service the Institution had already turn over on top of the life-boat. awarded him its thanks inscribed on For this service the Institution had vellum. 482 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953

On the Sands A Yachtsman's Story of His Rescue [The Yachting Monthly of March 1952 published an account by Mr. D. K. Rae of a trip in his W-feet auxiliary yacht Sirius. It started from the Crouch, but the Sirius grounded on the Buxey Sand off Clacton. The crew laid out a hedge anchor astern and hauled on it for half an hour but the yacht remained fast. They then got out a bower anchor to keep the yacht in position, and stern on to the seas. The rest of the story is told in extracts from Mr. Rae's article, reproduced by very kind permission of him and the Yachting Monthly.] EVENING would soon be approaching berthed in some nice anchorage, up- so before darkness fell we decided to right, proudly displaying my mast, obtain assistance. With a signal at gently snubbing at my cable." But the masthead we also flashed morse instead of that we boarded our sorry- to our north, the coastline being dis- looking craft and for once, instead of tinguishable in the distance. getting up the hook and preparing After an hour or so a vessel was her for sea, we went below and pre- sighted pointing in our direction, and pared coffee and biscuits. . . . through the glasses could be made We turned on the radio, found some out as a life-boat. She entered the dance music and sat sipping our Spitway and came south abeam of our steaming coffee and munching choco- position, and continued on through late biscuits, talking of the afternoon until she rounded up and stood off events and planning the method of some two cables in the surf. towing when the life-boat arrived. A voice could be heard on their Presently we went up on deck and loudhailer requesting we row out to secured a two-inch grass [hawser] to them due to the shallow water, so the the foot of the mast. The flood had girls climbed into the dinghy while begun and pools of frothy water were M. pulled in their direction. The ship making on the sandbank about us; the was now taking a list to starboard. kedge was taken inboard, and M. arrived back. The coxswain had I paddled out to the bower and told him he would return on the flood brought it about ten yards nearer to and tow us off. us. . . . Almost back to the vertical. Lights A Walk on the Sands appeared over in the Spitway, possibly Night was now upon us and the sea the life-boat. We signalled in their much calmer; stars were visible and direction, and received back their the sky was black, emphasizing their intentions. They were to come along- brilliance. We jumped on to the side. Taking the lead I let it fall Buxey Sand and walked for about a to the bottom. Four feet deep I hundred yards. One would never flashed back. We should still have have believed we were eight miles off to wait some time, as we drew five feet, shore, it was truly amazing—very still and during the bumping the keel had and quiet, apart from the clanging of made a fairly d«ep basin, which we the bell of the Spitway Buoy. . . . were now lying in. As the life-boat With these sounds, we walked back came closer they swung round to to Sirius trying to define the maze of come abeam to us, cut their way, and lights surrounding us, the buoys she stood pitching in the swell. "Not flashing every five seconds, and afloat yet," I shouted, through cupped farther to the north, the lights of hands. Clacton. We imagined the girls now snugly bedded down somewhere A Night Picture of Life-boat and Crew among this mass of lights. All this Every one of the eight crew wore was alive around us, yet we were in yellow oilskins, and in the green glow the stillness. Lying at an angle of from their starboard light, it seemed thirty degrees and looking extremely as if it might be a ghost ship. Except dejected, our boat seemed to say for this light and one at the masthead, " What am I doing here ? I should be illuminating the whole of the deck, SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 483 everything looked dark; it made them Point, as there would not be sufficient stand out against the inky. blackness water in Brightlingsea Creek, and as of the night sky. As they came it was too dark to select a suitable towards us, the coxswain was heard berth we brought up just inside St. giving orders to the crew. "Come a Osyth Point lying alongside the life- bit to sou'ard, Albert." He was boat to await high water. It was speaking to the hand at the wheel: then 04.00 and we should have one her screw hummed in response, and hour's sleep. gradually they came closer. Each had his station to attend to and they A Grand Crew worked as one man and although the The coxswain came aboard and we space on the deck of a life-boat is all went below to make out a report.... limited, never once did a man stumble The report completed the coxswain on a cleat or fumble, getting in went back to the life-boat to return another's path. All were big men and with a bottle of rum. M. and I looked giants in their oilskins and life- gratefully accepted the tot offered each belts. The rich Essex accents could to us, and I felt my body glow as it be heard in every detail now, "To reached my stomach. They were a nor'ard a little. Easy now." grand crew I thought as I crawled They were now alongside of us and under my blankets. . . . their fenders pressed against our hull The second coxswain was sliding with a hiss, as the water was expelled back the hatch and stuck his head in. from them. While M. made fast I glanced at my watch. Our hour forward, I passed a line from the life- was up and it seemed as if I had only boat round the foot of the mizen, then just touched my head to the pillow. . . . went forward to give a hand to bring It was very grey and overcast, the sea the bower inboard. Meanwhile the looked a cold jade green in the morn- life-boat went ahead to assist weighing ing light, and the crew were busy and the anchor. Once free our stern rope impatient to be away. They seemed was cast off, and we dropped astern anxious to be on time for the regatta of the life-boat, following a small as they had to get back to the boat- white light visible on her deck. All house and clean up ship. We slipped other lights had been extinguished. our mooring and she took us into the The second coxswain had come aboard creek, still alongside. . . . and stood by the mast looking ahead, We thanked the coxswain and crew while the three of us sat in the cock- and promised to come and see them pit, M. at the helm. when next on the pier. They released us, and turned about to head out to A Chat with the Second-Coxswain sea. The weather seemed to be bright- There was quite a sea running and ening up but the wind was still fresh the wind much colder, so I went below Before he left the coxswain had told for a time, and pulled on another me the girls would be at the Royal sweater. When I returned the second- Hotel, Clacton, so T. rowed ashore to coxswain had come down into the go over on the bus to pick them up. . . . cockpit and they all sat smoking. . . . Awake before he returned, we saw Presently T. went below and crashed him with M. and J. over on the jetty down on a bunk. M. followed him to waiting to come off. They found one get some warmer clothing, and I took of the shore boats to row them out, the tiller. Chatting to the second and stepped aboard. The girls both coxswain I discovered tomorrow was wore dresses and looked rather a great day. They had arranged to pretty. . . . take part in the regatta. I agreed They made the rest of us roar while they would be feeling pretty tired by telling how once aboard the life-boat the time this was over and arrived they went below and were given back. Approaching the flashing survivors' kit to change into, great Knoll Buoy, we altered course into sweaters, and men's trousers of out- the Blackwater, and on through the rageous dimensions. It once again darkness, rounded the Bar Buoy and goes to illustrate how thorough were entered the reach. We then stood the life-boat crew's methods, when out for the flashing red light of Colne dealing with an emergency. 484 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953

Services of the Life-boats in November and December, 1952 and January and February, 1953 112 Lives Rescued

NOVEMBER Beryl Tollemache was launched in a DURING November life-boats were rough sea, with a strong north-wes- launched 60 times and rescued 31 lives. terly breeze blowing. She found an empty canoe three miles south of the FISHING - BOAT BROKEN DOWN pier, picked it up and returned to her NEAR ORKNEYS station, arriving at 12.3.—Rewards, £20 6,s. Stromness, Orkneys.—At 9.30 on the night of the 1st of November, 1952, the coastguard telephoned that the motor THREE MEN RESCUED FROM fishing boat Seaflovoer, which had left ROWING BOAT Flotta for Houton with a crew of three Wicklow.—At 4.30 on the morning of was overdue, and at 9.45 the life-boat the 4th of November, 1952, three men J.J.K.S.W. was launched. The sea put out in the rowing boat Miriam to was choppy with a moderate north- fish, but a strong south-westerly gale westerly breeze blowing. The life- sprang up. Anxiety was felt for their boat found the Sea/lower broken down safety, and at 10.15 the life-boat Lady half-way between the Barrel of Butter Kylsant was launched. There was a and Houton. She towed her to Hou- rough sea and heavy rain. The life- ton Pier and then returned to her boat found the Miriam six miles station, arriving at 1.35.—Rewards, north-east of the harbour making no £10 7s. headway. She rescued the three men and towed their boat to Wicklow, SAND BAR STRUCK IN ROUGH SEA which was reached at 12.15.—Rewards. Newhaven, Sussex—At 6.15 on the £8 18*. evening of the 2nd of November, 1952, the coastguard telephoned that DRIFTING TRAWLER BROUGHT TO a vessel half a mile south of East Pier ROSSLARE HARBOUR was making SOS signals on a lamp Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford.—At and siren. At 6.40 the life-boat Cecil 8.10 on the morning of the 4th of Nov- and Lilian Philpott was launched and, ember, 1952, the Department of In- in a strong south-westerly breeze and dustry and Commerce in Dublin rang up rough sea, found the motor vessel Alf to report a wireless message received by Everard, of London, loaded with Tuskar Rock from the Holyhead coast- cement, driving ashore east of East guard. The trawler Windrise, the Pier. She had struck the east sand message said, had wirelessed that she bar, which had stopped her, and the had lost or damaged her rudder and sea and wind had swept her round the was drifting northwards a mile south pier. With difficulty the coxswain of Blackwater Head. The life-boat manoeuvred the life-boat alongside, Douglas Hyde left her moorings at and the seven men jumped into her. 8.30 in a very rough sea with a moder- With the rescued men on board, the ate southerly gale blowing, and came life-boat returned to her station, up with the trawler half a mile off arriving at 7.40.—Rewards, £15 12s. shore and a mile north of Blackwater Head. Two fishing boats were trying CANOE FOUND DRIFTING EMPTY to hold her head to the sea, but they Eastbourne, Sussex.—At 11.5 on the could not stop her drifting. The life- morning of the 3rd of November, 1952, boat took her in tow with difficulty, the coastguard telephoned that a canoe and made for Rosslare Harbour. She was drifting two and a half miles south made very slow progress in the bad of the pier, and at 11.20 the life-boat weather, but reached the harbour SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 485 and made the trawler secure there at found the fishing vessel Binny Stewart, 2.15.—Property Salvage Case. of Aberdeen, with two brothers on board, about two miles south-west-by- DOCTOR TAKEN TO NETHERLANDS south of the pier. She was bound for STEAMER Brightlingsea from Stonehaven, but Eastbourne, and Hastings, Sussex.—At had broken down and her anchor was 12.5 on the afternoon of the 4th of Nov- unreliable. The two men asked the ember, 1952, the Eastbourne coastguard life-boat to take their vessel in tow, telephoned the Eastbourne life-boat and she towed the Binny Stewart to station that the S.S. St. Walburg, of Harwich inner harbour, arriving at Groningen, which was about one mile 10.55. The life-boat left for her south of Bexhill, had wirelessed that station again at 11.57. The two men, she had an injured man on board and who had just bought the vessel, asked for a doctor and a boat to land expressed their thanks.—Rewards, £18. him. At 12.20 the life-boat Beryl Tollemache was launched with a doctor STEAMER ESCORTED IN GALE TO on board, and made for the steamer HOLY ISLE in a rough sea and strong south- Troon, Ayrshire.—At 11.40 on the westerly breeze. At 12.31 the Fairlight night of the 6th of November, 1952, the coastguard informed the Hastings Portpatrick coastguard telephoned life-boat station, and at 12.50 the that the S.S. Obsidian, of Glasgow, had Hastings life-boat M.T.C. was also wirelessed distress signals, giving her launched with a doctor on board. position as four miles west-by-north She made for the position, but the of Ayr. At 12.5 the life-boat Sir coxswain saw the Eastbourne life-boat David Richmond of Glasgow left her go alongside the steamer and take the moorings. A north-north-west gale man off, and he took the M.T.C. back was blowing with a rough sea. The to her station, arriving at 2.50. The life-boat found the steamer, with a Eastbourne life-boat landed the injured crew of twelve, six miles south of man at Eastbourne at 2.30.—Rewards. Pladda. She had anchored, but was —Eastbourne, £26 12s.; Hastings, dragging and her windlass could not £20 7,?. 6d. lift the anchors. She slipped them and, at the request of the master, the FIVE MEN MAROONED ON ISLAND life-boat escorted her to the lee of Islay, Inner Hebrides.—At 3.10 on the Holy Isle and then returned to her afternoon of the 6th of November, station, arriving at 4.50 on the morning 1952, a man on the Island of Jura of the 7th.—Rewards, £12 19*. reported that five men he employed had gone to Brosdale Island to collect SECOND SERVICE ON NOVEMBER some sheep, but were marooned there NIGHT in bad weather. There was no shelter Walton and Frinton, Essex.—At 11.57 on the island. At 3.30 the life-boat on the night of the 6th of November, Charlotte Elizabeth left her moorings in 1952, the life-boat E.M.E.D. left Har- a very rough sea with a full gale wich for her station, after towing in blowing, took the men off the island, the motor fishing vessel Binny Stewart. and landed them at Port Askaig at i But shortly afterwards, at 12.22, the 6.30.—Rewards, £11 12s. Walton-on-the-Naze coastguard tele- phoned the honorary secretary that a FISHING VESSEL TOWED TO vessel had been seen to burn flares HARWICH about three miles south-south-west of Walton and Frinton, Essex.—At 7.27 Walton pier. This information was on the evening of the 6th of November, wirelessed to the life-boat, which 1952, the coastguard telephoned that immediately made for the position in a light or flare had been seen to the a very rough sea and north-westerly south-west of Walton pier, and at gale. She found the motor barge 7.55 a vessel was seen to burn flares. Sway, of London, with a crew of three, At 8.10 the life-boat E.M.E.D. left her bound in ballast from Blackwall to moorings in a rough sea with a moder- Fingringhoe. The barge had engine ate west-north-west gale blowing, and trouble and was unmanageable. The 486 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRIXG, 1953 skipper said he had tried to make LIFE-BOAT SERVES IN PLACE OF Harwich, but had been blown off his AIR AMBULANCE course towards the Gunfleet Sands. He asked to be towed to safety, and Barra Island, Outer Hebrides.—At 4.30 with difficulty, the life-boatmen passed on the afternoon of the 10th of Novem- a tow rope across and towed the Stfiay ber, 1952, a doctor asked if the life-boat to Harwich, arriving at 4.15.—Pro- would take a patient, who was serious- perty Salvage Case. ly ill, to Lochboisdale. Conditions were not good enough for an aircraft to make the journey, and at 5.50 the LIFE-BOAT STANDS BY SAILING life-boat Lloyd's left her moorings in BARGE IN GALE a rough sea with a moderate north- easterly gale blowing. She took the Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—At 2.20 patient to Lochboisdale, some twentv early on the morning of the 7th of miles from Benbecula, from which November, 1952, the coastguard tele- point the patient was taken by air phoned that a rocket had been seen in ambulance to Renfrew. The life-boat the direction of Shellness Point, and at then returned to her station, arriving 2.55 the life-boat Greater London, Civil at 1.30 early the next morning.— Service No. 3, was launched. The sea Rewards, £19 2*. was very rough with a strong north- westerly gale. The life-boat found the sailing barge Savoy, of Dover, with a crew of two, three-quarters of MOTOR VESSEL RUNS AGROUND a mile south-east of Columbine Spit. Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland. She was making heavy weather, and •—At 7.59 on the evening of the 10th the life-boat stood by her until day- of November, 1952, the coastguard light. The skipper then said that he telephoned that H.M. M.F.V. No. 1106 did not need the life-boat any more, had run aground off Spittal Point, and and she returned to her station, arriv- at 8.20 the life-boat J. and W. was ing at 10.20. The Savoy went on to launched. The sea was moderate, Whitstable.—Rewards, £25 17s. with a fresh north-westerly breeze blowing. The life-boat found the motor vessel, with a crew of eleven, TWO EMPTY MOTOR CRUISERS in a dangerous position south of TOWED IN Berwick harbour entrance. The life- Walton and Frinton, Essex.—At 7.30 boat landed two officers and five on the morning of the 7th of November, ratings and, as her services were then 1952, the life-boat E.M.E.D. left no longer needed, she returned to her Harwich for her station, after towing station, arriving at 8.55. Her crew in the motor barge Sway. At the stood by on shore until 11.30 in case same time the Walton-on-the-Naze j they might be needed again. The coastguard telephoned the honorary vessel refloated three davs later.— secretary that the Cork Lightvessel had Rewards, £13 7s. reported a motor cruiser broken down and drifting one mile south-east of the lightvessel. This news was wirelessed THREE WHITBY FISHING BOATS to the life-boat, which made for the position in a very rough sea and north- ESCORTED westerly gale. She found the empty Whitby, Yorkshire.—Three local fish- motor cruiser Lady Betty and towed her ing boats were at sea on the morning to Walton River, and then put out of the llth of November, 1952, in again in response to another wireless deteriorating weather, and at 11.25 the message that a second motor cruiser No. 1 life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was adrift. She found the Celeriter, was launched in a heavy sea with a also with nobody on board, two miles northerly gale blowing. She stood by south of Medusa buoy, towed her to the harbour bar and then escorted in Walton River, and then made for her the Pilot Me II, Provider A, and Lead station, arriving at four o'clock.— Us arid arrived back at her station at Property Salvage Case. 4.50.—Rewards, £17 5s. SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 487 FISHING VESSEL IN TOW ESCORTED DOCTOR TAKEN TO ISLAND OF TO BURNMOUTH RHUM Mallaig, Inverness-shire.—At 7.0 on Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland. the evening of the 14th of November, —At 11.38 on the morning of the llth 1952, a doctor asked if the life-boat of November, 1952, the coastguard would take him to the Island of Rhum telephoned that a landing craft had to attend a sick person. The weather reported a fishing vessel in need of was too bad for the usual boat to put help four miles to the southward, and out, and at 7.30 the life-boat Sir at 11.45 the life-boat J. and W. was Arthur Rose left her moorings in a launched. The sea was moderate with strong north-westerly wind and rough a moderate north-westerly breeze. sea. She took the doctor to Rhum, The life-boat found the motor fishing arriving at 9.30, embarked him again vessel Misty Isle, of Burnmouth, which at 10.15, and then returned to her had broken down, in tow of another station, arriving at 12.30 early the Burnmouth fishing vessel, the Braw next morning.—Rewards, £12 5s. Lads. She escorted them both to Burnmouth and then returned to her DOCTOR BROUGHT TO SWISS station, arriving at 4.50.—Rewards, STEAMER £15 8s. 6d. Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland. —At seven o'clock on the evening of LIFE-BOAT MAKES TWO JOURNEYS the 16th of November, 1952, the coast- TO STEAMER guard telephoned that a vessel east-by- north of the pier had signalled for a Workington, Cumberland.—On the doctor as her master felt ill. At 7.23 morning of the 12th of November, the life-boat J. and W. was launched 1952, the S.S. Baron Elcho, of Ardros- with a doctor on board in a moderate san, wirelessed that she was short of sea with a fresh north-north-east provisions. At 10.30 the life-boat breeze blowing. She found the Swiss N.T. was launched in a calm sea with steamer Lugano one and a half miles a light easterly breeze blowing. She to the north-east. The doctor boarded came up with the steamer off the her, could find nothing wrong with the harbour entrance, put the provisions master, and returned to Berwick in on board, and reached her station the life-boat, arriving at 8.53.—Re- again at 12.15. She was then asked wards, £9 4s. to take out the master's wife. This she did and returned again to her ENGINEER TAKEN OFF TANKER station at four o'clock.—Rewards, Lowestoft, Suffolk.—About 1.30 early £10 10s. on the morning of the 17th of Novem- ber, 1952, the tanker Rudderman, of London, wirelessed that her chief SICK WOMAN TAKEN FROM ISLAND engineer had a badly poisoned arm and Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire.—At 1.45 asked for a boat to land him. The on the afternoon of the 14th of Novem- weather was too bad for a shore boat ber, 1952, the Holyhead coastguard to put out, and when the Rudderman telephoned that a message had been approached Lowestoft at 4.15 the received from a doctor on Bardsey life-boat Michael Stephens left her Island asking for the life-boat to take moorings in a choppy sea and fresh a seriously sick woman to the main- breeze. She came up with the tanker land. No other suitable boat was half a mile off-shore, took the chief available, and at 2.30 the life-boat engineer on board, and at five o'clock Manchester and Salford XXIX left her landed him in the harbour, where an moorings in a smooth sea and a light ambulance was waiting to take him to south-easterly breeze. She reached hospital.—Rewards, £8 15s. Bardsey at five o'clock, embarked the woman, and took her to Pwllheli, COBLE ESCORTED TO FLAM- where an ambulance was waiting. BOROUGH IN BAD WEATHER The life-boat reached her station Flamborough, Yorkshire.—On the again at 9.40.—Rewards, £20. afternoon of the 18th of November, 488 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 1952, a local fishing coble was known tow. The life-boat Michael Stephens to be at sea in bad weather, but noth- put out at 1.40 in a choppy sea with a ing could be seen of her. At 2.45 the fresh south-easterly wind blowing. life-boat Howard D was launched. The At the request of the skipper the life- sea was rough with a moderate easterly boat took the Montbretia in tow, got breeze. The life-boat found the coble her clear of the sands and brought her about three miles north-east of Flam- to the harbour, where a tug took borough Head making for home. She charge. The life-boat arrived back at escorted her to Flamborough and her station at 4.5.—Property Salvage reached her station again at four Case. o'clock.—Rewards, £13 18s. 6d. AMERICAN AIRMEN RESCUED WIRELESS OPERATOR TAKEN TO AFTER CRASH STEAMER Margate, Kent.—At 3.26 on the after- Workington, Cumberland.—When the noon of the 20th of November, 1952, S.S. Baron Yarborough, of Ardrossan, the coastguard telephoned that two was ready for sailing on the 19th of local fishermen reported seeing an November, 1952, her wireless operator American Shooting Star trainer air- was missing. The steamer put out, craft crash about three miles north- but anchored off the port. When the east of Margate pier. At 3.45 the operator arrived the life-boat N. T. was life-boat North Foreland, Civil Service launched at 2.30 in the afternoon in No. XI, was launched and made for a smooth sea, with a light north- the position in a moderate sea with a easterly wind blowing, and conveyed moderate south-east breeze blowing. him to his ship. The life-boat reached The Dutch motor vessel Mercurius her station again at 2.35.—Rewards, £5. hailed the life-boat and told her that she had picked up the aircraft's crew SIGNAL TO DUTCH VESSEL NOT of two, and that one was badly injured. UNDERSTOOD The life-boat wirelessed for a doctor Teesmouth, Yorkshire.—At ten o'clock and an ambulance to be ready, and on the night of the 19th of November, the second coxswain went aboard the 1952, the Redcar coastguard tele- Mercurius to pilot her to Margate. phoned that he had fired a rocket to The Mercurius anchored off the har- warn a vessel that she was heading for bour and an American doctor arrived, Salt Scar Rocks. The vessel did not took charge of the men, and using the seem to understand the signal, for she life-boat's stretcher, took them ashore did not alter course, and at 11.25 the in the pilot boat. The life-boat was life-boat John and Lucy Cordingley then no longer needed and returned was launched in a rough sea with a to her station, arriving at 6.10.— moderate north-easterly gale blowing. Rewards, £11 14s. Qd. She came up with the motor vessel Anna Henny, of Groningen, near the BROTHERS RESCUED FROM SAIL- slag reef in Coatham Bay, escorted her ING BOAT to the river Tees, where a pilot boarded Barra Island, Outer Hebrides.—At her, and arrived back at her station seven o'clock on the evening of the 20th at 1.40 early the next morning.— of November, 1952, the parents of two Rewards, £12 16,?. men who had left on a fishing trip in a small sailing boat that morning FISHING VESSEL'S ENGINES FAIL reported that their sons had not re- Lowestoft, Suffolk.—At one o'clock on turned. At 8.10 the life-boat Lloyd's the afternoon of the 20th of November, left her moorings in a rough sea with a 1952, the coastguard reported a mes- moderate north-easterly gale blowing. sage from the motor fishing vessel She found the sailing boat at anchor Montbretia, of Hull, asking for help as near Sandray, making water. The her engines had failed whilst on passage men had broken an oar and were suffer- from Yarmouth to Brightlingsea. She ing severely from exposure. The life- was three miles east of Benacreness, boat rescued them and towed their and was drifting towards the New- boat to the shore, reaching her station combe Sands after breaking away from again at 3.50 the next morning.—• a cargo boat which had had her in Rewards. £19 2*. SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 489 LIFE-BOAT STANDS BY STEAMER She sailed to a position two miles off ALL NIGHT Winchelsea, but got into difficulties Cromer, Norfolk.—At 7.14 on the again west of Rye Harbour, and at evening of the 23rd of November, 1952, 5.32 the life-boat M.T.C. was launched. the coastguard said he had learnt There was a light easterly breeze, from a wireless signal that distress with a rough sea. The life-boat found rockets had been seen four miles east- the French fishing boat Jeune Louis, by-north of Cromer. The life-boat with a crew of seven, four miles south Henry Blogg was launched at 7.27 of Winchelsea. She had a rope round in a heavy sea with a strong and bitter- her propeller. The life-boat towed ly cold north-north-west wind blowing. her to Hastings, beached her at the She found the vessel which needed harbour arm and made her fast at help to be the S.S. Grove Hill, of 8.40. The fishing boat's propeller Middlesbrough. Her engines and was cleared, and a policeman and a wireless were broken down, she had a member of the Hastings Life-Saving list to port, and she was dragging her Auxiliary kept watch on her that night. anchors. At the request of the master Early the next morning the rope the life-boat sent messages by wireless securing her parted, but the life-saving informing the owners and asking for auxiliary made her fast again. She a tug. The life-boat stood by until a remained there all day waiting for a tug arrived. The tug began towing spare part for her engine. A wireless at four o'clock the following morning. message had been sent to the skipper's The life-boat accompanied the vessels two brothers, who had boats, and these to Yarmouth, arriving at 11.15. Owing boats arrived at Newhaven that night. to bad weather the life-boat remained However, on the morning of the 27th at Yarmouth before returning to her a heavy swell made it dangerous for station on the 29th of November— the Jeune Louis to stay where she was, Property Salvage Case. and at 8.15 the Hastings life-boat was launched again. She towed the fishing SERVICES TO FISHING BOATS IN boat clear of the harbour wall, HEAVY SEAS anchored her, and took the skipper Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 11.30 on the ashore. The life-boat remained with morning of the 24th of November, her until the two boats arrived from 1952, the coastguard reported that the Newhaven to take her in tow, and local fishing boat Success II was mak- then returned to her station, arriving ing for Whitby in a heavy sea with a at 2.38. The skipper expressed his strong north-north-west wind. The thanks.—Rewards: 1st service £25 95. No. 1 life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth 6d.; 2nd service, £33 2s. 6d. was launched at once. She stood by the outer harbour bar until the fishing boat entered the harbour, and at CREW TAKEN TO R.A.F. LAUNCH IN one o'clock another fishing boat, the GALE Faith Star, arrived. The life-boat Tenby, Pembrokeshire.—At eleven escorted her in and later escorted in o'clock on the morning of the 26th of the fishing boats Pilot Me II, Provider November, 1952, it was learnt that an A and Lead Us, reaching her station air sea rescue launch in North Bay had again at three o'clock.—Rewards, parted one mooring, and that the other £13 10*. was badly frayed. She had no crew aboard, and the R.A.F. asked for the FRENCH FISHING BOAT IN DIFFI- life-boat to take the crew to the CULTIES OFF RYE launch. The life-boat John R. Webb Hastings, Sussex.—At 4.2 on the was launched at 11.30 in a rough sea afternoon of the 25th of November, with a south-easterly wind of gale 1952, a coastguardsman at Pett tele- force blowing, put the crew aboard phoned that a fishing boat was in diffi- the launch, and stood by. After a culties near the shore off Rye. Later time the launch slipped her moorings the Fairlight coastguard stated that she and came into harbour escorted by had apparently broken down, and that the life-boat, arriving at 12.35. The she had flown a flag at half-mast. life-boat then went into the harbour, 490 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPUING, 1953 and was rehoused later after the AMERICAN JET PILOT LANDED weather had moderated.-—Rewards, Dover, Kent.—At three o'clock on the £20 18*. afternoon of the 30th of November, 1952, the Sandgate coastguard tele- phoned that an American jet aircraft MOTOR VESSEL AGROUND IN TEES had crashed off Kingsdown, about one Teesmouth, Yorkshire.-—At eleven and a half miles east-north-east of •o'clock on the night of the 26th of Dover, and that the pilot had baled November, 1952, the South Gare light- out off Leathercoat Point, St. Mar- house keeper telephoned that a vessel garet's Bay. At 3.15 the life-boat had gone aground on the training wall Southern Africa left her moorings in a in the River Tees, and that tugs strong north-easterly breeze, with a which had been trying to refloat her rough sea. A Norwegian tanker had had left her. She was fast by her already picked up the airman, and a bows and would be in a dangerous doctor flew to the ship by helicopter position at low tide. At 2.40 early from Manston. A life-boatman gave the next morning the life-boat John his overcoat to keep the airman warm, and Lucy Cordingley was launched. and the life-boat took him and the There was a moderate north-easterly doctor on board. She then wirelessed breeze with a slight sea. The life-boat for an ambulance to meet her and found the motor vessel Moray Firth, landed the airman and the doctor at of Newcastle, laden with slag. The Dover eastern harbour arm at five Moray Firth settled by the stern as o'clock. The Walmer life-boat was the tide ebbed, and the life-boat stood also launched, but was not needed.— by her. When the tide flowed she Rewards, £9. rode with it, and as her crew said that The following life-boats went out her hull was not damaged, the life-boat on service but could find no ships in returned to her station, arriving at distress, were not needed, or could do eight o'clock. Tugs refloated the nothing: motor vessel that morning.—Rewards, Barra Island, Outer Hebrides.— £18 15s. November 3rd.—Rewards, £9 6s. Walton and Frinton, Essex.—Novem- ber 4th.—Rewards, £9 10*. 6d. FRENCH YACHT TOWED INTO Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. — November HARBOUR 6th.—Rewards, £16 7*. 9d. Southend- on- Sea, Essex. —November Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.—At 3.30 on 7th.—Rewards, £11 6*. the morning of the 28th of November, St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—November 1952, a vessel was heard to be making 8th.—Rewards, £9 7s. distress signals, and at 3.44 the life- Cullercoats, Northumberland. — No- boat S.G.E. was launched in a rough vember 8th.—Rewards, £15 6s. sea with a fresh east-north-easterly Courtmacsherry Harbour, Co. Cork.— gale blowing. The life-boat found a November 8th.—Rewards, £7 16s. yacht, the forty-ton auxiliary ketch Newhaven, Sussex.—November 9th. Algue, of St. Malo, about fifty yards —Rewards, £11 9s. 6d. east of Yarmouth Pier. She was Ramsgate, Kent.—November 10th.— bound from Guernsey to Hamble, but Rewards, £8 12s. 6d. was disabled by an engine breakdown Walmer, Kent.—November 10th.— and dragging her anchors. Her crew Rewards, £16 14s. of three declined to leave, but asked New Brighton, Cheshire.—November to be towed to safety. The life-boat 12th.—Rewards, £9 4s. waited for the tide to rise, but as she Weymouth, Dorset.—November 13th. took the yacht in tow, a rope fouled —Rewards, £7. the life-boat's propellers and the Sunderland, Durham. — November yacht was blown against the pier. 17th.—Rewards, £17 10s. After the propellers had been cleared Scarborough, Yorkshire.—November the yacht was towed into harbour at 19th.—Rewards, £11 6s. 9;30 and moored in a safe berth.— Beaumaris, Anglesey. — November, Property Salvage Case. 19th.—Rewards, £14 7s. SPHIXG, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 491 Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.—No- About this time a Royal Naval heli- vember 20th.—Rewards, £9 I5s. copter arrived from Gosport and Barry Dock, Glamorganshire.—No- rescued another four men by lowering vember 20th.—Rewards, £10 13s. a line. The Great Yarmouth and Ramsey, Isle of Man. — November Gorleston life-boat then returned to 20th.—Rewards, £19 7s. her station, arriving at 5.5, and the Whitby, Yorkshire.—November 22nd. Jose Neville put the nine men she had —Rewards, £14 7s. Qd. rescued aboard a British motor torpedo Whitby, Yorkshire.—November 25th. boat, which took them to Lowestoft. —Rewards , £14 15*. As the weather was too bad to allow Salcombe, Devon.—November 25th. her to be rehoused at Caister, the —Rewards, £7 16s. Jose Neville made for Great Yarmouth Sunderland, Durham. — November harbour, which she reached at 5.40. 26th.—Rewards, £7 16s. She returned to Caister the next day. Walmer, Kent.—November 30th— The men remaining in the patrol Rewards, £21 15s. boat kept in touch with the Caister life-boat by wireless in case they should need her. The naval author- DECEMBER ities at Lowestoft later asked if she DURING December life-boats were would help to connect a salvage vessel launched 48 times and rescued 13 to the Havoernen, and at eight o'clock lives. on the morning of the 5th the Jose Neville was again launched in a calm DANISH AMBASSADOR EXPRESSES sea, with a light north-westerly breeze GOVERNMENT'S THANKS blowing, and fog. She found the salvage vessel anchored to the east- Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, and ward of the Havoernen and piloted her Caister, Norfolk.—On the morning of the to the sands. She passed wires across 3rd of December, 1952, the fast patrol and connected her to the patrol boat boat Havoernen, of the Royal Danish and then returned to her station, Navy, with a crew of twenty-four, arriving at 2.50. At 12.40 early on which was taking part in exercises the morning of the 6th the naval with British coastal forces, ran hard authorities telephoned that the salvage aground on the Scroby Sand about vessel had parted the wires, and asked three miles north-east of Great Yar- if the life-boat would connect them mouth in a fog. At 7.10 the Gorleston again at six o'clock that morning. coastguard telephoned the Great Yar- At 5.20 the Jose Neville was launched mouth and Gorleston life-boat station, again in calm weather and passed the and at 7.30 the life-boat Louise wires across, completing the operation Stephens was launched in a northerly by 8.30. The life-boat afterwards gale with a very rough sea. She took a salvage officer to the casualty, found the Havoernen high and dry, then to a Danish tug, which had just but could not get within three hundred arrived, and then back to the salvage yards of her. At 7.35 the Great vessel, where a hot meal wras given Yarmouth coastguard informed the to the life-boatmen. She then re- Caister life-boat station, and the life- turned to her station, arriving at boat crew assembled. The coxswain 10.45. The Royal Danish Navy passed a message to the men in the expressed its thanks, and the Danish patrol boat through the coastguard, Ambassador in London, Count Revent- asking if they wished to be taken low, wrote a letter to the Great ashore. They replied that they did, Yarmouth and Gorleston branch ex- but would leave two men on board pressing the thanks of the Danish who could be taken off later by heli- Government.—Rewards: Great Yar- copter. At 1.55 the life-boat Jose mouth and Gorleston, £31 5s.; Caister, Neville was launched. She reached 1st service, £31 9s.; 2nd and 3rd the Havoernen at 2.30, took a rope to services, Property Salvage Cases. her from the Louise Stephens, and rescued nine of her crew. The Jose DUTCH SHIP LOSES WAY IN FOG Neville was then towed clear by the Clogher Head, Co. Louth.—At 9.10 on Louise Stephens. the night of the 6th of December, 1952, 492 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 the harbour master reported that he life-boat to the harbour, arriving at had seen flares about four miles east 6.50.—Rewards, £7 16s. of Clogher Head pier, and at 9.50 the life-boat George and Caroline Ermen OIL RAGS BURNT BY FISHING was launched. There was a south- VESSEL easterly breeze, with a moderate swell Dunbar, East Lothian.—At 4.25 on the and fog. The life-boat came up with afternoon of the llth of December, the motor vessel Friso, of Rotterdam, 1952, a message was received from the bound for Drogheda with coal, four coastguard that a motor fishing boat miles south-south-east of the pier. had broken down off Torness and was The skipper said he had lost his way, burning oil rags as a signal for help. and the coxswain gave him his bear- The life-boat George and Sarah Strachan ings. The life-boat then escorted the put out at 4.35 in a choppy sea with a Friso to a position where the Drogheda moderate westerly wind blowing. She pilots could meet her. Leaving her found the fishing boat Young Robert, at anchor, the life-boat returned to her of Dunbar, with a crew of four, dis- station, arriving at 12.45 early on the abled by an engine breakdown. The morning of the 7th. The skipper life-boat took her in tow and reached expressed his thanks.—Rewards, her station about seven o'clock.— £15 16s. Rewards, £8 15s. FISHING VESSEL FOUND OFF NORWEGIAN SHIP'S BOATS PICKED CHESHIRE COAST UP Hoylake, Cheshire.—At two o'clock on The Mumbles, Glamorganshire.—At the afternoon of the 7th of December, 10.12 on the morning of the 12th of De- 1952, the life-boat coxswain asked cember, 1952, the coastguard passed on local people to keep a look-out for the a message from Burnham Radio that fishing vessel Greylass, of Hoylake, two ship's boats were being driven which was overdue with a crew of towards Sker Point in Swansea Bay. three. Nothing was heard of her that The life-boat William Gammon—Man- afternoon or evening, and the families chester and District XXX was launched of the missing men were anxious. At at 10.30 in a heavy ground swell with 9.45 in the evening the life-boat a moderate westerly breeze blowing. Oldham IV was launched in a calm She found fifteen men in the two boats. sea with a light south-easterly breeze The boats belonged to the Olav blowing. She found the Greylass near Ringdal Jr. of Oslo, to which the men the North Bank Buoy. Her engine were trying to return. The life-boat had broken down, and the life-boat picked up both boats, brought them towed her to Hoylake, reaching her to their ship, and reached her station station again at 2.30 in the morning.— again at 12.40.—Rewards, £11 Is. Rewards, £18 4s. ISLE OF MAN LIFE-BOAT OUT ALL TRAWLER AGROUND ON SANDBANK NIGHT Lowestoft, Suffolk.—During thick fog Ramsey, Isle of Man.—At 4.40 on the on the afternoon of the 9th of Decem- afternoon of the 12th of December, ber, 1952, a vessel about two miles 1952, the coastguard reported that the south-east of the harbour was heard steam trawler Patricia Hague, of blowing her siren, and at 5.15 the Fleetwood, was in distress two and a coastguard telephoned that flares had half miles north-west-by-west of Point been seen. At 5.22 the life-boat of Ayre, and at 5.15 the life-boat Michael Stephens was launched in a Thomas Corbett was launched. There moderate sea with a moderate south- was a light breeze with a swell and erly breeze blowing. She found the snow showers. The life-boat found trawler Mollia, of Lowestoft, with a the trawler, which had boiler trouble, crew of eight. The Mollia had been three and a half miles north-east of the aground three times, and the skipper Point. The life-boat stood by her had lost his bearings on the sandbank. until another trawler arrived and took He asked the life-boat to guide him her in tow. As there had been a gale clear, and the trawler followed the warning, the life-boat escorted the SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 493 two trawlers to Douglas and then trawlers. By this time, however, the returned to her station, arriving at Red Lancer had taken the William seven o'clock on the morning of the Cale in tow, and the life-boat returned 13th.—Rewards, £41 8s. to her station, arriving at 5.30 the next morning.—Rewards, £48 5s. TUGMASTER PUT ABOARD FINNISH SHIP MAN OVERBOARD IN ROUGH SEA Troon, Ayrshire.—At 3.30 on the New Brighton, Cheshire.—At 9.5 on morning of the 17th ofDecember, 1952, the morning of the 17th of December, the Portpatrick coastguard telephoned 1952, the Formby coastguard tele- that the S.S. Solbritt, of Vasa, Finland, phoned that a man had fallen over- had gone ashore half a mile south of board from the tanker Rinda, of Oslo, Lamlash pier, and at 4.12 the life-boat off Rock Ferry, and at 9.30 the life-boat Sir David Richmond of Glasgow was Norman B. Corlett left her moorings. launched. A north-north-west gale She searched widely in a rough sea, was blowing with a very rough sea. with a strong north-westerly gale, but The life-boat stood by the steamer found nothing. The tanker had until a tug arrived. She then put the lowered a pulling-boat to search for tugmaster aboard the Solbritt, took the man, and a sand barge towed this him back to his tug, and passed a rope back to Bromborough dock. At the across. The tug towed the steamer request of the tanker's master the clear, the steamer anchored, and the life-boat towed the ship's boat back to life-boat returned to her station, the Rinda and then resumed the search, arriving at three o'clock in the after- without success, arriving back at her noon.—Rewards, £22. station at two o'clock.—Rewards, £12 8s. STORNOWAY LIFE-BOAT PUTS OUT IN HURRICANE SIX WHITBY BOATS ESCORTED TO Stornoway, Outer Hebrides.—At six HARBOUR o'clock on the morning of the 17th of Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 11.45 on the December, 1952, the coastguard tele- morning of the 17th ofDecember, 1952, phoned that a message had been the coastguard reported that bad received from the trawler William Cole, weather had made conditions danger- of London, that her trawl gear had ous on the outer harbour bar. As fouled her propeller. She was then fishing boats were still at sea, the No. 1 about four miles north-west-by-north life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was of Stornoway Light, and the coast- launched at twelve noon in a heavy sea guard said the trawler Red Lancer had with a fresh northerly gale blowing. gone to her help. The weather was She escorted in the Faith Star and the very bad, and at seven o'clock the Progress and, as the weather was get- life-boat William and Harriot left her ting worse, remained at the bar. moorings in a northerly wind of During the afternoon the Success hurricane force and a heavy sea. She arrived, followed by the Galilee, Pro- found the two trawlers about seven vider A, Lead Us and Pilot Me II. miles north-west of Rudh Re Light and The life-boat escorted all of them to stood by while the Red Lancer tried the harbour and then returned to her to take the William Cale in tow. At station, arriving at 4.15.—Rewards, 2.15 the coastguard reported that the £14 13s. 6d. Stornoway motor fishing boat Delight was drifting ashore in Gruinard Bay near Laid between Loch Broom and EXHAUSTED MEN TAKEN OFF Loch Ewe, and this message was passed BARGE to the life-boat. The life-boat cox- Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—At 9.44 on swain decided to leave the trawlers and the night of the 17th of December, made for Gruinard Bay, but the 1952, the coastguard telephoned that Delight went ashore and her crew of a vessel had been seen to burn flares two landed. The life-boat was not one mile off Minster, Isle of Sheppey. needed, and she went to Gairloch to At 10.15 the life-boat Greater London. refuel in case she had to return to the Civil Service No. 3, was launched in a 494 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRIXG, 1953 very rough sea, with a fresh west- DOCTOR TAKEN TO ISLAND AT north-west gale blowing. She found NIGHT the motor barge Nellie, of Faversham, Campbeltown, Argyllshire.—At 10.15 driven among piles and blocks of on the night of the 18th of December, concrete one and a quarter miles off 1952, the Southend coastguard tele- Minster. Seas had swamped her phoned that a white rocket had been engine. Her crew of two were cling- fired from Sanda Island. It was pre- ing to her wheelhouse, which was being sumed that medical help was needed, washed by heavy seas, and they jump- and at 11.7 the life-boat City of Glasgow ed into the life-boat wet and exhausted. was launched, with a doctor on board, The life-boat then made for her station, in a heavy swell with a moderate south- arriving at 1.5 early on the morning south-east breeze blowing. The life- of the 18th. The life-boatmen gave boat reached Sanda at 12.45 early on the two men dry clothes, hot drinks the 19th and learned that a light- and biscuits. Donations to the funds keeper's wife needed medical attention. of the Institution were received.— The doctor, who was put ashore, Rewards, £12 10s. treated her and re-embarked in the life-boat, which then returned to her INJURED STEWARD TAKEN OFF station, arriving at 4.30.—Rewards, SWEDISH SHIP £13 7s. Gd. Barrow, Lancashire.—At 12.30 on the afternoon of the 18th of December, LIFE-BOAT STANDS BY TILL TUG 1952, a local shipping agency asked if ARRIVES the life-boat would land an injured Hastings, Sussex.—At 4.33 on the man from the S.S. Araton, of Stock- afternoon of the 19th of December, holm, which was lying two miles 1952, the life-boat honorary secretary south-west of the Lightning Knoll saw a fishing boat about five miles to buoy. At one o'clock the life-boat the south-east burn flares. At 4.36 Herbert Leigh was launched in a the life-boat M.T.C. was launched in moderate swell with a light north- a slight sea with a light west-north- westerly breeze blowing. She came west breeze blowing, and found the up with the Araton at 1.50. The fishing boat Old Bob Leach, of New- chief steward had severely injured haven, five miles south of Hastings. three fingers in a steel door, and the She had broken down and lost her life-boat landed him in the harbour. anchor, and the skipper asked the A car took him to hospital, and the life-boat to stand by and ask New- life-boat reached her station again at haven to send a tug. The life-boat 3.15.—Rewards, £9 7s. 6d. remained until a trawler arrived from Newhaven at 9.48 to take the Old MESSAGE FROM EX-LIFE-BOAT Bob Leach in tow, and then returned to her station, arriving at eleven COXSWAIN o'clock.—Rewards, £35 13s. Gd. Dungeness, Kent.—At 5.30 on the afternoon of the 18th of December, 1952, an ex-life-boat coxswain tele- CUT OFF BY TIDE AT NIGHT phoned that a vessel had gone ashore Dover, Kent.—At 11.9 on the morn- on Newcombe Sands. The tide was ing of the 20th of December, 1952, the very low, and at 7.45, when it had risen Sandgate coastguard telephoned that sufficiently, the life-boat Charles a man was cut off by the tide near St. Cooper Henderson was launched in a Margaret's Bay, and" at 11.30 the life- heavy ground swell with a light north- boat Southern Africa, in the charge of westerly breeze blowing. She found the second coxswain, left her moorings, the motor vessel Purbeck, of London, taking a dinghy with her. There was one and a half miles north-north-east a fresh breeze with a heavy swell. of the life-boat station with nine people The life-boat found the man on the on board. The life-boat helped to rocks at the foot of the cliffs in St. refloat her, landed one of her crew, Margaret's Bay. Two life-boatmen and reached her station again at 9.15. manned the dinghy, and after two —Property Salvage Case. attempts they came near enough for SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 495 the man to wade to the dinghy. He The Girvan life-boat then left for was up to his arm-pits in the sea, but her station, which she reached at 5.30, the two men hauled him on board and and refuelled. The Campbeltown life- transferred him to the life-boat. The boat took eleven men and a woman off life-boat landed him at her station at the steamer and landed them at her one o'clock, after which the police station at 7.30. The Girvan life-boat, took care of him.—Rewards, £5 5s. with the coastguard shore life-saving company from Ballantrae on board, PILOT TAKEN TO COASTER IN made for Ailsa Craig, where she DISTRESS landed the company about nine o'clock. Barrow, Lancashire.—-At 7.5 on the She then stood by the steamer again, evening of the 20th of December, 1952, and at 11.4 the Campbeltown life-boat, the Walney Island coastguard tele- which had put out again, arrived. phoned that the coaster Bankville, of The Girvan life-boat returned to her Liverpool, was in distress with a station to refuel for the second time, shifted cargo ten miles west of Walney arriving at one o'clock on the 23rd. lighthouse. At 7.30 the life-boat Meanwhile the Campbeltown life- Herbert Leigh was launched in a rough boat stood by the Margareta, while the sea with a strong west-north-west tugs tried unsuccessfully to tow her breeze blowing. She found the coaster, clear. The Girvan life-boat left her with a crew of nine and a cargo of steel station once again at five o'clock and rails, off the Wyre Light. The life- reached the position at 6.30. She took boat stood by her for some time and over from the Campbeltown life-boat, then fetched a pilot from Fleet wood. which then made for Girvan for fuel She put the pilot on board, escorted and food and to fetch the Ayr coast- the Bankville to Fleetwood, and then guard shore life-saving company to returned to her station, arriving at relieve the Ballantrae men. The 1.40 the next morning.—Rewards, Campbeltown life-boat reached Girvan £18 12s. 6d. about 11.30, and left with the Ayr men at four o'clock. The Girvan LIFE-BOATS PUT OUT SEVEN life-boat then returned to her station TIMES ON ONE SERVICE for more fuel and took the Ballantrae men with her, reaching Girvan at Girvan, Ayrshire, and Campbeltown, seven. The Campbeltown life-boat Argyllshire.—About five o'clock on the remained with the Margareta at the morning of the 22nd of December, request of the master. 1952, the Portpatrick coastguard tele- A gale sprang up during the night, phoned the Girvan life-boat station and about 9.45 the life-boat took off that the S.S. Margareta, of Lovisa, the remaining eighteen men and four- Finland, had run ashore on the south teen salvage men. The salvage men side of Ailsa Craig and was asking for could not be put aboard their tug help. A later message stated that she owing to the weather, and they was off the south-west side of Ailsa remained in the life-boat, which took Craig, and at 5.20 the life-boat Frank them all to Campbeltown, arriving at and William Oates was launched. A 1.20 early on the morning of the 24th. strong southerly wind was blowing At midnight the Girvan life-boat had with a very rough sea and rain squalls. been told that the men had been The life-boat found the steamer hard taken off the steamer. She was aground with thirty persons on board. therefore launched again at 10.30, to She was a vessel of 2,915 tons bound fetch the Ayr life-saving company from for Glasgow laden with iron ore. As i Ailsa Craig and finally reached her her master said the crew did not wish 1 station again at 2.30 that afternoon.—• to abandon her, the life-boat stood Rewards: Girvan, £77 6s. 6d.; Camp- by her in heavy weather. At 11.30 beltown, £95 14s. the life-boat wirelessed that she was running short of fuel, and at 1.30 the Campbeltown life-boat City of Glasgow PATIENT TAKEN FROM FAIR ISLE was launched. She reached the posi- FOR OPERATION tion at four o'clock, and by this time Lerwick, Shetlands.—At 11.28 on the two tugs had arrived. morning of the 22nd of December, 496 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 1952, the Medical Officer of Health for that a message had been received from the Shetlands asked if the life-boat the tanker Fort Monltre, of New York, would go to Fair Isle and bring back a which was anchored in Swansea Bay, man who had appendicitis. The that she had a seriously injured man weather was too bad for a local boat to on board and asked for a boat to land make the journey, and at 11.55 the him. No other boat was available, life-boat Lady Jane and Martha Ryland and at 6.57 the life-boat William left her moorings. She embarked a Gammon—Manchester and District doctor at Sandwick and made for Fair XXX was launched. There was a Isle in a very rough sea with a strong moderate sea with a moderate south- south-south-east wind blowing. She westerly wind, and the life-boat took arrived there at 5.40, embarked the the man to Swansea, where an ambu- patient, and took him to Lerwick, lance was waiting, and reached her which she reached at 11.10. The station again at 9.40.—Rewards, patient was transferred to a waiting £12 6,9. ambulance and taken to hospital, where his life was saved.—Rewards, LIFE-BOAT STANDS BY COLLIER £26 5*. THROUGH NIGHT LIFE-BOAT OUT TWICE TO Montrose, Angus.—At 10.10 on the PANAMANIAN STEAMER night of the 25th of December, 1952, the Usan coastguard telephoned that a Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.—At 12.10 vessel five miles east-south-east of early on the morning of the 24th of De- Montrose had wirelessed a distress cember, 1952, the Needles coastguard signal, and at 10.35 the life-boat The telephoned that the S.S. Virginia, of Good Hope was launched. There was Panama, had run ashore one mile west a strong south-south-east wind blow- of Atherfield but had not made any ing with a rough sea. The life-boat distress signals. The sea was rough, found the collier Moorlands, of Methil, with a strong south-south-west breeze, with a crew of ten, five miles south- and it was foggy, and at 12.30 the east-by-east of Scurdyness. She had life-boat S.G.E. was launched. The broken down, but was in no immediate Virginia wirelessed that she only danger, and the life-boat stood by needed tugs, and the life-boat was until another collier arrived. The recalled to her station, which she life-boat then passed a line to the reached at 2.10. At 2.45 the coast- second collier from the Moorlands, but guard reported that the Virginia's it parted in the bad weather. The No. 4 hold was full of water and that skipper asked the coxswain to remain she had asked for a tug and the life- until a tug arrived, and one reached boat. So at 3.10 a.m. the life-boat the position early the next morning. was launched again. She went along- The tug took the Moorlands in tow, side the steamer and remained there made for Aberdeen, and was escorted for four hours. The master then by the life-boat for an hour. As the decided to abandon ship, and the life- skipper then said that he did not need boat took on board the crews' clothes the life-boat any longer, she returned and personal belongings, but the to her station, arriving at 9.40 the master changed his mind, and he and next morning. The skipper expressed his crew of twenty-two stayed on his thanks.—Rewards, £32 11s. board. The life-boat landed a man and a stewardess, put the clothes and personal belongings back aboard the SICK MEN TAKEN FROM DANISH steamer, and returned to her moor- TUGS ings, arriving at 12.45.—Rewards: 1st Caister, Norfolk.—At 9.20 on the service, £7 8*.; 2nd service, £24 17s. 6d. morning of the 26th of December, 1952, the commanding officer of the fast patrol CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE TO boat Havoernen, of the Royal Danish AMERICAN TANKER Navy, which had been aground on the The Mumbles, Glamorganshire.—At Scroby Sands since the 3rd of Decem- 6.42 on the morning of the 25th of De- ber, wirelessed that the Danish tug cember, 1952, the coastguard telephoned Aegir, standing by the Havoernen, had SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 497

THE ROYAL FAMILY AND THE LIFE-BOAT SERVICE

A design by Miss Margaret L Hodgson for the Institution's Coronation Number

(See page 523) 498 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953

CROMER LIFE-BOAT STATION

One of those most severely damaged by the floods

(See page 478) SPRINT,, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 499

[Southend Standard

THE WORST FLOODS IN LIVING MEMORY

Southend life-boat brings off survivors from Foulness

(see page 476)

ST. ABBS BOATHOUSE 500 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953

r By courtesy of] George A. Day THE FRASERBURGH DISASTER Examining the life-boat (See page 469)

By courtesy of] [Aberdeen Journals U<1, THE FUNERAL PROCESSION SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 501

TENBY LIFE-BOAT LAUNCHED IN A GALE

TO HELP R.A.F. LAUNCH

(See page 489) 502 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRINT,, 1953

COMMODORE THE DUKE OF MONTROSE, K.T., C.B., C.V.O., V.R.D., LL.D., R.N.V.R.

(See pa(?e 516) SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 503

DEDICATION OF SERVICE BOARDS IN RYE CHURCH On the right Sir John G. Gumming, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., and Mr. T. 0. Gray, J.P., vice-presidents of the Institution (See page 517)

By courtesy of] [The Evening A' INSTITUTION'S TREASURER WITH LIFE-BOATMEN The Duke of Northumberland with Robert and James Brownlee, only surviving members of the Whitby crew of 1914 504 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953

Photograph by John Blaxlaml] [By kind permission of R. A. Leggett

NIGHT SERVICE BY SHOREHAM LIFE-BOAT SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 505 a man on board suffering from appen- tress, were not needed, or could do dicitis. He asked for the life-boat, nothing: and at 9.30 the Jose Neville was Redcar, Yorkshire.—December 1st. launched in a smooth sea with a light —Rewards, £9 17*. southerly breeze blowing. She took Sunderland, Durham. — December the man off the Aegir and then fetched 2nd.—Rewards, £6 16*. another sick man from the Danish Hastings, Sussex.—December 5th.— tug Garm, which was also standing by. Rewards, £20 7*. 6d. The life-boat took them to Caister, Dungeness, Kent.—December 9th.— where an ambulance was waiting, and Rewards, £31 6*. arrived back at her station at 11.15. Tenby, Pembrokeshire.—December, A donation was made to the funds of 10th.—Rewards, £11. the Institution.—Rewards, £12 13,9. FIFTEEN-HOUR SEARCH FOR JET FISHING BOAT ESCORTED TO PILOTS SCRABSTER Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 11.20 on the Thurso, Caithness-shire.—At 1.45 on night of the llth of December, 1952, the afternoon of the 27th of December, the coastguard reported that two jet 1952, a telephone message was received aircraft had collided and crashed into from a man in Melvich that a fishing the sea at a position four miles north- boat was in distress six miles east- west, thence twenty miles north-east north-east of Port Skerra. At 2.10 by north. The life-boat Mary Ann the life-boat H.C.J. was launched in a Hepworth was launched at 11.30 and rough sea with a fresh northerly breeze made for the position, where she blowing. She found the motor fishing found several vessels searching the boat Undaunted, of Wick, with a crew area. Keeping in touch with Culler- of four, escorted her to Scrabster, and coats Radio the life-boat searched for reached her station again at 4.30.— hours until she was compelled to Rewards, £11 12*. 6d. return for re-fuelling. She reached her station again at 2.15 in the after- FOURTEEN MEN TAKEN OFF noon, having been at sea for nearly COLLIER fifteen hours. The Runswick life-boat St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—At 4.50 on also put out, but later the search was the afternoon of the 29th of December, abandoned.—Rewards, £39 13*. 6d. 1952, the master of the S.S. Fermain, of Guernsey, which had fourteen Runswick, Yorkshire. — December persons on board, wirelessed that his 12th.—Rewards, £33 5*. ship had struck a rock and had been Dunbar, East Lothian.—December, badly holed about three hundred 12th.—Rewards, £7. yards north of the south breakwater Holyhead, Anglesey.—December 17th. off St. Sampson's harbour. He asked —Rewards, £12 17*. for the life-boat, and at 5.22 the Queen Victoria left her moorings in a moder- THREE LIFE-BOATS SEARCH FOR ate sea with a strong north-easterly AIRMEN breeze blowing. She found the Fer- Dungeness, and Dover, Kent; and main, a collier of 1,086 tons. The Hastings, Sussex.—About 9.25 on the pilot boat from St. Sampson's had night of the 18th of December, 1952, rescued eight men from her and had the Dungeness life-boat Charles Cooper just returned to the position to Henderson had just returned from a rescue the other six. The life-boat service launch to a steamer aground a sprayed oil on the sea, shone her mile east of the life-boat station, when searchlight while the pilot boat took she heard a broadcast from the North the men on board, and then escorted Foreland radio station that a Vampire her to St. Sampson's, reaching her jet aircraft was believed to have station again at 6.17.—Rewards, crashed in the sea fifteen miles from £7 10*. Dungeness. The life-boat was launch- ed again at once in a moderate sea The following life-boats went out on with a strong southerly breeze blowing, service, but could find no ships in dis- thick sleet and rain. North Foreland 506 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 radio station asked her to search five life-boat then stood by the bar again, miles each side of Dungeness to a escorted in the Galilee, Faith Star. position seven and a half miles to the Success II, Lead Us and Pilot Me II, south-east. At 9.22 the Fairlight and reached her station again at 2.5— coastguard had informed the Hastings Rewards, £17 7*. Qd. life-boat station, and at 9.41 the life- boat i/.T.C. was launched. The VESSEL ON MAIDEN TRIP Sandgate coastguard telephoned the Filey, Yorkshire.—At 12.30 on the Dover life-boat station at 9.20, and afternoon of the 6th of January, 1953, at 9.55 the life-boat Southern Africa the coastguard telephoned that the put out. The three life-boats searched sea was heavy. Seven local fishing all night, but no trace of the aircraft cobles were still at sea, and at 12.40 or her crew of two was seen, and the the life-boat The Cuttle was launched life-boats returned to their stations in a heavy sea with a fresh north- the next morning. Dungeness arrived westerly breeze blowing. She escorted at 8.45, Hastings at 10.10, and Dover six cobles to the shore and then at 11.30. At 10.20 that night the searched for the Venture, which was on Lade coastguard telephoned the Dun- her maiden trip. The Venture, how- geness life-boat station that an air- ever, reached Filey under sail, having craft had seen an object with a white had her engine swamped. The life- light thirteen miles east-south-east of boat was recalled to her station, Dungeness, and the Charles Cooper arriving at 6.30. The Flamborough Henderson was launched again at life-boat was also launched.—Rewards. 10.35 in a choppy sea with a light £20 14s. westerly breeze blowing. She found nothing and reached her station again GUERNSEY LIFE-BOAT TOWS at two o'clock on the morning of the MOTOR VESSEL 20th.—Rewards: Dungeness, 1st ser- St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—About 8.40 vice, £61 17s.; 2nd service, £31 6*.; on the morning of the 8th of January. Hastings, £52 8*. 6d.; Dover, £30 10s. 1953, the motor vessel Braywick, of London, which had a crew of nine, St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—December wirelessed that she had broken down 19th.—Rewards, £ll Ss. and needed a tug three miles north- Lerwick, Shetlands.—December 19th. east of Hanois. Jersey harbour radio —Rewards, £7. station informed the life-boat station. Sheringham, Norfolk. — December and at 9.25 the life-boat Queen Victoria 19th.—Rewards, £35 18s. 6d. left her moorings in a light northerly Girvan, Ayrshire.—December 24th. breeze and calm sea. She found the —Rewards, £7 7*. 6d. ship two miles west-north-west of Lihou Island with another vessel, the JANUARY Clara Monks, standing by. The life- DURING January life-boats were boat went alongside her and took her launched 54 times and rescued 53 in tow, and the Clara Monks went on lives. her way. By this time the Guernsey pilot boat had arrived, and she helped LIFE-BELTS PASSED TO FISHERMEN the life-boat tow the Brayiuick to St. Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 9.15 on the Peter Port, which was reached at- morning of the 3rd of January, 1953, 4.30.—Property Salvage Case. local fishermen reported that the motor fishing coble Enterprise II, of DUTCH SHIP AGROUND Whitby, was at sea in deteriorating Caister, and Great Yarmouth and weather, and at 9.30 the No. 1 life-boat Gorleston, Norfolk.—At 4.15 on the Mary Ann Hepworth was launched. afternoon of the 8th of January, 1953, There was a strong north-easterly the Great Yarmouth coastguard tele- breeze with a moderate sea, and the phoned a message to the Caister life- life-boat waited at the harbour bar. boat station from Palling that a vessel The Enterprise II arrived at 11.30, had gone ashore half a mile south of and the life-boatmen gave her crew Palling coastguard station. At 5.10 life-belts and escorted them in. The the life-boat Jose Neville was launched SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 507 and, in a light north-westerly breeze SPANISH STEAMER TOWED OFF with a calm sea and fog, found the SANDS motor vessel Maraat V, of Rotterdam, Walton and Frinton, Essex.—About with a crew of five. She was hard ten o'clock on the morning of the llth aground. The life-boat stood by her of January, 1953, the Walton-on-the- for two hours until the tide started to Naze coastguard telephoned that the rise, and then came close to her and Cork lightvessel had reported seeing a asked if help was needed. The skipper steamer two miles south-by-west of said it was, and the life-boat passed a the lightvessel. Fog concealed her line on board and pulled the ship's during the day, but at 8.45 it had stern towards the north to make cleared, and the lightvessel stated that conditions easier for refloating on the the steamer was displaying signals next tide. The Jose Neville, which meaning she was aground. It was had been slightly damaged by a piece becoming foggy again, but at 9.40 the of floating wreckage, then returned life-boat E.M.E.D. left her moorings. to Caister, arriving at 3.30 the next There was a light south-westerly morning. At 6.45 the coastguard told breeze with a slight sea, and she found the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston the S.S. Campo Grande, of Cadiz, four life-boat station that the Caister and a half miles east-north-east of the life-boat had been damaged, and at coastguard station, with forty persons 9.30 the Caister life-boat station told on board. She was hard and fast on the Gorleston station that the Maraat the Cork Sands. The life-boat tried V had asked for help. As the harbour to refloat her but failed, and at five tug was not available the Great Yar- o'clock the next morning a tug arrived. mouth and Gorleston life-boat Louise The life-boat then returned to her Stephens was launched at eleven station, arriving at 12.2. About five o'clock. She took soundings round in the afternoon the tug asked for the the Maraat V, put a rope on board and life-boat, and at 5.40 the E.M.E.D. refloated her. The Maraat V had put out again. She helped in the fouled her propeller, and the life-boat refloating operations which, after towed her to Great Yarmouth harbour, several attempts, were successful the arriving back at her station at 5.10.— next morning. The life-boat then Rewards: Caister, £33 2s. 6d.; Great returned to her station, arriving at Yarmouth and Gorleston, Property 11.56 on the morning of the 13th.— Salvage Case. Property Salvage Case. COSTA RICAN AND FRENCH SHIPS COLLIDE ELEVEN RESCUED FROM LISTING Walmer, Kent.—About five o'clock on SHIP the afternoon of the 10th of January, On the 15th of January, 1953, the 1953, shipping agents in Dover tele- Thurso life-boat rescued the crew of phoned that a steamer was asking for eleven of the steam trawler Sunlight, help five miles east of the East Good- of Aberdeen, which was listing heavily win lightvessel. At 5.15 the life-boat at the time of the rescue. For a full Charles Dibdin, Civil Service No 2, account of this service and of the was launched. There was a light rewards given see page 479. breeze with a calm sea and dense fog. The life-boat found the Costa Rican MOTOR BOAT TOWED TO WICK tanker Aster. She had been badly Wick, Caithness-shire.—At 6.15 on the holed in a collision with the French evening of the 15th of January, 1953. steamer Fauzon, but did not require it was reported that the local motor help. Her skipper said that the boat Pansy, with a crew of two, had Fauzon, which was one and a half miles broken down and was drifting off Noss north of the Aster, needed help, and Head, and at 6.40 the life-boat City of the life-boat made for her and stood Edinburgh was launched. There was by until a tug arrived from Flushing. a light westerly breeze with a slight The tug took her in tow, and the life- sea. The life-boat came up with the boat returned to her station, arriving at Pansy about four miles east-north-east four o'clock the next morning.— of the head. The two men had been Rewards, £40 17*. 6rf. at sea since six that morning, and the 508 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPHIXG, 1953 life-boat took them on board and ten-feet rowing boat at 7.30 to attend towed their boat to Wick, reaching to their fishing lines, but had not her station again at nine o'clock.— returned. The weather had worsened Rewards, £5. suddenly, and, at 10.15 the life-boat Lady Jane and Martha Ryland left MEN BROUGHT ASHORE FROM her moorings and searched widely in a LIGHTVESSEL whole northerly gale with a very Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford.—On rough sea. The motor fishing boat the 23rd of January, 1953, the Irish John West asked the life-boat to escort Lights Commissioners asked if the life- her to Malakoff pier, and the life-boat boat would land a man from the Black- broke off the search, escorted her in water Lightvessel. His sister had died about noon, and then put to sea again. in Wexford, and the Commissioners' However, visibility was now poor, and own boat was under repair. At 1.55 the life-boat returned to Malakoff pier in the afternoon the life-boat Douglas and her crew had some food. At 4.5 Hyde left her moorings. She brought in the afternoon the life-boat put out the man ashore in a smooth sea, with a again, searched the Isles of Gletness, light southerly breeze blowing, and but found no trace of the men or their reached her station again at 6.10. The boat. She reached her station again next day the Commissioners again at 6.10. The men lost their lives, and asked for the life-boat to land another the rowing boat was driven ashore man, a relative of whom had also died and smashed to pieces by the sea.— in Wexford. At 8.15 the life-boat put Rewards, £23 2s. Qd. out a second time, in a moderate north- westerly breeze with a slight swell, RESCUE FROM ROWING BOAT took a relief man to the lightvessel, Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire.—At and landed the man whose relative 10.15 on the morning of the 31st of had died at 12.15 early on the morn- January, 1953, the life-boat coxswain ing of the 25th.—Rewards: 1st service, reported that two men were in diffi- £12 8s.; 2nd service, £10 13s. Re- culties in a rowing boat. They had funded to the Institution by the anchored two miles east of Lytham Commissioners of Irish Lights. pier and were flying a distress signal from an oar. The life-boat Sarah FISHING BOAT TOWED TO ARKLOW Townsend Porritt was launched at Arklow, Co. Wlcklow.—At 7.15 on the 10.50 in a heavy sea with a north- evening of the 27th of January, 1953, westerly wind of hurricane force blow- the life-boat motor mechanic reported ing. She found the rowing boat two that flares had been seen about three miles east-by-south of the pier. The miles east-by-north of Arklow harbour. men. who had been on a shooting At 7.47 the life-boat Inbhear A/or was expedition, were exhausted. The life- launched in a rough sea with a fresh boat rescued them, took their boat in west-south-west breeze. She found tow, and returned to her station, the local fishing boat Sparkling Wave, arriving at one o'clock in the after- with a crew of six, about one mile noon.—Rewards, £13 13s. north of Mizzen Head. Her engine had broken down and she was drifting. WHITBY BOATS ESCORTED IN GALE The life-boat towed her to Arklow, Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 11.15 on the reaching her station again at 10.10. 31st of January, 1953, the coxswain The owner made a donation to the of the No. 1 life-boat saw that bad funds of the Institution.—Rewards, weather was making the conditions £11 4s. Qd. at the harbour bar and harbour entrance dangerous, and at 11.25 the SEARCH IN GALE FOR ROWING life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was BOAT launched. There was a fresh north- Lerwick, Shetlands.—At 9.38 on the north-west gale with a rough sea. The morning of the 31st of January, 1953, life-boat escorted in the local fishing the coastguard telephoned to say a boats Success II and Faith Star. The man at Skellister had reported that weather became worse, and at 1.15 two men had left Gletness Nesting in a the Pilot Me and Provider A arrived. SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 509 The life-boat escorted them in too The Mumbles, Glamorganshire. — and reached her station again at 11.45. January 17th.—Rewards, £20 14s. —Rewards, £11 0*. Qd. Stornoway, Outer Hebrides.—Jan- uary 17th.—Rewards, £10 10s. LOSS OF THE "PRINCESS VICTORIA" Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. —• On the 31st of January, 1953, the January 19th.—Rewards, £23 9s. Qd. British Railways ferry Princess Holyhead, Anglesey.—January 19th. Victoria sank in a gale in the Irish Sea. —Rewards, £20 2s. The Portpatrick, Donaghadee, Clou- Newbiggin, Northumberland. — Jan- ghey and Newcastle, Co. Down, life- uary 20th.—Rewards, £15 19s. boats were all launched on service. Portrush, Co. Antrim. — January The Donaghadee life-boat rescued 20th.—Rewards, £8 10s. thirty-one survivors and landed one Wick, Caithness-shire.—Januarv 21st. other. The Portpatrick life-boat —Rewards, £13 14s. Qd. rescued two survivors. A full account New Brighton, Cheshire.—January of these services and the rewards given 21st.—Rewards, £31 6s. will be published in a future number New Quay, Cardiganshire.—January of The Life-boat. 22nd.—Rewards, £17 17s. Stornoway, Outer Hebrides.—January THE GREAT FLOODS 27th.—Rewards, £7. Ramsgate, Kent.—January 30th.— Southend-on-Sea and Clacton-on-Sea, Rewards, £8 12s. Qd. Essex.—Beginning on the evening of Stornoway, Outer Hebrides.—January the 31st of January, 1953, floods inun- 30th.—Rewards, £30 7s. Qd. dated areas in the east of England to Barra Island, Outer Hebrides.—Jan- an extent unknown in this country in uary 31st.—Rewards, £21 3s. living memory. The Southend-on- Islay, Inner Hebrides.—{Two laun- Sea life-boat was called out on seven ches.)—January 31st.—Rewards, £44 occasions, and a rescue was also carried 8s. Sd. out by the Clacton-on-Sea life-boat. Barrow, Lancashire.—January 31st. For a full account of these services and —Rewards, £13 18s. Qd. of the rewards given, and of the Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland. damage done to life-boats and life- —January 31st.—Rewards, £13 4s. boat stations by the floods, see page Cromarty.—January 31st.—Rewards 476. £36 15s. Holy Island, Northumberland.—Jan- The following life-boats went out uary 31st.—Rewards, £27 10s. on service, but could find no ships in Humber, Yorkshire.—January 31st.— distress, were not needed, or could Rewards, £13 6s.; Paid Permanent do nothing: Crew. Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.—January 3rd.—Rewards, £9 12s. Flamborough, Yorkshire.—January TWO LIFE-BOATMEN DIE IN 6th.—Rewards, £13 14s. Qd. ENGINE-ROOM Flamborough, Yorkshire.—January On the 31st of January, 1953, two 6th.—Rewards, £17 14s. Qd. members of the crew of the Islay. Inner Baltimore, Co. Cork.—January 6th. Hebrides, life-boat collapsed in the —Rewards. £34 7s. engine-room and died while the life- Fowey, Cornwall.—January 10th.— boat was searching for the trawler Rewards, £8 15s. Michael Griffiths. This was the day Valentia, Co. Kerry.—January 12th.— on which the Princess Victoria sank Rewards, £16 15s. Qd. in the Irish Sea. In addition to the Cromer, Norfolk.—January 15th.— Islay boat the life-boats from Barra Rewards, £32 4s. Qd. Island, Outer Hebrides; Barrow. Lan- Portrush, Co. Antrim.—January 15th. cashire; Berwick-on-Tweed, Northum- —Rewards, £16. berland; Cromarty; Holy Island, Walmer, Kent.—January 16th.— Northumberland; and Humber, York- Rewards, £19 13s. shire, were all launched on that day, The Mumbles, Glamorganshire. — but for various reasons were unable January 16th.—Rewards, £11 8,9. to render services. A full account of 510 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 the events of that day will be published had reported that they were at sea in in a future number of The Life-boat. very heavy weather and anxiety was felt for the safety of the twelve men aboard them. At 11.55 the life-boat FEBRUARY Lady Jane and Martha Ryland left her DURING February life-boats were moorings in a fresh north-north-east launched 53 times and rescued 15 lives. gale, but at 12.30 the Launch Out was reported to be making steady SPANISH STEAMER TOWED TO progress. At 12.44 the Vesper was DOVER BEACH stated to be making safely for Lerwick, Dover, Kent.—At 4.20 on the morn- but the life-boat found the Guiding ing of the 1st of February, 1953, a Star in Mousa Sound making very slow steamer which had been driven on to progress. The life-boat escorted her the breakwater in a strong north- to Lerwick and reached her station at westerly gale with a rough sea, fired 3.50.—Rewards, £12 5*. distress rockets. At 4.45 the life-boat Southern Africa left her moorings and FISHING BO ATS ESCORTED IN GALE found the S.S. Castillo Tordesillas, of Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 1.15 on the Madrid, alongside the breakwater. afternoon of the 4th of February, 1953. Her engine-room was leaking. The local fishermen reported that bad second coxswain went on board, and weather was making conditions dan- the life-boat also put the harbour gerous at the harbour bar, and at 1.20 master aboard and asked for tugs. the No. 1 life-boat Mary Ann Hep- The tugs arrived and made fast to the worth was launched. A moderate steamer, and two life-boatmen jumped northerly gale was blowing with a on to the breakwater and cast her off. rough sea. The life-boat came up The tugs then towed the steamer to with the local fishing boats Provider the beach in Dover harbour, and the A, Pilot Me II, and Venus at the har- life-boat remained with her until she bour entrance. The coxswain told the was evenly aground, arriving back at skippers that the bar was dangerous her station at five in the afternoon.— and escorted them in. The life-boat Property Salvage Case. then put to sea again, escorted in the Lead Us and Progress and arrived back RELIEF KEEPERS TAKEN TO at her station at 4.15.—Rewards. LIGHTHOUSE £11 0*. 6d. Valentia, Co. Kerry.—On the 3rd of February, 1953, the Commissioners of FISHING BOAT TOWED TO HARTLE- Irish Lights asked if the life-boat POOL would take relief keepers and supplies Hartlepool, Durham.—At 2.47 early to the Skelligs Rocks lighthouse, as on the morning of the 9th of February, the Commissioners' steamer was on 1953, the coastguard telephoned that duty elsewhere. At four o'clock in a boat off the Palliser Works, north of the afternoon the life-boat A.E.D. was Hartlepool, was burning flares, and launched in a moderate sea with a at 3.15 the life-boat The Princess Royal, fresh south-easterly breeze blowing, and snow, and took the men and Civil Service No. 7, was launched. stores to the lighthouse. She then There was a light westerly breeze with a moderate sea. The life-boat found embarked the keepers due to return the motor fishing boat Jean Harsley, ashore, landed them, and arrived back of Hartlepool, with a crew of seven, at her station at 9.15.—Rewards, £18 one mile north of Heugh. Her engine 15s.—refunded by the Commissioners had broken down, and the life-boat of Irish Lights. towed her to Hartlepool, reaching her station again at 5.20.—Rewards, SHETLANDS BOAT IN DIFFICULTIES £11 Os. 6d. Lerwick, Shetlands.—At 11.20 on the morning of the 4th of February, 1953, the coastguard rang up to say the THE FRASERBURGH DISASTER agents for the local fishing vessels On the 9th of February, 1953, six of Launch Out, Vesper and Guiding Star the crew of seven of the Fraserburgh SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 511 life-boat lost their lives when the life- i the Anstruther life-boat station that boat capsized near the harbour ! the Montrose life-boat, with the fishing entrance in a heavy sea. For a full boats in tow, was approaching from account of this disaster see page 469. the vicinity of the North Carr, and needed a pilot. A south-westerly DRIFTERS ESCORTED IN GALE breeze was blowing with a heavy swell, Ballycotton, Co. Cork.—At 8.15 on the and it was decided to send the life- evening of the 9th of February, 1953, boat James and Ruby Jackson, as the the coxswain learned from the skipper Montrose life-boat had two disabled of the fishing boat Happy Home that boats to deal with. The Anstruther the motor fishing drifter Florence, of life-boat was launched at 10.30, with Glandore, was burning flares south- the second coxswain in charge, and east of Ballycotton Light. A fresh found that the Mizpah had by then south-westerly gale was blowing, caus- broken adrift. The towline used by ing a heavy sea. This had prevented the Montrose life-boat did in fact part the Happy Home from helping the four times, but the two life-boats drifter, but another motor drifter, the succeeded in bringing in the two fishing Ross Gill, was remaining by her. waiting boats, Anstruther harbour being for the life-boat. At 8.30 the life-boat reached at 1.35. Owing to weather K.E.C.F., on temporary duty at the conditions the Anstruther life-boat station, was launched. She found could not be re-housed and remained the Florence about three miles south- in the harbour. The Montrose life- east of the Ballycotton Light, with- boat remained at Anstruther until out her rudder. The Florence was 10.5 on the morning of the 13th, when then in tow of the Ross Gill, and the the weather moderated. She reached life-boat escorted both boats into her station again about 2.30 that harbour, arriving at 10.30.—Rewards, afternoon.—Rewards: Montrose, £63 £9 7*. 105. 6d.; Anstruther, £50 16*. TOWLINE PARTS FOUR TIMES LIFE-BOAT'S SERVICE FOR Montrose, Angus, and Anstruther, Fifeshlre.—On the afternoon of the 9th ANOTHER STATION of February, 1953, a wireless message Broughty Ferry, Angus.—At 5.7 on the reached the Montrose life-boat station evening of the 9th of February, 1953, from the fishing boat Angus Rose, the Carnoustie coastguard telephoned which had a crew of two, that she had that the Arbroath coastguard had lost her rudder, but that the fishing asked if the life-boat would escort four boat Mizpah, with a crew of three, was Arbroath fishing boats into harbour. helping her. The boats were off The Arbroath life-boat was temporarily Montrose. and at 3.30 the Montrose out of service, and at 5.25 the Broughty life-boat The Good Hope was launched. Ferry life-boat Mona was launched in There was a south-easterly breeze with a heavy swell with a light breeze blow- a very heavy sea. The life-boat found ing. She reached Arbroath at 6.45, that the Mizpah had taken the Angus and by this time three of the fishing Rose in tow. They could not enter boats had entered the harbour. The Montrose harbour because of the life-boat remained until the fourth weather, and they made for Johns- boat arrived, escorted her in and haven, accompanied by the life-boat. returned to her station, arriving at As the entrance to Johnshaven harbour 10.20.—Rewards, £12 12s. 6d. was also dangerous, the Mizpah decid- ed to make for the Firth of Forth, and the life-boat remained with the boats. ADVICE TO SKIPPERS ON HARBOUR When they had reached a position off Bell Rock the Mizpah's engine broke APPROACH down. The life-boat took both boats Aberdeen.—At 4.53 on the afternoon in tow, and the life-boatmen gave the of the 9th of February, 1953, the five men of their crews food and rum. Gregness coastguard reported that Meanwhile, at ten o'clock that evening two fishing vessels were making for the Anstruther coastguard reported to Aberdeen, as it was too dangerous to 512 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 enter Stonehaven Harbour. The No. KEEL BOAT HELPED IN WHOLE 1 life-boat Hilton Briggs was launched GALE at 5.5. A south-westerly breeze was Scarborough, Yorkshire.—At 9.20 on blowing with a very heavy breaking the morning of the 10th of February, swell, and the two vessels, which were 1953, the coastguard telephoned that a the Mary Goieans and Trustful III, fishing boat was off Hayburn Wyke in both of Aberdeen, seemed reluctant to worsening weather. As a whole gale enter owing to the state of the channel was blowing from the east-north-east, and fading daylight. Each boat was causing a very rough sea, the life-boat approached by the life-boat and the E.C.J.R. was launched at 10.50. She skippers advised as to the best method found the local keel boat Courage and, of running into harbour. Both boats with difficulty, the life-boat passed were safely escorted in by 5.30.— life-belts to her crew of five. The Rewards, £6 7*. 6d. life-boat then escorted her to Scar- borough harbour and reached her station again at 12.45.—Rewards, SERVICE TO GERMAN STEAMER £12 14*. Moelfre, Anglesey.—At eight o'clock on the morning of the 10th of February, FISHING BOAT WITHIN INCHES OF 1953, the Holy head coastguard tele- PIER phoned that the S.S. Alice of Bremen, Whltby, Yorkshire.—At 12.20 on the which had broken down and had been afternoon of the 10th of February, towed to Moelfre Bay by a pilot boat, 1953, the conditions at the harbour bar was dragging her anchors and being were very bad and four local fishing driven towards Moelfre Rocks. At vessels were still at sea. The No. 1 8.25 the life-boat G.W. was launched life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was in a very rough sea with a strong launched at 12.38 in a very rough sea, northerly gale blowing. She found the with an east-to-north-easterly gale Alice about three quarters of a mile blowing, and snow. The Galilee was east of Moelfre Island, with eight escorted in, followed by the Provider, Germans and an English pilot aboard. which then asked the other boats by She had four anchors down, which now radio to make port as quickly as appeared to be holding, but the life- possible. The next one in was the boat stood by her in case she dragged Success, which had had a very rough again. She remained with her until passage, and last to come was Lead Us. 4.30 and asked the pilot to wireless if She was caught by a heavy sea and he needed her again. The life-boat carried to within inches of the east then returned to her station, which pier, but the seamanship of her she reached at 8.40.—Rewards, £29 Is. skipper saved her. After the four boats were safely in, the life-boat returned to her station at 3.30.— FISHING BOAT ESCORTED IN Rewards, £13 15*. ROUGH SEA North Sunderland, Northumberland.— DOCTOR TAKEN TO INJURED At 8.15 on the morning of the 10th of SEAMAN February, 1953, it was reported that Torbay, Devon.—At 8.45 on the even- the local fishing boat Good Fellowship ing of the 10th of February, 1953, was bound for North Sunderland from local shipping agents telephoned that Blyth, with a crew of four, and was a man had fallen down the hold of the then east of Newton. Conditions at S.S. Henriette Schulte, of Emden, the harbour mouth were dangerous, seriously injuring himself, and asked and at 8.40 the life-boat W.R.A. was if the life-boat would take a doctor launched in a rough sea with a moder- out. The weather was too bad for ate easterly breeze blowing. She the agents' boat to go, and at 9.25 the waited at the harbour entrance until life-boat George Shee left her moorings, the Good Fellowship arrived and then with the second coxswain in charge. escorted her in, reaching her station She embarked a doctor and ambulance again at 9.20. The skipper expressed men at the inner pier, and then made his thanks.—Rewards, £25. for the steamer in a strong northerly SPRING, 3953] THE LIFE-BOAT 513 breeze and rough sea. She found her Briggs left her moorings at 12.55, at anchor at the mouth of Torbay and and, after taking aboard food and put the medical team on board, but water, went out to the General Botha the man had died. The doctor and in Aberdeen Bay. With difficulty the the ambulance men then re-embarked stores were passed to the trawler, and in the life-boat, which returned to the life-boat reached her station again her station, arriving at 11.10.—Re- at two o'clock.—Rewards, £7 8s. wards, £6 16s. DOCTOR BROUGHT TO INJURED MONKS TAKEN TO CALDY ISLAND ENGINEER Tenby, Pembrokeshire.—At twelve Humber, Yorkshire.—At 8.35 on the noon on the 10th of February, 1953, the morning of the 13th of February, 1953, Superintendent of Trinity House asked the Spurn Point Coastguard reported if the life-boat would take a mechanic that the S.S. Monkton Combe, of to the Helwick lightvessel, as the light Bristol, had been in collision with needed attention. At 9.35 on the another vessel, and that the Monkton morning of the llth the life-boat John Combe was trying to beach herself on R. Webb was launched, with the the Sunk Sands. However, she ran mechanic and stores on board, in a on the Trinity Sands, and the life-boat strong northerly breeze with a rough was not then needed. About 9.45 the sea. She reached the lightvessel at coastguard stated that the Monkton 11.30, put the mechanic and stores Combe had wirelessed that her second aboard, and returned to her station, engineer had head injuries and was arriving at 1.50. At 5.30 the coast- bleeding badly, and at 10.40 the life- guard said the lightvessel had asked boat City of Bradford II was launched, if the life-boat would launch again to with a doctor on board. There was take spare parts for the mechanic, as no other boat was available. At 9.30 a moderate north-easterly breeze, with on the morning of the 12th she embark- a smooth sea, and she put him aboard ed the spare parts and also took on the steamer. The life-boat then re- board two monks and a woman, as embarked the doctor and the injured well as mail and provisions for Caldy man, and wirelessed for an ambulance Island, and was launched again. She to meet her at Spurn Point, which she put the spare parts aboard the light- reached at 11.20. At 4.20 she took vessel and then went to Caldv Island, the man back to his ship and stood where she landed the passengers, mail by her at high water, which was at and provisions. She reached her sta- five o'clock. The steamer did not tion again at two o'clock in the after- need help, and the life-boat returned noon.—Rewards: 1st service, £17 17s.; to her station, arriving at 6.10.—Paid 2nd service, £22 12*.—proportion re- Permanent Crew. funded by Trinity House. SECOND SERVICE ON ONE DAY STORES TAKEN TO TRAWLER IN Humber, Yorkshire.—At. 12.10 on the HEAVY SEA afternoon of the 13th of February, Aberdeen.—At 12.45 on the afternoon 1953, while the life-boat City of Brad- of the 12th of February, 1953, the ford II was on service to the S.S. owners of the steam trawler General Monkton Combe, of Bristol, the Spurn Botha, of Aberdeen, informed the Jife- Point coastguard reported that the boat station that the vessel was in S.S. Sirius, of Stockholm, bound for urgent need of food and water. The Hull, needed a doctor and would trawler was five days overdue, and arrive off Spurn Point between eight her crew had been without food for and nine that evening. The life-boat two days and her fresh water supply reached her station again at 6.10 after was also exhausted. A strong north- standing by the Monkton Combe, and north-easterly breeze was blowing, at 10.25 the coastguard stated that with a heavy breaking sea, and owing the Sirius was now in sight. At to these conditions the port of Aber- 10.30, as no other boat was available, deen was closed to shipping and likely the life-boat was launched with a to remain so for another twenty-four doctor on board, and, in a light north- hours. The No. 1 life-boat Hilton easterly breeze with a moderate swell, 514 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 she put the doctor on board. At boat crew went to Oban, where the 10.50 the doctor said he would bodies were landed. They then re- remain in the steamer until she turned to Barra Island, having been reached Hull, and the life-boat re- absent for about forty hours in very turned to her station, arriving at 11.35. bad weather.—Rewards, £84 14s. —-Paid Permanent Crew. LEAKING STEAMER SAFELY TWO YOUTHS IN DRIFTING BOAT BERTHED Walton and Frinton, Essex.—At 7.15 Holyhead, Anglesey.—At 1.55 early on the morningofthe 18th of February, on the morning of the 24th of February, 1953, the coastguard reported that the 1953, the coastguard reported that a S.S. Arnhem, coming from Holland, wireless message had been intercepted had sighted an open motor boat near indicating that the S.S. Larchfield, of Beach End buoy. The motor boat Liverpool, was ashore near Carmel appeared to have broken down and to Head, in Holyhead Bay, and in need of be drifting eastwards without gear, immediate help. The life-boat St. but with people on board. The life- Cybi, Civil Service No. 9, was launched boat E.M.E.D. was launched at eight at 2.25 in a heavy ground swell with o'clock in a calm sea, with a light a south-south-westerly breeze blowing, north-westerly wind blowing, and and dense fog. At 3.5 the steamer began to search. At 9.20 she found was found pounding heavily, but the the drifting boat two and a half miles master refused to leave and asked for east-by-north of Beach End buoy a final effort to be made to get the with two youths aboard. They had Larchfield off. The second coxswain been absent without leave from an was placed on board, and the ship was approved school since the night before brought off the rocks on the rising tide. and had taken the boat. The youths Although leaking badly, the Larchfield were given refreshments and taken to was taken to Holyhead by the second Harwich together with the boat. coxswain, with the life-boat leading, After the youths had been handed over and safely berthed. The life-boat the life-boat returned to Walton, reached her station at 7.20—Property which was reached at 12.45.—Rewards Salvage Case. £21. The following life-boats went out on FORTY-HOUR SERVICE IN BAD service, but could find no ships in WEATHER distress, were not needed, or could do Barra Island, Outer Hebrides.—At 6.50 nothing: on the morning of the 20th of February, Barra Island, Outer Hebrides. — 1953, the Stornoway coastguards re- February 1st.—Rewards, £19 2*. ported that the trawler Richard Crofts, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. — February of Milford Haven, was ashore between 1st.—Rewards, £20 10s. 6d. Coll and Tiree. A strong south-south- Wick, Caithness-shire—February 1st. westerly gale was blowing, with a very —Rewards, £10 Os. 6d. rough sea, and at 7.45 the life-boat North Sunderland, Northumberland. Lloyd's put out and made for the —February 1st.—Rewards, £26 Is. position. A search of the area was Sheringham, Norfolk. — February made, but nothing was found until the 2nd.—Rewards, £25 16s. late afternoon, when six bodies were North Sunderland, Northumberland.— seen floating off the north-east coast February 4th.—Rewards, £25 Is. of Coll. They were taken aboard the Southend-on-Sea, Essex. —February life-boat. The Richard Crofts had 5th.—Rewards, £15 5s. been holed and had sunk, but four Ramsgate, Kent.—February 6th.— survivors of her crew of twelve had Rewards, £8 12s. 6d. landed by raft at Cornaig Beach, Coll, Ilfracombe, Devon.—February 9th.— and two bodies were recovered at the Rewards, £20 8s. same spot. On her arrival at Tober- Ramsgate, Kent.—February 10th. mory to land the six bodies, the life- —Rewards, £8 13s. boat was directed to Oban. After Lowestoft, Suffolk.—February 10th. spending the night on board, the life- —Rewards, £9 3s. 6d. SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 515 St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—February boats searched in a light westerly 14th.—Rewards, £8 15s. breeze with a moderate sea, but no Dover, Kent.—February 15th.—Re- trace of the pilot was seen, and they wards, £9 5s. returned to their stations, Angle arriv- ing at seven o'clock and St. David's at Dover, Kent.—February 16th.—Re- 7.15. A donation to the funds of the wards, £10 15s. Institution was received from the Stornoway, Outer Hebrides. Feb- owners of the aircraft.—Rewards: ruary 17th.—Rewards, £8 15,?. St. Davids, £22 2s.; Angle, £27 18s.

St. David's, and Angle, Pembrokeshire. Dover, Kent.—February 17th.—Re- At. 10.15 on the morning of the 17th wards, £8 5s. of February, 1953, the St. David's Dungeness, Kent.—February 21st.— coastguard asked if the St. David's life- Rewards, £27 4s. boat would search for the pilot of a Humber, Yorkshire.—February 23rd. Sea Hornet aircraft who, it was —Rewards, £12. thought, might have taken to a rubber Portrush, Co. Antrim.—February dinghy after his machine had crashed 26th.—Rewards, £15 8s. 6d. the previous afternoon off St. Ann's Head. At 10.45 the life-boat Cioil Weymouth, Dorset.—February 26th. Service No. 6 was launched and began —Rewards, £12 5s. to search. The Tenby coastguard Cloughey, Go. Down.—Februarv 28th. informed the Angle life-boat station, —Rewards, £16 8s. and at 11.15 the life-boat Elizabeth Salcombe, Devon.—February 28th. Elson was also launched. Both life- Rewards, £7 15s.

"The Brotherhood of Man:" A Tribute to the Life-boat Service* DUBIXG the war our life-boat men that the Life-boat Service stands for were condemned by some people an ideal. In a dark, menacing world because they rescued those, who (in it has never wavered in its carrying the opinion of certain folk) should out of the Christian teaching of the have been left to perish. Some of brotherhood of man. Vast numbers these angry people wrote letters to the of us give lip service to that ideal, but papers to ask why the men who had taking the world as a whole there is come over to bomb us, should be saved not much sign that races, nations, from the sea. When this Life-boat religions or Churches, regard those of Service, of which we are all so proud, other races, nations, religions and was founded about one hundred and Churches as brothers. They may say thirty years ago, it pledged itself to they do, but "actions speak louder go to the rescue of all in peril on the than words." The men of the Life- sea around the shores of Britain with- boat Service say little, but they act out distinction of race, and to do this as though all men are their brothers. in peace and in war. The Life-boat The Service is a moral lighthouse Service is at the command of any sending out its radiance over stormy human beings needing its aid. Had seas that threaten to overcome us all. that pledge been broken, even under This is one very important reason for the provocation of bombing, should we our enormous respect for it, and it is in this country have had for the a reason that is not mentioned as Service the respect we have? No, often as it ought to be. we should not. *From an article on the Life-boat Service in The It is not only the courage displayed Qnirer, reproduced by very kind permission of ite author, that we admire so much, but the fact Mrs. Ruth Harrison, and the editor. 516 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953

The Duke of Montrose THE DUKE OF MONTROSE has been com- the council was formed, Scotland contri- pelled by ill-health to give up the buted to the Life-boat Service £11,858. work which, for many years, he has In 1952 she contributed £47,556. done for the Life-boat Service, as a The Duke was a very active chair- member of the Committee of Manage- man of the Council, presiding at all ment of the Institution and its its meetings, visiting the Scottish treasurer, and as chairman of the branches, attending their meetings, Scottish Life-boat Council. and taking a personal part in many As Marquis of Graham he was elected of their other functions. He also a member of the Committee of Manage- took an active part in the work of the ment about 1907. He resigned in Committee of Management, made a 1910. In 1924 he was appointed a broadcast for the Service in the vice-president of the Institution, and "Week's Good Cause" in 1946, attend- as such he again became a member ed the Fifth International Life-boat of the Committee of Management. In Conference held in Oslo in 1947, and 1927 his active work for the Service from 1947, until he resigned in Decem- began, and it has continued for over ber 1952, was the Institution's trea- a quarter of a century. It was in that surer. Though he has now been com- year, largely through him, that the pelled to give up his active life-boat Institution held a conference in Scot- work, he remains a vice-president of land, at which it was decided to form the Institution, and at the meeting a Scottish Life-boat Council. The of the Scottish Council in April, 1953, Duke was elected its chairman. He at which his resignation as its chair- has been its chairman ever since. The man was very regretfully accepted, measure of the success of his work is in he was elected the Council's honorary two figures. In 1927 the year in which president.

Life-boat Broadcasts in 1952 THE first of the life-boat broadcasts maroons and the launch of the life- in 1952 was in Children's Hour, on boat. the 25th of January. It was in a On the 16th of October the Life-boat series called " I'm Proud of My Father,' Service appeared as the third in a and the narrator was Miss May New- series of broadcasts by Mr. Stephen lands, daughter of Coxswain Duncan Grenfell, produced by Mr. R. D. Smith, Newlands, of Campbeltown, who won called "Special Duty." The first was the bronze medal for gallantry in on the work of the railway breakdown 1942 and again in 1946. The broad- gang, and the second on the treatment cast was written by Mrs. Angus of children who have been burnt Mac Vicar, in a series of "dramatised through carelessness with fires in their episodes" in which the coxswain own homes. The third, "Rescue by himself appeared, describing some of Life-boat," was a service by the the exciting rescues carried out by the Walmer life-boat to a steamer wrecked Campbeltown life-boat. on the Goodwin Sands. The second broadcast was on the On Christmas Day the B.B.C. broad- 19th of March, and again it was in cast in "Christmas Round Britain" the Children's Hour. It was called the annual carol-singing by members of "Down the Slipway." In it Mr. the Mousehole Fishermen's Choir, and Barrie Edgar interviewed Coxswain Miss Margaret Drew, the daughter of Denis Price of Margate, who, eight the motor mechanic of the Penlee months later, was to win the Institu- life-boat, over the life-boat's radio tion's silver medal for gallantry. The telephone to the three keepers of the broadcast ended with the sound of the Wolf Rock Lighthouse off Land's End. SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 517

The Service Boards of Rye Harbour Ox Sunday the 27th of July. 1952, a weather, the Institution recently had service was held in the Church of the new boards painted and offered them Holy Spirit, at Rye Harbour, to cele- to the Church to be kept there as a brate the centenary of the first record- permanent memorial of the station. ed rescue, in August 1852, by the Rye They are entitled ''Lives rescued by Harbour life-boat, known at first as life-boats manned by the intrepid men the Winchelsea life-boat, though of this village." At the service on the manned by men from live Harbour. 27th of July the boards were handed The station was closed after the to the church by Air Vice-Marshal Sir disaster on the loth of November, Geoffrey Bromet, K.B.E., D.S.O., now 1928, when the life-boat capsized with a member of the Committee of Man- the loss of her whole crew of 17 men. agement of the Institution, and at that It was closed because there were no time Lieutenant Governor of the Isle longer the men in that little village of Man, the birth place of the Institu- to man the life-boat. tion. They were accepted by the Vicar The service-boards of the station and dedicated by the Bishop of Lewes. were then presented by the Institution The Institution was represented at to the Mayor of Rye, and were placed the ceremony by two of its Vice-Presi- at the Sailors' Home, but as they stood dents, Sir John G. Gumming, K.C.I.E., in the open and suffered from the C.S.I., and Mr. T. O. Gray, J.P.

150 Years Old Ix 1950 the Committee of Management in 1807 by the Francis Ann. The of the Institution resolved that life- Francis Ann was built for the Suffolk boat stations which had been pre- Humane Society by Messrs. Sparham, sented with a vellum to commemorate of Lowestoft, und"er the superinten- the completion of a hundred years dence of Lionel Lukin, the London would be presented with another to coach builder, and is second only in mark the completion of a hundred importance to the Original, for she and fifty years. was the first of the sailing life-boats Three life-boat stations celebrated and is the direct ancestor of the later the hundred and fiftieth anniversary Norfolk and Suffolk type of boat. of the foundation in 1951: Lowestoft, The Francis Ann served at Lowestoft Montrose and Scarborough; and six in until 1850 and so far as can be ascer- 1952: Aberdeen, Douglas, Holy Island, tained rescued 300 lives. In 1855 the Ramsgate, Rcdcar and Whitby. Ex- Institution took over the station, and cept at Aberdeen and Ramsgate, where in 1869 a second station was estab- ceremonies are still to take place, a lished at Lowestoft. This station was vellum was presented to each station maintained until 1913. The two by the Institution, signed by the stations have had twelve life-boats and Duchess of Kent as its president, have rescued over 1,200 lives. Two expressing the Institution's apprecia- gold, nineteen silver and ten bronze tion of the voluntary work of the medals have been awarded to Lowes- officers and committee of the station toft men for gallantry. and the devotion and courage of The vellum was presented to Lowes- the life-boat crews. toft by Lady Somerleyton, J.P., the branch president, at a dinner held on LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK the 30th of January, 1952. In 1801 a life-boat built by Henry Greathead, the builder of the Original, MONTROSE, ANGUS was stationed at Lowestoft. The Montrose was one of the five places Institution has no records of the work in Scotland to have a life-boat built of this life-boat, which was replaced bv Henrv Greathead, the other four 518 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 being Aberdeen, Arbroath. Ayr and tution a legacy received in 1894 to St. Andrews. The first Montrose boat provide a life-boat at Aberdeen, which went to the station in 1800. This is by 1925 amounted to £3,000. At the oldest station in Great Britain and Torry and North Pier shore life-saving Ireland. From 1869 to 1950 two life- apparatus is maintained by the Insti- boat stations were maintained there. tution and manned by men in its They have had fifteen life-boats which service. They have rescued 41 lives. have rescued 516 lives. Fourteen Since 1925 the Aberdeen life-boats silver medals have been awarded to have rescued 131 lives. Three silver Montrose men for gallantry. Seven of medals and five bronze medals have them were awarded for rescues by men been awarded to Aberdeen men. who were not themselves life-boat There are at present two life-boats at men. The Norwegian Government Aberdeen. awarded medals and diplomas for a service to a Norwegian vessel in 1916. The vellum was presented by Com- DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN modore the Duke of Montrose, K.T., As soon as Sir William Hillary, of C.B., C.V.O., V.R.D., R.N.V.R., at a Douglas, had seen his appeal for a whist drive and dance held at Montrose national life-boat service answered by on the 3rd of October, 1951. the founding of the Institution in 1824, he set to work to organise a district life-boat association in the Isle of SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE Man. In 1824 a station was estab- The first life-boat was stationed at lished at Douglas. This was followed Scarborough in 1801, a year before the by a station at Castletown, which was neighbouring station at Redcar was closed in 1922. The Peel Station was established. The Scarborough station established in 1828 and the Ramsey was taken over by the Institution in station in 1829, so that within six 1861, and since then its life-boats years of the founding of the Institu- have rescued 409 lives. Twelve silver tion, at a time when there were only and three bronze medals have been 45 life-boats on the entire coasts of the awarded to Scarborough men for United Kingdom, there were four gallantry. There have been thirteen stations in the Isle of Man. About life-boats at Scarborough. the middle of the last century they The vellum was presented by the were allowed to fall into decay, but Marchioness of Carisbrooke, G.B.E., after the Institution had been re- after she had named the E.C.J.R. life- organised in 1851 there was a revival boat at the South Bay, Scarborough, of the Isle of Man stations. on the 15th of June, 1951. Since 1850 the Douglas life-boats have rescued 123 lives. Sir William ABERDEEN Hillary won the Institution's gold The first life-boat at Aberdeen was medal three times, and he was also built by Henry Greathead, builder of awarded the gold medal as the Insti- the Original, but of the work of this tution's founder. His son, Augustus life-boat the Institution has no records. William Hillary, won the silver medal In 1853 the Harbour Commissioners for gallantry. In addition, one gold stationed a life-boat at Aberdeen. medal and eleven silver medals have This was known as the "beach life- been awarded to Douglas men for boat." In 1875 they stationed a their services. There have been seven second life-boat which was known as life-boats stationed at Douglas. the "harbour life-boat." These two The vellum was presented on 15th life-boats remained in service until February, 1953, by H. E. the Lieuten- 1925. ant-Governor of the Isle of Man, Sir At the beginning of that year, at the Ambrose Dundas Flux Dundas, request of the Harbour Commissioners, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., and received by the the Institution took over the stations, chairman of the Douglas branch, Mr. the Commissioners agreeing to contri- A. J. London. The ceremony took bute £550 a year towards their main- place at the annual meeting of the tenance and handing over to the Insti- Douglas branch. SPRIXG, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 519 HOLY ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND Two gold medals, thirty-six silver The station was established in 1802, medals, and one bronze medal have its first life-boat being built by Great- been awarded for gallantry. In head. Since 1867 there have been two addition Ramsgate has received stations at Holy Island and they awards from the President of the have had altogether ten life-boats. United States and the thanks of the Two of these life-boats were named German Government. Grace Darling. The Institution has no record of REDGAR, YORKSHIRE the work of the first life-boat, which served until 1829, but since then the The station at Redcar is the second Holy Island life-boats have rescued oldest of the stations maintained by 336 lives. One gold, eight silver and the Institution. It was established in two bronze medals have been awarded 1802. The first Redcar life-boat was by the Institution to Holy Island men. the Zetland. She was built in 1800 The vellum was presented on 14th of by Greathead and she was not replaced August, 1952, by Mrs. R. Crossley, until 1867. She actually carried out vice-president of the Berwick Ladies' a service in 1880 when no other life- life-boat guild, and was received by boat was available, and her length the coxswain, Mr. Henry Walker. of service is therefore unique. There The ceremony took place near the have been seven life-boats stationed at boathouse and attracted a large crowd Redcar, and since 1850 they have of holiday-makers. In honour of the rescued 289 lives. A silver medal occasion the life-boat from Berwick was presented to a coxswain in 1857 paid a courtesy visit to Holy Island. for long service. The vellum was presented by Alder- man B. O. Davis on 2nd August, 1952, RAMSGATE, KENT and was accepted by the Mayor of The Ramsgate station was estab- Redcar, Councillor R. Cowie, J.P., lished in 1802, its first life-boat being who handed it over to Mr. W. Stott, built by Greathead. In 1863 the In- honorary secretary, who received it on stitution stationed a life-boat at Rams- behalf of the Redcar branch. The gate, and from then until 1922 the ceremony took place in a thunder- station was maintained jointly by the storm, and the City of Leeds was Institution and the Board of Trade, launched and visited Saltburn and the Institution supplying and maintain- Marske in support of their life-boat ing the life-boats, while the Board of davs. Trade bore the cost of maintaining the station and rewarding the crew, and placed a tug at the disposal of the WHITBY, YORKSHIRE life-boat for towing her out to vessels in distress. According to a Whitby historian, Dr. Young, Whitby possessed a life- In March, 1922, the Institution boat in 1798. Of this the Institution took over full financial responsibility has no record, but in 1802 Henry for the station. The Ministry of Greathead. builder of the Original. Transport, which at the same time built a life-boat for Whitby. The relieved the Board of Trade of its station was taken over by the Institu- duties in connection with the harbour, tion in 1861. A second station was continued to supply a tug until 1925, established there in the same year, when the Institution placed the present and a third station in 1919, which was life-boat Prudential at Ramsgate. equipped with a motor life-boat. In Altogether Ramsgate has had eight addition to these three stations, there life-boats. Three of them, which were was a station at Upgang, which was at the station from 1877 to 1905, were closed when the Whitby motor life- gifts from the City of Bradford. boat station was opened. These four Since 1865 the Ramsgate life-boats stations had altogether twenty-four have rescued 1,642 lives, the third life-boats. They have rescued 813 largest figure for the British Isles. lives. Six gold, thirteen silver and 520 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 nine bronze medals have been awarded Council, and received on behalf of to Whitby men for gallantry. Today the Literary and Philosophical Society there are two life-boats at Whitby. for safe keeping in the Museum by The vellum was presented on 30th Miss D. M. Walker, president of the of October, 1952, by Miss C. Yeoman, ladies' life-boat guild and one of the honorary secretary of the ladies' life- Museum's honorary curators. The boat guild, to Councillor J. C. Stoney, ceremony took place at the Pannett Chairman of Whitbv Urban District Art Gallery.

Three Station Secretaries THE Institution has recently lost three part in a dangerous launch of the life- very distinguished secretaries of life- boat in a very heavy sea with a whole boat stations, for whose long services gale blowing. In 1948 he was pre- it is very grateful. sented with an inscribed barometer, and on his retirement he was elected Mr. Alexander Robertson, of Eastbourne an honorary life-governor of the Insti- Mr. Alexander Robertson, of East- tution, the highest honour which it bourne, died on the 15th of November, can give to an honorary worker. Mr. 1952, at the age of 83. He was honor- Hart was an artist who gave his whole ary secretary of the station from life to the sea, and some of his paint- December 1923 to March 1949. Dur- ings have been reproduced in the ing those twenty-six years he devoted Institution's journal, and in its annual, himself with the greatest enthusiasm The Story of the Life-boat. Among to the work of the station and took a them was one of the White Star cargo deep personal interest in the welfare vessel the Bardic, aground off The of the crew. It was said of him that Lizard, from which the life-boat res- he was never happier than when he cued the crew of ninety-three in 1929. was out with them in the life-boat on exercise. In 1925 he was awarded Mr. W. J. B. Moncas, of Rosslare the Institution's gold badge, for dis- Harbour tinguished honorary services, and in Mr. W. J. B. Moncas, of Rosslare 1926 its inscribed binoculars. In 1949, Harbour, died on the 18th of October, on his retirement, he was elected an 1952. at the age of 65. He had been honorary life-governor, the highest secretary of the life-boat station for honour which can be given to an honor- twenty-four years, taking part regu- ary worker. His funeral was attended larly in the services of the life-boat. by the whole crew, and by past mem- Four times he received awards or bers of the crew, and his ashes were letters from the Institution for his part scattered at sea from the life-boat. in rescues. In 1926 he was awarded inscribed binoculars for putting out in a small boat, with several others, Mr. Claude Hart, of the Lizard in a rough sea, and rescuing the crew Mr. Claude M. Hart of The Lizard, of seven men of a fishing boat. In who died on the 6th of November, 1929 he won the bronze medal for 1952, at the age of 83, had served his share in a very dangerous service, for thirty-nine years as honorary the rescue by night in a whole gale secretary of the station when he of the crew of the schooner Mount- retired in 1948. During those thirty- blairy, as she lay surrounded by rocks. nine years the life-boats at The Lizard In 1939 he received a letter of thanks rescued 269 lives. Mr. Hart was for his share in a rescue on a night of appointed in 1909. In 1912 he re- January, in a very rough sea, when ceived a special letter of thanks, in he went out without waiting to dress. 1919 he was presented with inscribed in pyjamas and an overcoat. Just binoculars, in 1931 he received the a year later he received yet another gold badge, awarded only for distin- letter of thanks for another night guished honorary services, and in service in January when the life-boat 1933 a letter of appreciation for his was out for ten hours in a whole gale. SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 521

Awards to Coxswains and Life-boatmen To WILLIAM SWANKIE, B.E.M., on his To RICHARD H. CANN, on his retirement, retirement after serving for 17f years as after serving for 11 years as second coxswain coxswain and 8| years as second coxswain and 8| years as bowman of the Appledore of the Arbroath life-boat, a coxswain's life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of certificate of service and an annuity. service and an annuity. To LESLIE C. PENNYCORD, on his retire- To JAMES FINDLAY, on his retirement, ment, after serving for 16 years as coxswain after serving for 8 years as second coxswain and 4 years as second coxswain of the and 10 years as a member of the crew of the Selsey life-boat, a coxswain's certificate of Montrose life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate service and an annuity. of service and a gratuity. To STANLEY T. SMITH, on his retirement, To SAMUEL ASHBROOK, on his retirement, after serving for 8 years as coxswain and after serving for 5| years as second coxswain 11J years as second coxswain of theYarmouth, and 8 years as a member of the crew of the Isle of Wight, life-boat, a coxswain's certi- Pwellheli life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate ficate of service and an annuity. of service. To CECIL G. IRWIN, on his retirement, after serving for 7J years as coxswain and To NORMAN MORRISON, on his retirement, 13 years as second coxswain of the Ilfra- after serving for 1£ years as second coxswain, 3| years as bowman and 28 years as a member combe life-boat, a coxswain's certificate of of the crew of the Falmouth Jife-boat, a service. life-boatman's certificate of service and a To WILFRED ELDER, on his retirement, gratuity. after serving for 9 months as coxswain and 5 months as second coxswain of tne \\ hitby To JOHN CLAGUE, on his retirement, after No. 1 life-boat, and 6J years as coxswain, serving for 12J years as bowman and 24 9 years as second cox wain and If years as years as a member of the crew of the Douglas bowman of the Whitby No. 2 life-boat, a life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of coxswain's certificate of service. service and an annuity. To DOUGLAS S. KIRKALDIE, on his retire- To LAURENCE SIMPSON, on his retirement, ment, after serving for 6f years as coxswain, after serving for 11 j years as bowman and 4 years as second coxswain and 5 years as 1$ years as a member of the crew of the Ler- bowman of the Ramsgate life-boat, a cox- wick life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of swain's certificate of service and an annuity. service and an annuity. To DENIS DRISCOLL, on his retirement, To FREDERICK C. TATEM, on his retirement, after serving for 5J years as coxswain and after serving for 10J years as bowman of the 18J years as bowman of the Courtmacsherry Appledore life-boat, a life-boatman's certi- Harbour life-boat, a coxswain's certificate of ficate of service and an annuity. service and an annuity. To WILLIAM MILLER, on his retirement, To ROBERT W. RICHARDSON, on his retire- after serving for 6J years as bowman and 11 ment, after serving for over 5 years as cox- years as a member of the crew of the Wick swain of the Whitby No. 1 life-boat and being life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of associated with the Whitby life-boats for service and a gratuity. 25 years, a life-boatman's certificate of service and a gratuity. To GEORGE DALLY, on his retirement, after To WILLIAM MCCONNELL, on his retire- serving for 18J years as motor mechanic, 3 ment, after serving for 4J years as coxswain years as second coxswain and 9 months as and 2 years as second coxswain of the Port- bowman of the Coverack life-boat, a life- patrick life-boat, and 13 years as a member boatman's certificate of service and an of the crew of the Port Logan life-boat, a annuity. life-boatman's certificate of service. To JOHN JONES, on his retirement, after To DENIS WHELTON, on his retirement, serving for 14J years as motor mechanic of after serving for 24J years as second cox- the Holyhead life-boat, a life-boatman's swain of the Courtmacsherry Harbour life- certificate of service, a gratuity and a retire- boat, a life-boatman's certificate of service ment allowance. and an annuity. To ALEXANDER FYVIE, on his retirement, To HAROLD J. BRAUND, on his retirement, after serving for 4f years as assistant motor after serving for 16 years as second coxswain mechanic and 7 years as a member of the and 15 years as a member of the crew of the crew of the Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, life- Clovelly life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate boat, a life-boatman's certificate of service of service and an annuity. and a gratuity. THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953

General Sir Reginald Wingate BY the death of General Sir (Francis) member of ihs Committee in 1932, Reginald Wingate, Bt., G.C.B., was elected a vice-president in 1945, G.C.V.O., G.B.E., K.C.M.G., D.S.O., and up to the end of his very long on the 28th of January, 1952, at the life he continued his interest in the age of 91, the Committee of Manage- Institution's work. He was also for ment lost one of their most distin- very many years a vice-president of the guished members. He became a Dunbar and Skateraw station branch.

Gift from Tasmania THE Institution has received a gift on-Sea. The donor's aunt lived in of £100 from Tasmania for the benefit Southend for many years and was a of the life-boat station at Southend- contributor to the branch.

An Indian Applicant THE Institution has had a letter from student of Madras University, has a consulting engineer in Travancore- received his military training, is an Cochin, India, asking to be told how efficient swimmer, knows how to rescue he "can get selected as a life-boatman the drowning, can drive boats and in the Royal National Life-boat Insti- has had considerable experience in tution in England." He is, he says, a working a bulldozer.

A Mysterious Gift ON the balustrade in front of the also a collecting-box. When the box headquarters of the Institution stands was opened on the morning of the 18th a half model of a life-boat which is of April 84 farthings were found in it.

Notice All contributions for the Institution should be sent either to the honorary secretary of the local branch or guild, or to Colonel A. D. Burnett Drown, M.C., T.D., M.A., the Secretary, Royal National Life-boat Institution, 42 Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.I. All enquiries about the work of the Institution or about this journal should be addressed to the Secretary, The next number O/THE LIFE-BOAT will be published in August, 1953. SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 523 Coronation Supplement The Royal Family and the Life-boat Service*

WHEN the Life-boat Service was renovation, and the help which he founded, at a meeting in the City of had given it as "a liberal annual London, in 1824, King George IV subscriber." became its Patron, and five of the royal In the early days of the Life-boat dukes its vice-patrons—York, Clarence, Service not only our own Royal Family Sussex, Cambridge and Gloucester. but foreign royalties gave it their So the Service began at once to names and their help. Besides the justify the belief of its founder, Sir five royal dukes, who were the original William Hillary, that it was "a cause vice-patrons, there was a sixth, Prince which extends from the palace to the Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, Queen Vic- cottage . . . and which addresses itself toria's uncle. As King Leopold of the with equal force to all the best feelings Belgians he continued to be a vice- of every class in the state." patron. Among the foreign sub- When the Duke of Clarence suc- scribers to the Institution were the ceeded George IV, in 1830, as William Emperor of Austria and the Emperor IV, he, in turn, became the Institu- of the French. Among those who tion's Patron, but the head of George made gifts to it were the King of IV remained on its medals for gallantry Prussia and the Queen of Rumania. through the seven years of his reign Queen Victoria herself gave two and through the first twenty-five years boats. The estate of Samuel Fletcher of Queen Victoria's. It was not until of Manchester, who had died without 1862 that it was replaced by the head making a will, came to the Queen in of the Queen. right of the Duchy of Lancaster. Part of it was given to the Institution to Queen Victoria and the Prince build a life-boat, the Samuel Fletcher Consort of Manchester. She was stationed at In the first report of the Institution Blackpool. A second Samuel Fletcher are the names only of men. Even replaced her in 1896, and between among the subscribers are not more them the two boats served at Black- than a dozen names of women. Men pool for forty-four years. founded the Institution. They set it Two years after the gift of the on its way. Not until it was thirteen Samuel Fletcher, in the year of the years old does a woman's name appear, Queen's Golden Jubilee, the Institu- when, on her accession to the throne tion, with the Queen's consent, decided in 1837, Queen Victoria became Patron. to build, and to maintain in perpetuity, The next year another famous a life-boat named after her. The first woman's name appears, the first Queen Victoria was stationed at Bern- woman to win the Institution's medal bridge, and named by the Queen's for gallantry—Grace Darling. daughter-in-law, the Duchess of Edin- The Queen was married in 1840. burgh. The second was at Porthou- Ten years later her husband, the stock. The. third is stationed today Prince Conscrt, became a Vice-Patron. at Guernsey. The three boats That was in 1850, the year in which he between them have rescued 227 lives. was preparing the Great Exhibition of When the Queen died in 1901, she 1851. It was, too, the year before had been the Patron of the Service for Rear-Admiral the Duke of Northum- the sixty-three years of her reign. berland became President of the She had been "one of its largest annual Institution, and—in the word used at subscribers," and to the end of her the time—the Life-boat Service was reign the Institution's medals for "renovated". When the Prince Con- * This account of all that the Royal Family has done sort died, in 1861, the Institution for the Life-boat Service appears also in the Coronation Number of the Story of the Life-boat with 32 pages of acknowledged its debt in that work of pictures. 524 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 gallantry had born the head of the to their lives, to save their fellow crea- Queen, which had first been struck for tures from the frightful death of them in 1862. drowning. This is, to my mind, one of the noblest and finest services to King Edward VII and Queen which a human being can belong." Alexandra He rpoke a^ain, in 1899, at a dinner It was King Edward VII, as the on bel.alf of the London Life-boat young Prince of Wales, who began the Saturday Fund, of which his son, the more intimate and active association of Duke of York (later George V) was the Royal Family with the Life-boat president. At that dinner he made Service, which has continued through four speeches, in proposing the health three generations to the reign of Eliza- of the Queen, in replying to the toast beth II. In 1863, at the age of twenty- of other membsrs of the Royal Family, two, he became vice-patron in succes- in proposing the toast of the Army and sion to his father. The original vice- Navy, and then, in a long speech, in patrons—the royal dukes and the proposing the toast of the London King of the Belgians—were now dead. Life-boat Saturday Fund. The Queen was Patron, the Prince of The Princess of Wales became a vice- Wales the only vice-patron. So it was patron in 1883. In 1913 she became a for the next twenty years. Patron. She remained a Patron until Seven years before he became vice- her death in 1925. She had then been patron, one of the Padstow life-boats associated with the Service for forty- had been named after him, Albert two years. For an even longer time Edward. Then, in 1864, the Berwick- — for fifty-two years — life-boats on-Tweed life-boat was named Albert named Alexandra were on the coast. Victor after his first child, the Duke There were three of them, built out of of Clarence, born in that year. For the same gift from the Freemasons of seventy-three years there was an England, which had built the three Albert Edward in the fleet, and five Albert Edwards at Clacton-on-Sea. life-boats bore the name. The first They were stationed at Hope Cove, two were at Padstow from 1856 to Devon, from 1878 to 1930 and they 1883, the second being a gift from the rescued sixty-four lives. City of Bristol. Then, while the Both the Prince and the Princess second was still in service, another showed their interest in the Service in Albert Edward, a gift from the Free- very personal ways. They received masons of England, in gratitude for at Marlborough House Robert Egerton the Prince's safe return from his Indian of Clacton-on-Sea, coxswain of the tour, was stationed at Clacton-on-Sea life-boat Albert Edward, and Rowland in 1878. She was succeeded there by Hughes, coxswain at Moelfre, Anglesey, two more, and the third was not with- who was retiring that year, 1884, at drawn from service until 1929. In the age of eighty-two. The Princess those seventy-three years the five Albert presented to them medals awarded by Edwards rescued exactly 700 lives. the Institution. In 1892, when the Edward VII, as Prince of Wales, was first steam life-boat, the Duke of the first member of the Royal Family Northumberland, was at Cowes, on her to preside at the Institution's annual way from Harwich to Holyhead, the meeting. This was in 1867. He pre- Prince of Wales went for a trip in her. sided again in 1884 and yet again in Next day the German Emperor, 1893. At that last meeting, in reply Wilhelm II, also went a trip in her. to a vote of thanks to him, he said : In 1899 the Prince became the first "Be assured I always have taken, royal President of the Service, and two and always shall take, the very live- years later, on the death of Queen liest interest in the success of this great Victoria, he succeeded her as Patron. and most important Institution. I do As King and Patron, Edward VII not consider that in this world there continued his personal interest in the can be a finer service than this one in Service, and a year after his succession which men are called upon at all hours he received at Sandringham James of the day and night to give their Haylett, of Caister. The new Prince services, frequently at imminent risk of Wales (George V), who had just SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 525 become the Institution's President, awarded to the eleven members of his and the new Princess of Wales (Queen crew, for the most famous life-boat Mary) were also present. It was two service of the nineteenth century, the months after the disaster at Caister, service to the barque Indian Chief. when the life-boat, bv night, was In the same year the Duke and driven ashore and capsized in the surf, Duchess of Edinburgh became the only pinning her crew beneath her. Eight two members of the Royal Family to of them were drowned. Three were be rescued by a life-boat. They had rescued by James Haylett, then aged gone in H.M.S. Lively to Sidmouth seventy-eight, and one of his grand- and put off from her in a pinnace. sons, who went into the surf at the There was an increasing swell; the risk of their lives. The Institution pinnace nearly capsized; and the life- awarded James Haylett its gold medal boat, which was waiting to be in- for gallantry, and the King presented spected, went out and brought them it. To the King's delight James ashore. Haylett "earnestly expressed the hope Their interest in the Life-boat that His Majesty would live to be a Service had already been recognised hundred years old and then die and when they were married. The Duch- go to heaven." ess was the only daughter of the Three months later came King Emperor of Russia. She was Patron- Edward's last recorded meeting with ess of the Russian Association for the the Life-boat Service. He was visit- Rescue of Shipwrecked Crews, and ing the Isles of Scilly, and went out the wedding gift of the British residents in a steam launch with Colonel T. A. in St. Petersburg was two life-boats Dorrien Smith, the president of the built in England, and named Alfred Institution's Scillies branch, and father and Marie, to be stationed on the coast of Major A. A. Dorrien Smith, D.S.O., of Russia. who is now the president. Colonel The Duke became a vice-patron of Dorrien Smith told him of a recent the Institution in 1883, and as Duke good service by the life-boat. Just of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha spoke at a afterwards a boat passed them and he meeting in the City of London in 1894, pointed it out as the boat of the cox- which led to the founding of the City swain, Eustace Thomas, with the of London Branch of the Institution. man himself on board. They could not stop and speak, but all that the Other Children of Queen Victoria King could do he did. He raised his cap and bowed to the coxswain. The Princess Louise, Duchess of When King Edward died in 1910 he Argyll, was first associated with the had been associated with the Service Service when she attended the naming for forty-seven of his sixty-eight years. ceremony of the Atherfield, Isle of Wight, life-boat in 1891. Four years later she was in Manchester receiving Admiral of the Fleet the purses from the Manchester and Sal- Duke of Edinburgh ford ladies of the Life-boat Saturday Queen Victoria's second son, Prince Fund. In 1923 she became Patron of Albert, the Duke of Edinburgh, who the newly-formed Ladies' Life-boat went into the Navy and became an Guild, and speaking that year at a admiral of the fleet before succeeding conference of life-boat workers she to the dukedom of Saxe-Coburg and said: " It is a great pleasure and dis- Gotha, also took a personal interest tinction to be the Patron of the Ladies' in the Service. Life-boat Guild. ... No Institution As a captain in the Navy, he pre- can go nearer to the hearts of our sided at the Institution's annual meet- women with more penetrating interest, ing of 1872, and from 1879 until 1882, love and sympathy." In the same as Admiral Superintendent of Naval year, and the next year, she visited Reserves, he was an ex-officio member flag day depots in Kensington, and of the committee of management. In in the year after was at the meeting 1881 he presented at Ramsgate the in London of the general council of gold medal awarded to Coxswain the guild where, with the Prince of Charles Fish, and the silver medals Wales, she personally welcomed the 526 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 150 members. She was at the matinee swain of the Scarborough life-boat, at the Victoria Palace, London, with and gave him two silver-mounted briar Queen Mary, in 1922, to see the pipes with the royal monogram on Citroen film of the crossing of the them. In 1908 he received at Marl- Sahara Desert; at the life-boat variety borough House Coxswain John Owen matinee at the Hippodrome, London, of Holyhead, and presented to him in 1930, with the King, Queen and the Institution's gold medal for Prince of Wales, and at the annual gallantry. meeting of the Institution the follow- Queen Mary, as Duchess of Cornwall ing year. She remained the Patron of and York, became president of the the Guild until her death in 1939. Ladies' Auxiliary of the Life-boat Field-Marshal the Duke of Con- Saturday Fund in 1895. In 1902, as naught spoke at the annual meeting Princess of Wales, she became a vice of the Institution in 1917, and made patron of the Institution, and in 1903 personal appeals for the Service to all she received purses for the Life-boat the corps, including the Grenadier Service at Marlborough House from Guards, of which he was colonel-in- 125 ladies from all parts of the country. chief. The Prince and Princess both The Princess Beatrice, Queen Vic- attended a life-boat matinee at the toria's youngest child, who had first Alhambra in 1902, and in 1909, when been associated with the Service when visiting the Duchy of Cornwall, saw a she opened a life-boat fete in York in launch of the Newquay life-boat and 1905, became Patron of the Isle of went aboard her. Wight branch in 1920, and remained As King and Queen they continued Patron until her death in 1944. to show their interest in the Service. The Princess Marie Louise, daughter The King became its Patron on his of Queen Victoria's daughter Princess accession to the throne, and the Queen Helena and of Prince Christian of a year later. For the first time the Schleswig-Holstein, has for the past Institution had two Patrons. In 1913 five years taken part in the work the King went afloat at Cowcs in a of the Central London branch, as motor life-boat just about to sail for president of its bridge party committee, Beaumaris. During the war of 1914- and has spoken at the bridge parties 18 he sent two special messages to the and the annual conference of the life- Service, in 1915 and 1917, thanking its boat workers in Greater London. men for their gallantry and for carry- ing on "the splendid tradition of an George V and Queen Mary Institution with which the King is Like his uncle, the Duke of Edin- proud to have been for so many years burgh, George V was trained for and so closely identified." T served in the Navy. As Lieutenant W hen the Service ended its first 100 Prince George of Wales, R.N., he years in 1924, he received at Bucking- became a vice-patron of the Institu- ham Palace seven of the eight living tion in 1891, and three years later as holders of the gold medal and presented Captain the Duke of Cornwall and each of them with the Empire Gallan- York, R.N., he joined its committee try Medal, and he sent a message to of management and served as a the delegates at the first International member until 1901. In 1895 he Life-boat Conference, then being held became president of the Life-boat in London, in which he said: "I rejoice Saturday Fund, and the next year that the Prince of Wales succeeded presided at the annual meeting of the me in the position of President of a Institution. Speaking in the name of society of which I am proud to be the Navy and the merchant service, Patron." he said that the men of both had the The King and Queen showed their greatest admiration for the life-boat interest in other ways. In 1922 Queen crews. Mary attended a matinee in aid of the In 1902, as Prince of Wales, he Service at the Victoria Palace in became the Institution's President. London, to see the film of the Citroen In the same year, when visiting York- expedition of tracked motor vehicles, shire, he met John Owston, the cox- which had crossed the Sahara Desert, SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 527 and a programme of French artists; Life-boat Service it cannot be that and in 1930, the King and Queen, as he will appeal in vain." well as the Prince of Wales and That was the first of five annual Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, meetings at which he presided. The were at the life-boat variety matinee other four were in 1924 (the centenary at the Hippodrome in London. year), 1928, 1931 and 1934. He spoke For forty-six of his seventy-one in other places, at a meeting of the years, King George was personally general council of the Ladies' Life- associated with the work of the Service. boat Guild in London in 1925, where Queen Mary was associated with it the 150 members of the council were for fifty-seven of her eighty-five years, presented to him, and at a Scottish only six years fewer than Queen Life-boat Assembly in Edinburgh, in Victoria. 1929, where he met the most distin- guished of the Scottish coxswains. Edward VIII, as Prince of Wales At the annual meeting in 1928 he It was at the same station of New- said: "Since my recent appointment quay, in the Royal Duchy of Cornwall, to that high position as Master of the where King George and Queen Mary Merchant Navy and of the Fishing saw a launch of the life-boat (down Fleets, I am even prouder than before the steepest slipway on the coast) to be in the chair, because this title that their sons first met the Service. gives me yet another link with this Prince Edward and Prince Albert great Institution, and with its crews, (Edward VIII, now Duke of Windsor, which are the very pick of that splen- and George VI) first met it in 1911, did body of men, our fishermen." when they were cadets at the Royal Then he went on to appeal to the Naval College at Dartmouth, and shipping companies and suggested Prince Henry (the Duke of Gloucester) that "one or two" might give a life- and Prince George (the Duke of Kent) boat. "What prouder thing," he two years later. said, "could a great Shipping Line Eight years after his first sight of a have than its name on one of our life-boat in action—as soon as the war life-boats ?" WThen he spoke next year of 1914 to 1918 had ended—Prince at the Scottish Life-boat Assembly he Edward, who was now the Prince of was able to say how promptly that Wales, became the Institution's Presi- appeal had been answered, and to dent. He lost no time in showing his thank the Peninsular and Oriental interest in the Life-boat Service, and Group of Companies for the life-boat that interest continued, and grew, Princess Mary, which last year came during the next seventeen years. to the end of her service at Padstow, In 1921 he presided for the first time the Oceanic Steam Navigation Com- at the annual meeting. There he met pany for the life-boat White Star, now the whole of the crew from Fishguard, serving at Fishguard, the Cunard in South Wales, and presented the Company for the life-boat Cunard, gold medal won by Coxswain John now serving in the Scillies, the Cana- Howells, and silver and bronze medals dian Pacific Company for the life-boat won by the other members of the crew, Canadian Pacific, now serving at for the rescue, in extreme danger, of Selsey, and the Royal Mail and the the crew of the Dutch motor schooner Union Castle Companies for the life- Hermina. There, too, he announced boat Lady Kylsant, now serving at that a Ladies' Life-boat Guild had been Wicklow. In the same speech at formed to unite all women working Edinburgh, the Prince appealed to the for the Life-boat Service. The appeal fishing companies "whose ships are which he then made for the Service more frequently assisted by the life- was taken up at once by the Press. boats than any other, and whose The Times said: "To the public, to crews are made up of the same fine the Army, to the great cities, to the stamp of men as the life-boat crews." shipping community and to the women In 1924, the centenary year of the of the nation the Prince made a special Institution, the Prince was particu- appeal for willing help. In the name larly active. The year before it, the of 'the glory and tragedy' of the last year of the first century of the 528 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 Service, he allowed all life-boat flag In 1928 the Prince of Wales again days to be called Prince of Wales Day, toured the depots on London life-boat and he made a tour of the depots when flag day, and in 1935, the year of the day was held in London. He spoke George V's silver jubilee as King, he at the meeting held in the Mansion again allowed the life-boat days House on the Institution's 100th throughout the country to be called birthday, March 4th, 1924, with the Prince of Wales Day. Lord Mayor presiding. He presided He contributed an introduction to a and spoke at the centenary dinner, second life-boat book in 1932, Launch, where the other speakers were the by Major-General Lord Mottistone, Prime Minister (Mr. Ramsay Mac- coxswain of the life-boat at Brooke, donald), Mr. Winston Churchill, the Isle of Wight. There he said: "I Spanish Ambassador, the Minister for recommend this book to all. I recom- the Netherlands and Major H. E. mend it specially to those who are Burton, one of the Institution's gold inclined to lose confidence in our medallists. He issued a special future. It will put courage into centenary appeal to the country in them." which he said: In 1928 a second Citroen film, The "There is not a country with a sea- Black Journey, was shown in London. board whose vessels and seafarers have This time it was of a journey the not, at some time during the past length of Africa from Algiers to the century, been rescued from shipwreck Cape. It was the Prince of Wales who by the British Life-boat Service. . . . suggested that, like the first, it should There is nothing in our long and be shown for the Life-boat Service. splendid history as a seafaring race He came to it himself, brought the of which we are more proud." Duke and Duchess of York, and Prince He contributed also an introduction Arthur of Connaught, and went on to Britain's Life-boats, The Story of a the stage with M. Citroen to speak. Century of Heroic Service, by Major Six years later a third Citroen film, A. J. Dawson: An Eastern Odyssey, showed the cars travelling 7,000 miles across Asia. "It is the story of a great national Again it was given in aid of the Life- duty, voluntarily undertaken by the boat Service and again the Prince of British people themselves, and carried Wales was present. out by them without financial assis- In 1929 the Prince had attended the tance from the State. The first mari- life-boat matinee in Bradford which, time nation in the world has made it for many years, was given annually a point of honour that the Service by Mr. Francis Laidler. In 1930 he which embodies the Brotherhood of was the host for the Service to King the Sea should be a Service supplied George and Queen Mary when they and maintained by the people itself." attended the life-boat matinee at the When the centenary year ended he Hippodrome. Two years later he went sent an autographed letter of thanks to to a life-boat ball at Liverpool. the honorary workers, officers and He named life-boats at Yarmouth, staff of the Service. Isle of Wight, Dover and Torbay. He Not only the Prince of Wales but visited the station at Eastbourne and other members of the Royal Family met the crew. He visited the station took part in those celebrations. The at Hastings where he went aboard the King, as already mentioned, decorated life-boat, and the fishermen made him the Institution's gold medallists, and a member of their Winkle Club and sent a message to the International presented him with a gold winkle. Life-boat Conference. The Duke and Two life-boats were named after him, Duchess of York made a tour of the the Prince David, stationed at Barry depots on life-boat flag day in Dock in 1922, and the Edward Prince London, and the Princess Louise, of Wales, stationed at The Mumbles in Duchess of Argyll, of the depots in 1924. Kensington. The Duke of Gloucester He was always ready to meet men opened the Life-boat Centenary Fair and women of the Service. After the in Birmingham. annual meeting in 1928 he went from SPRIXG, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 529 the hall to the Westminster Hospital The Princess Royal and the Duke next door to talk to a crippled woman, of Gloucester who, though bedridden, had for years The Princess Royal (Mary, Countess worked for the Service and won its of Harewood), has, like her grand- gold badge. After the annual meeting father, Edward VII. and her brother, in 1934 he met and talked to Mrs. Edward VIII, had two life-boats Robert Patton of Runswick. She had named after her, the Princess Mary, just received from him the gold medal gift of the Peninsular and Oriental awarded to her husband who had Shipping Companies stationed at Pad- deliberately risked, and lost, his life, stow in 1929, and the Princess Royal, in rescuing a cripple as he hung help- gift of the Civil Service Life-boat less from a wreck. Fund, stationed at Hartlepool in 1939. The Prince's last life-boat speech She herself has named four-life-boats, was at the annual meeting in 1934, the two on the Yorkshire coast, at Scar- year before he came to the throne. borough and Bridlington, in 1931; At the end of that speech he said: then her own life-boat, the Princess ''As I pin the decorations on the coats Royal, at Hartlepool on the coast of of these life-boatmen . . . we want them Durham in 1941; and a third York- to know what we think of them, which shire life-boat at Redcar in 1951, the is that their service and self-sacrifice City of Leeds. This boat had been . . . are an example of all that is built out of a special fund raised in noblest and best in the British race." Leeds, of which the Earl of Harewood was the patron. The Duke of Gloucester opened the George VI and Queen Elizabeth life-boat centenary fancy fair in Bir- In 1924. the centenary year of the mingham in 1925. The next year, Institution. George VI and Queen following the example of the Prince Elizabeth, as Duke and Duchess of of Wales in 1923, and the Duke and York, toured the depots on life-boat Duchess of York in 1924, he took part day in London. Two years later the in the life-boat flag day in London, Duke and Duchess went to Montrose and in 1930 he named the Padstow where the Duchess, in her own county life-boat Princess Manj. He said: of Angus, named the life-boat. In "It is a happy coincidence that this 1928 they went with the Prince of month my family are nearly all closely Wales to the film. The Black Journey, linked with the Life-boat Service. The and in the same year—the year of other day my eldest brother named the George Y's serious illness—the Duke Dover life-boat after Sir William took the place of the King and Queen Hillary, the founder of the Institution. at a life-boat matinee of drama, opera Today I am naming the Padstow boat and ballet at the Lyceum, where the after my sister. On Friday next my first performance was given, with a youngest brother is naming his fourth very distinguished cast, of Louis X. and fifth life-boats at Walton-on-the- Parker's life-boat play which he wrote Naze and Clacton-on-Sea." for, and gave to the Institution, Their Business in Great Waters. In 1931 the Duchess again made a tour of The Duke of Kent depots on the life-boat flag day in The Duke of Kent became the Insti- London, and the next year she named tution's fifth royal President when the new life-boat at another statioii George VI ascended the throne. That in the county of Angus, Arbroath. was in 1937. He had already taken When Edward VIII succeeded to the an active part in the work of the throne in 1936 the Duke became the Service for the past nine years. In Institution's President, and when, in 1928, as Prince George, he went to the the same year, he succeeded to the Orkneys, "the first member of my throne himself, he and the Queen family," as he said, "for many years became Patrons. In 1934 the life- who has performed a public function boat at the Lizard, the gift of King in these remote islands." There he George's Fund for Sailors, was named named the new life-boats at Stromness after him, Duke of York. and Longhope, and presented the 530 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 Scottish challenge shield in the life- all parts of our coast, from England, boat essay competition for elementary Scotland, Ireland and Wales. They schools which, that year, had been are all men who have been given won by an Orkney school: and there special awards for outstanding services. he made the first of his many life- There will be several among them boat speeches. who have been here before, and I "As you know, all the other mem- should specially like to welcome Cox- bers of my family, following the swain William Mogridge of Torbay. example of His Majesty the King, Twice already I have presented medals have associated themselves personally to him, and he is here today to receive with the great national undertaking yet a third award for gallantry." which is carried out by the Royal At the end of his speech he said National Life-boat Institution, and I good-bye: "For four years I have am delighted to take this, my first presided at these meetings. In a opportunity, of sharing in a life-boat few months I shall be going to other ceremony." duties overseas ... I shall take with me to Australia very happy memories Those were the first two of a suc- of these meetings, and of the gallant cession of naming ceremonies in which men that I have met in this hall. I he took part on many parts of the shall look forward to presiding here coast, at Southend-on-Sea, in 1929, again when I return. Meanwhile, you Walton-on-the-Naze and Clacton-on- may all be sure that while I am away my Sea in 1930, Newhaven in 1931, Aide- warm interest and best wishes will al- burgh in 1932, Shoreham Harbour in ways be with the Life-boat Service in its 1933, Weston-super-Mare in 1935 and work round the shores of this country." Blackpool in 1937. Those were his last publicly spoken At the annual meeting in 1936 he words to the Service, spoken to an had spoken and presented the awards audience of over 2,500 people. That in place of the Prince of Wales, who was at the end of April. Four months had just become King. As President later, war was declared and his he presided at the meetings in 1937, journey to Australia was cancelled. 1938 and 1939. At those four meet- There was work for him at home. ings he presented medals for gallantry He could not attend the annual to eighty-four life-boatmen and then, meetings in uie next three years, but when the meetings were over, met and he sent messages to each of them, and talked with them, and was photo- he found time in other ways still to graphed with them. Not even his help the Service. In November, 1941, elder brother, in his busy seventeen he was in Northern Ireland and pre- years as President, had met so many sented a bronze medal and a bar won of the men, or visited so many life-boat by Coxswain Patrick Murphy, of New- stations. castle, Co. Down. Coxswain Murphv The 1939 meeting was the Duke's had won them both in twelve days. last. He had just been appointed Within a year of winning the bar he Governor General of Australia. It had won the gold medal for an act of was a meeting, as he said in the first the greatest daring. sentence of his speech, held "under Then, in July, 1942, the Duke pre- the shadow of two disasters" at St. sented the bronze medal won by the Ives, in Cornwall, and at Cullercoats, coxswain of the Plymouth life-boat for in Northumberland, where the boats rescuing an Australian flying boat as had capsized with heavy loss of life. it was being carried on to the rocks. The year before had been a year of This was his last public act for the special gallantry. As the Duke said, life-boats. Six weeks later he was "It is hard for us sitting in this hall killed on active service when his aero- to realise how much lies behind that plarie crashed by night in the Scottish simple statement '673 lives rescued.' mountains on its way to Iceland. But presently we shall see some of the life-boatmen themselves. There are over forty with us this afternoon, the The Duchess of Kent largest number that has ever come to Just three months after the Duke's this meeting. They have come from death, the Duchess of Kent accepted SPRING, 1953] THE LIFE-BOAT 531 the Institution's invitation to succeed the war, and your record is unsur- him as President. She wanted, as passed in the 121 years since the soon as it could be arranged, to meet Institution was founded. Men of all as many as possible of the men and ages formed the boats' crews, and no women of the Service. It could not praise can be too high for those who, be done at a public meeting. No although they had reached the retiring public meeting could be called to meet age when war broke out, stayed on her, since in the war the engagements through the last six years and together of the Royal Family were kept secret. with the younger men showed not only Instead a private tea party was held great courage, but extraordinary in London at which she met the physical endurance. It is with real Committee of Management, the pride that I have just presented the Central London women's committee, Gold Medals to the seven men of the the committee of the City of London life-boat crews who, as you have heard, branch, honorary life-governors of the come from all parts of the British Isles, Institution and the principal officials. England, Scotland, Wales, Northern There she made her first life-boat Ireland and Eire. They will, I feel speech: "I look forward after the war sure, accept these medals as a tribute to meeting the crews of the boats from not only to themselves, but also to many parts of the country, and to their comrades who shared the dangers thanking them for their courageous with them. The Institution has deeds of mercy in these critical years." awarded 204 medals to life-boatmen As soon as the war ended that during the war and we honour each promise was fulfilled, but before it one of them and the other members of ended she attended a life-boat fete in the crews, and thank them for their Birmingham, and just after it ended wonderful, self-sacrificing work for she visited Cromer, where she met humanity." Coxswain Henry Blogg and his crew, and Sheringham where she met Two of the speakers who followed Coxswain James Dumble and his crew, the Duchess at this memorable meet- and saw the life-boat launched. ing had carried on their life-boat work In October of the same year she under German occupation. One was attended her first annual meeting. It Commander H. T. de Booy, secretary was the first full meeting to be held and chief inspector of the Royal Xorth since the Duke's last in 1939. For and South Holland Life-boat Society. though a public meeting was held in The other was Mr. L. P. Stevens, 1940, no life-boatmen could come honorary secretary of the Institution's from the coast to receive their medals, life-boat station at St. Helier, Jersey, and during the next four years the who was himself to win a medal for meetings were held solely to receive gallantry four years later. and pass the report and accounts. At this memorable first meeting the In 1946 the Duchess visited the Duchess presented the eight gold life-boat station at Weston-super- medals awarded during the war for Mare. In the same year she sent a conspicuous gallantry, to Robert Cross, message to the annual meeting. Next of the Humber, who had won it twice, year she was to have presented the Henry Blogg, of Cromer, William awards at the meeting, among them Bennison, of Hartlepool, John McLean, certificates to the widows of the men of Peterhead, William Gammon of The of The Mumbles who, in the April of Mumbles, Patrick Murphy, of New- that year had lost their lives when the castle, Co. Down (who had received his life-boat capsized in a hurricane. bronze medal and clasp from the Duke Illness prevented her, but her speech of Kent three years before) and John was read. " With a heavy and under- Boyle, of Arranmore. When she had standing heart, I pray that the families presented them she said: of these men may be comforted by the world-wide tributes to them . . . "The dangers which the very gallant We shall not forget them or their men of our Service cheerfully accept relatives." And next year, when she in peace time were increased a thou- was in Swansea for the Festival of sand times during the hardest years of Music, she met the widows. 532 THE LIFE-BOAT [SPRING, 1953 In that same year, 1948, the Duchess from Kimberley, and it came "with named her first life-boats at Bridling- her good wishes and those of the people ton and Tynemouth; in 1951 the life- of Kimberley." It was a gift most boats at New Brighton and Margate; appropriately chosen, for during the and in 1952 the life-boats at Plymouth war the people of Southern Africa had and Padstow. She paid other visits spontaneously raised £30,000 for the to life-boat stations. In 1947 she Life-boat Service to provide three saw the Portrush life-boat and her life-boats bearing Southern African crew in Northern Ireland. She went names. Next year the Princess sent to Ramsgate in 1948, where she met another cheque, this time from the present and past members of the crew, royal wedding presents exhibition among them Coxswain Howard Prim- fund. Two other gifts came from rose Knight, who had won the Distin- the money raised by the exhibition of guished Service Medal when he took the Princess's wedding dress. The the Ramsgate life-boat to Dunkirk in Lord Provost of Edinburgh gave the 1940 to help in bringing off the British whole of the proceeds of the Edin- Army. She went to Penlee in 1950; burgh exhibition, £5,511. The Lord to Walmer, Aberystwyth and Bar- Mayor of Cardiff gave £1,000 from the mouth in 1951. proceeds of the Cardiff exhibition. In 1949 and in 1951 she attended the In June, 1949, the Princess Eliza- annual life-boat dinner and dance beth visited the Channel Islands. organised by the Central London There the crew of the life-boat at St. women's committee, and in 1949 she Hclier, Jersey, were presented to her. visited the Institution's depot at Three months later they carried out Boreham Wood. There she saw all the most gallant rescue since the war the departments at work, from the ended in 1945. Coxswain Thomas rigging loft and machine shop to the King won the gold medal; all his crew despatch department and canteen, won bronze medals. and was presented with a bell rope On that visit to Jersey the Princess made in the rigging loft and a pair of Elizabeth was the first of the sixth brass candlesticks made in the roval generation since George IV machine shop. became Patron in 1824 to meet the In each year from 1948 Her Royal Life-boat Service. When she suc- Highness has attended the annual ceeded her father on the throne, she meeting, and in her six meetings she succeeded him also as the Institution's has met life-boatmen (some of them Patron. Last year, 1952, another of more than once) from twenty-seven the sixth generation, the Princess different stations in England, Scotland, Alexandra of Kent, came to the Insti- Wales, Northern Ireland, Eire, the tution's annual meeting and saw her Orkneys and the Channel Islands. It mother present the medals for gallan- is net surprising that at the meeting in try. The Duchess had chosen it to be 1948, she said: "Only those who are her first public meeting. In memory familiar with the cheerfulness, increas- of it the Institution presented her with ing vigilance and undauntable courage a silver life-boat. of the life-boat crews can measure the "It is a cause which extends from debt which we owe to every one of the palace to the cottage." them. I am indeed proud to be associated with a Service whose name What the cottages, and the little is rightly famous throughout the homes, of England, Scotland, Ireland world." Nor that she should have and W'ales have given, and are giving, said, a year later: "The bravery of the to the Life-boat Service is written in Service seems inexhaustible." each year's records of the life-boat crews themselves. It is written also in the annual accounts of the thou- Queen Elizabeth II, and the Sixth sands of pounds given in the street Generation and at the house door, in answer to When Queen Elizabeth II, as Prin- the Institution's appeals. cess Elizabeth, was married in 1947, This story is the brief record of what she gave the Institution £180. It was the royal palaces have given to the the balance of her wedding present Service through 129 years.