THE LIFE-BOAT The Journal of the Royal National Life-boat Institution VOL. XXXIII MARCH, 1954 No. 367 THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET 155 Motor Life-boats 1 Harbour Pulling Life-boat LIVES RESCUED from the foundation of the Life-boat Service in 1824 to December 31st, 1953 78,497 Notes of the Quarter THE terrible disaster at Arbroath, lives. The figure of lives rescued is following on the disaster of a similar five more than the figure for 1952, nature earlier in the year at Fraser- although there were 59 fewer launches. burgh, has made the record of the A striking fact about the launches last Life-boat Service in 1953 a tragic as year was that the three busiest months well as a magnificent one. In all, 14 for life-boats were August, July and life-boatmen lost their lives in the ser- September. There were 81 launches vice of their fellow-men. All 14 were in August, 70 in July and 62 in Sep- members of Scottish life-boat crews. tember, whereas in November, the Tragic though these disasters are, it least busy month in 1953, there were should be remembered that what hap- only 33 launches. These facts confirm pened in 1953 was altogether excep- the trend which has been apparent in tional. In the whole of 1952 only one the last quarter of a century; 25 years life-boatman lost his life on service, ago, for instance, there were only 92 and it is not since 1947, when the launches in the whole of the six summer Mumbles life-boat capsized, with the months from April to September loss of her crew of eight, that a dis- inclusive. aster comparable to those of 1953 Of the total number of launches 18.6 occurred. per cent were to yachts—a category In the last 25 years there have been which includes sailing yachts, sailing altogether nine capsizes of life-boats, dinghies, sailing boats, motor cruisers resulting in the loss of the lives of and motor yachts; 19.5 per cent of 36 life-boatmen. During these 25 the launches were to fishing boats of years life-boats have been out to the all types, and 23.6 per cent to steamers, rescue 13,000 times. That is to say barges and other motor vessels. The there has been one capsize for approxi- fourth in order of the nine categories mately 1,450 times life-boats have into which the services of the life-boats gone to the rescue, and in capsizes 36 are now divided was that of aircraft. life-boatmen have been lost out of over 13.2 per cent of the launches being as a 100,000 life-boatmen who were at sea result of reports of crashed aircraft. in the course of those rescues. Small boats, canoes and rubber dinghies provided the surprisingly high THE YEAR'S RESULTS figure of 7 per cent. Life-boats were launched on service Sixty-four of the launches were to in 1953 598 times. They rescued 351 foreign vessels, and from these 41 lives A 630 THE LIFE-BOAT [MARCH, 1954 were rescued. Vessels from 16 foreign man William Thomas and Motor Mech- nationalities in all were helped. anic William Rogers, who each won bronze medals. All three are members ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Tenby life-boat and won their The Annual General Meeting of the awards when they helped to rescue Institution will be held this year on seven men from the St. Gowan light- Tuesday, the 23rd of March, at the vessel on the 21st of September, 1953. Central Hall, Westminster. H.R.H. The principal speaker, who will the Princess Royal has kindly con- move the resolution of gratitude to sented to attend and will present the the life-boat crews and honorary medals awarded for gallantry since the workers, will be the Rt. Hon. Clement last meeting was held. Among those Davies, Q.C., M.P. who will be receiving these awards The resolution will be seconded by .will be Coxswain Thomas Richards, the Rt. Hon. Sir Norman Birkett, Q.C", who won the silver medal, and Bow- J.P. Disaster at Arbroath ON the night of the 26th of October, Chapel, answered by radio agreeing, 1953, the Arbroath life-boat Robert but suggesting that the life-boat should Lindsay and the Anstruther life-boat make for Anstruther harbour. James and Ruby Jackson were both The coxswain answered that he launched in answer to distress rockets would wait for daylight and then see which had been seen three miles east what the conditions at the bar of of Fifeness. Arbroath harbour were. At five There is now no doubt that the o'clock he sent a further message say- rockets were fired by the sand dredger ing that the life-boat could expect to Islandmagee, of Dundee, which was on reach the harbour in twenty minutes passage from the Firth of Tay to the and would try to enter. Firth of Forth. The Islandmagee sank with all hands. Rocket Pistol Apparatus Ready The Anstruther life-boat was launch- ed first. This was at 10.43 on the The Arbroath coastguard, acting on 26th. As it seemed likely that the standing orders, immediately went to prevailing weather conditions might the east pier with three men and the drive the ship which was in distress rocket pistol apparatus. northwards, it was later decided to The bar is a rock bar some 300 launch the Arbroath life-boat to help yards to the eastward of the harbour in the search. piers. The full on-shore gale blowing against the tide, which was then Two Life-boats Search ebbing, and the backwash off the piers The Arbroath life-boat was launched caused confused cross seas and cross at 12.50 early on the 27th. There tides near the bar. A number of was a full gale blowing from the south- people on the harbour pier watched south-east, a very rough sea and a the life-boat as she tried to enter the heavy swell. Both life-boats carried harbour. out a thorough and extensive search Suddenly at 5.47 her lights dis- of the whole area from which the appeared. What had happened was distress rockets were believed to have that a huge and very steep cross sea come, maintaining contact with one from the southward had struck the another by radio telephony. The boat abaft the beam on the port side, search was unsuccessful, and the and it instantly capsized her. Anstruther life-boat arrived back at Cries for help were heard and the 5.45 on the 27th. coastguard fired rocket lines at ran- At 4.20 the Arbroath life-boat sent dom. By an extraordinary chance a radio message suggesting that she one of them fell across the second should return to harbour. The honor- coxswain, Archibald Smith. He grab- ary secretary at Arbroath, Mr. David bed it and was hauled ashore. MARCH, 1954] THE LIFE-BOAT 631 Six Men Lost silence was observed, and the hymns The other six members of the crew 'O God our Help in Ages Past" and all lost their lives. They were: "Eternal Father Strong to Save" were David Bruce—Coxswain sung. Shops throughout Arbroath Harry Swankie—Mechanic closed that afternoon. Thomas Adams—Bowman Provost J. R. Moir immediately William Swankie, Jnr.—Assistant opened a life-boat disaster fund. Mechanic More than £35,000 has been given to Charles Cargill—Life-boatman the fund, including a contribution of David Cargill—Life-boatman £500 from the Institution. Coxswain Bruce, who was aged 48, President's Telegram had been coxswain since 1952 and first Many messages of sympathy and joined the crew in 1922, having been condolence were sent. H.R.H. the appointed second coxswain in 1935. Duchess of Kent, President of the The oldest member of the crew was Institution, telegraphed: Harry Swankie, who had been mech- "Have learnt with great distress of anic since 1932 and was aged 63. the terrible disaster that has occurred William Swankie, who was aged 30, to the life-boat and crew at Arbroath. was his nephew and had been appoint- I ask you to convey to relatives of ed assistant mechanic in 1953. Thomas those who lost their lives my deepest Adams, who was appointed bowman sympathy." also in 1953, was aged 33. Charles Other messages of sympathy came and David Cargill were brothers aged from many parts of the world. The 28 and 29. life-boat societies in Denmark, France, The news of the disaster reached Germany, the Netherlands and Nor- the Chief Inspector of Life-boats, way all sent messages of condolence. Commander T. G. Michelmore, at 6.20 In the House of Commons on the on the morning of the 27th of October. 28th of October Mr. Alan Lennox The District Inspector (General), Com- Boyd, Minister of Transport and Civil mander E. W. Middleton, was sent Aviation, stated: from London to carry out an inquiry, " The House will, I know, wish me to and Mr. H. C. Marfleet of the Opera- express its deep sympathy with the tions Department left at once with families of the brave men who have money to supply the immediate needs lost their lives." of the families. Mr. R. A. Oakley, Surveyor of Life-boats, happened to " No Blame or Default" be in Aberdeen at the time, and he, On the 8th of December, 1953, a the Northern District Inspector, public enquiry into the disaster was Lieutenant E. D. Stogdon, and the conducted by the Procurator Fiscal at District Engineer, Mr.