nal of the al National Lifeboat Institution ime 52 Number 518 Tie Lifeboainter 1991/92 Profile of the Tyne class lifeboat t Construction of the Atlantic 21 A message from the Director I Drinking Tea Saves Lives! BOAT] BOAT TEA TEA BAGS No, this is not a new medical discovery. But it is true, bcc.uise every time an 80-tea bag packet of Lifeboat Tea is sold, four pence is contributed to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. And evervtime a 125g packet of loose tea is sold, two pence is donated. As for the life-reviving effects of Lifeboat Tea on the drinker, that tact was never in question. Warnford Tea Unit Bl, Tmvnscnd Estate, 7 Portland Close, Moughton Regis, Beds. Tel: 0582 664440 Fax: 0582 664405 Available in larger Sainsbury's and RNLI shops, please telephone for direct delivery from our factory. The Winter 1991/92 Lifeboat RNLI News 146 'oyal National ^^^3X What's happening in and around the Institution A Message From the Director 149 Lifeboat The RNLI's Director Brian Miles looks back on a successful 1991 tistitution Ceremonies ISO Contents Naming and dedication ceremonies around the country Built To Order, Built To Last 153 /blume 52 The construction of the RNLI's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable dumber 518 Lifeboat Services 157 Notable launches around the coast hairman: ICHAEL VERNON Membership News 162 irector and Secretary: How the RNLI can make your subscription go further f CDR BRIAN MILES RD FNI RNR Your Letters 163 On all aspects of lifeboats and related subjects Bookshelf 164 litor: MIKE FLOYD Books of RNLI and maritime interest reviewed distant Editor: CLAIRE JUDD litorial Assistant: MARY GYOPARI The Fund Raisers 165 Ivertisement Manager: Some ways of raising money for the Institution \RBARA TROUSDELL assified Advertisements: Past and Present 169 ARION BARDSLEY From THE LIFEBOAT of May 1916, and one of today's lifeboatmen Looking at Lifeboats - the Tyne class 17O :adquarters: Continuing our series of lifeboat profiles >yal National Lifeboat Institution, est Quay Road, ole, People and Places 173 >rsetBH15 1HZ. Around and about the RNLI lephone Poole (0202) 671 133 lex 4 1328. Lifeboat Services 174 List of services for June and July 1991 Next Issue: The Spring issue of THE Subscription: A year's subscription for COVER PICTURE LIFEBOAT will appear in April 1992, and four issues costs £5.00, including postage, news items should be received by Monday, but those who are entitled to receive THE by Frank Austin 2 March 1992, but earlier if possible. LIFEBOAT free of charge will continue to Penlee's Arun class Mabel Alice at All material submitted for consideration do so. speed during an exercise off the with a view to publication should be ad- Overseas subscriptions depend on the cost Cornish coast. The Tater-Dhu dressed to The Editor, THE LIFEBOAT, Royal of postage to the country concerned. Write to National Lifeboat Institution, West Quay the RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset lighthouse is visible in the back- Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ. BH15 1HZ. ground. Photographs intended for return should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed enve- Printed by the Friary Press, Bridport Road, lope. Dorchester, Dorset 145 NEWS NEWS Foreign visitors Twelve crew members of the Ice- Part of the training was to cap- Public service! heard his local had ordered new landic Lifeboat Service and two size the lifeboat and crew, who Former coxswain of the old pub signs - until he discovered he crew members of the MoD Range carried out the necessary drills, Walmer lifeboats Bruce Brown was the subject! Safety boat at Benbecula took leaving the underside of the life- thought nothing of it when he The new sign outside 'The Life- part in an intensive four-day boat before righting her by means boat' Pub on The Strand, training course - to provide of an air bag on the stern. Walmer depicts Bruce on one training and experience in a va- The crew also took part in a side and Walmer's relief At- riety of drills and procedures on night exercise, winching practices lantic 21 lifeboat on the the Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboat - with an SAR helicopter and other. at the Inshore Lifeboat Centre, emergency beaching and The signs were painted by Cowes from 22-25 October. relaunching procedures. local artist Wally Hardman, Crew members of Atlantic 21 s The Icelandic Lifeboat Service, who also happens to be are trained at Cowes and crew a voluntary service supported by Bruce's brother-in-law. The from foreign lifeboat societies state funds, was founded on the first Bruce knew of the hon- operating the same or similar craft lines of the RNLI in 1928 and our was when pub licensees often receive specialist training operates 24 rigid inflatable boats Frank and Margaret Renihan, at the centre. and 82 other inflatables. who secretly commissioned the paintings, asked him to unveil the new signs! Cromer's pride Royal Naval Air Station, Great Photo Basil M. Kidd, 18 August saw the handover of Yarmouth, during World War I. East Kent Mercury Cramer's famous wartime life- In May, she returned to Cramer ftoafHFBailey byPeterCadbury promenade for restoration, a task to the town's lifeboat museum. willingly undertaken by former Missing medal! luncheon at the Hilton Hotel in Once commanded by legendary- lifeboat mechanic Dontiv Abbs, A slip of the pen in the last cen- London, organised by the Royal coxswain Henry Blogg, HF Bai- his wife Jenny, former crewman tury has condemned a medal Association for Disability and ley served at Cramer from 1935- Lewis 'Tuner'Harrison and uni- service to decades of 'unfeted Rehabilitation, chaired by the Rt 1945, saving 518 lives. versity student Rob Webster. exile' from RNLI record books. Hon Norman Tebbit MP on 6 She left the RNLI fleet in 1974 The dav was memorable for an- The forgotten rescue took place November 1991. and was on display in a Surrey other reason, too, as Cramer on 8 February 1856 when the Sponsored by Leeds Building theme park until 1989 when she RNLI welcomed several survivors French lugger Bon Levie capsized Society, the Men of the Year was sold to a London survevor. rescued by HF Bailey during the near Porthcawl, Glamorgan, luncheon has been organised by In April 1991, Peter Cadhury, war from SS Meriones, SS Eng- throwing her four-man crew into RADAR for over 30 years. grandson of the founder of the lish Trader and Convoy 559. the sea in very bad weather. chocolate empire, bought the boat It was an emotional moment as With six other men, Captain And briefly... at auction/or Cramer as a memo- the visitors met up with the three Charles Taw, master of the • 'We will be there' by Dene schooner Devonport, waded into Michael, advertised in the autumn rial to his late father Major Egbert surviving crew members from 50 issue of THE LIKEBOAT, is available the sea and saved two of the Cadbury, who commanded the years ago. from Mr David Schofield, Holme Frenchmen. Valley Fire Protection Engineers at For his actions Captain Taw was Unit 4, Thongsbridge Mills, Miry awarded the RNLI's Silver Medal, Lane, Thongsbridge. Huddersfield, tel but for some unknown reason the 0484 686900. award was not recorded. 0 The advertisement in the autumn Now that the 'missing medal' issue for the Grace Darling Mug by has been rediscovered by the Peter Jones China appears to have Rescue Records section at RNLI caused some distress to readers who purchased the limited edition mug Headquarters steps are being after a previous advertisement. taken to rectify the mistake... The company stresses the mug has not been re-issued and the latest Man of the Year advertisement refers to unsold mugs Recipient of the 1990 Maud Smith from the original limited series of award, James Dougal, assistant 2,500, first advertised in the spring second coxswain and assistant 1990 issue of THE LIFEBOAT. mechanic of Eyemouth lifeboat, The RNLI has recently been has been named one of the 'Men looking at commercial concerns of the Year' after the rescue of with which it could profitably co- two skin divers during a hurri- operate. These include Frizzell Mother-and-daughter lifeboat crew members Anna Hubbard (right) and Sian cane in October last year, a serv- Financial Services, an RNLI sup- Hubbard (left) of Borth station, Dyfed out on exercise in the station's D class ice reported in the summer issue porter for some time. Full details inflatable. Having enrolled in October 1978, Anna is now the longest serving of THE LIFEBOAT. of a new scheme whereby the female lifeboat crew member, while Sian joined the RNLI in April 1991. Mr Dougal, who was also RNLI will receive commission The Institution can also boast another mother-and-daughterteam within its ranks awarded the RNLI's Silver Medal on a range of Frizzell services - Melanie and Emma Hunt are both members of the Marazion crew. will appear in the spring issue. for his courage, attended a special 146 NEWS NEWS Sheringham's new boat 1992 AGM D class training A new 30-knot Atlantic 21 life- The Institution's 1992 annual Following the success of two pi- engine and gain experience in boat is to be stationed at general meeting of governors and lot courses, the Institution plans boathandling, seamanship and Sheringham, replacing the 8-knot the annual presentation of awards to introduce a training course for navigation, taking partin capsize Oakley class lifeboat as part of the will take place on Tuesday 19 crew members operating the 16ft trials and a helicopter exercise.