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- My thanks go to Barry Cox
and the RNLI, for allowing me to use these service
accounts from the book "Lifeboat Gallantry" and for
the above photo.
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- The following are service records for those RNLI
crewmembers that have been awarded one of the RNLI
medals while serving on a Waveney class lifeboat.
There have been twenty medals awarded for such
services six silver, fourteen bronze and no gold.
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- The list is first sorted by medal type and then in
alphabetical order by last name.
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- If anyone has any photos relating to any of these
rescues, which they would be willing to let me use on
this page, please get in touch e-mail.
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- BERRY
Michael Edward, Coxswain, St. Helier
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 3 September 1983
- Date of Award: 23 November 1983
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- In a strong west-south-westerly gale, pitch
darkness and very large waves, the Waveney class
lifeboat Thomas James King launched at 3.39
a.m. Coxswain Berry took her three miles in among
rocks in Clement's Bay, south-east of St. Helier,
Jersey, near Demie de Pas light tower, where the
French yacht Cythara was drifting. With her
mainsail and jib still hoisted, the yacht was rolling
and pitching heavily. After taking off two men and a
woman, Coxswain Berry manoeuvred his way out of the
maze of rocks, striking them twice in the
process.
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- BOWRY
Charles Henry, Coxswain/Mechanic, Sheerness
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 19-20 March
1980
- Date of Award: 23 July
1980
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- In the evening, during a strong gale, the radio
ship Mi Amigo was dragging anchor in the
vicinity of North West Long Sand Beacon, off the
Thames Estuary, 24 miles northeast of Sheerness, Kent.
The Waveney class lifeboat Helen Turnbull
launched at 6.16 p.m., but met rough, breaking seas
and had to reduce speed because of driving spray and
heavy seas. On arrival, she found the casualty aground
on Long Sand Shoal. After Coxswain Bowry had stood by
for three hours, the radio ship refloated, but rolled
and pitched violently, shipping heavy seas overall. He
had to make 13 approaches before the four survivors
could be taken off, and the ship sank soon afterwards.
The lifeboat returned to Sheerness at 3 am.
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-
 CANNON
Ronald Nicholas, Coxswain/Mechanic, Ramsgate
Lifeboat- Date of Action: 26 December
1985
- Date of Award: 19 March
1986
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- In
rapidly deteriorating weather, the French trawler
Gloire à Marie II went aground in a
storm, south of Ramsgate, Kent. The Waveney class
lifeboat Ralph and Joy Swann left her moorings
at 8.15 p.m. after she first experienced great
difficulty getting her crew on board from the pier.
Despite hazardous conditions in the shallows, Coxswain
Cannon manoeuvred the lifeboat close to the trawler,
and two lifeboat crewmen boarded her. A tow was passed
and the casualty brought off. The tow was then
dismantled and the trawler, with her seven man crew,
escorted into Ramsgate harbour under her own
power.
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Click here for full story.-
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- DOUGAL
James A, Acting Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic, Eyemouth
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 6 October
1990
- Date of Award: 20 March
1991
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- Soon after 4 p.m. a dramatic change in weather
conditions led to hurricane force winds springing up
from the north along the east coast of Scotland. The
coastline between Dunbar and Eyemouth is popular with
divers, and it soon became clear to Coastguards that a
number of sub aqua enthusiasts had been caught out at
sea in the hurricane.
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- Three lifeboats were alerted, including Eyemouth's
relief 44 ft Waveney 44-001 which launched at
4.49 p.m. with Assistant Mechanic James Dougal at the
helm. Taking the lifeboat out of the narrow harbour
entrance into the face of the 100 knot hurricane was
only the first great hazard the Acting Coxswain was to
encounter. Twenty foot seas were running into the
entrance and crashing over the sea walls. Visibility
was virtually non-existent in the rain, spume and
spray.
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- Clear of the dangerous rocks near the harbour
entrance, James Dougal headed for St Abbs where a
group of divers had been caught in the storm. The
lifeboat met seas of 35 ft head on, the Acting
Coxswain reducing power as he negotiated each one. The
44 ft boat rolled violently as she drove on, her side
decks awash.
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- By 5.15 p.m. the lifeboat was off St Abbs Harbour,
with visibility about 50 yards, wind 90 knots and the
seas still breaking at a height of 35 ft over the
rocky outcrops. From his position on the harbour wall,
the Auxiliary Coastguard in Charge at St Abbs had
miraculously spotted two of the divers in the water.
He then lost sight of them in the spray and all he
could see of the lifeboat was her searchlight beam.
With that as his only reference he guided the lifeboat
to the scene.
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- Less than 200 feet from the lifeboat's starboard
side lay the Cathedral Rock, the same distance to port
jutted the Ebb Can Rocks. Neither were visible and the
heavy spray made them undetectable by radar. Still the
Acting Coxswain persevered. His crew, lifelines
secured, were out on deck scouring the sea for the
divers, whom they spotted still conscious and close to
a creel buoy.
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- On the third attempt James Dougal succeeded in
bringing the lifeboat close enough for a crew member
to throw a heaving line to the divers. Both were able
to grab it and they were hauled against the lifeboat's
starboard shoulder and then on to the boat.
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- There were still two divers missing south of St
Abbs. Eyemouth lifeboat began a search for them but
her Acting Coxswain became concerned about his two
survivors who were becoming severely sea sick.
However, an attempt to land them at St Abbs had to be
abandoned when it became clear that entering the
harbour would endanger the lifeboat. Instead the
lifeboat continued to search for the other divers
until 7 p.m. An attempt was made to winch the two
survivors into an RAF helicopter, but the weather
forced this attempt to be abandoned too.
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- By 7.45 p.m. darkness made further searching
impossible and Forth Coastguard suspended the
operation. The lifeboat headed south for Eyemouth only
to find that there was no safe way into the harbour
which forced the Coxswain to continue on to Burnmouth.
On reaching this destination a power cut had
extinguished the harbour leading lights but, thanks to
the resourcefulness of local fishermen, car headlights
were positioned to guide the lifeboat safely into
harbour. Her survivors were landed into the care of
the Scottish Ambulance Service.
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-
 JOHNSON
Ian Jones, Coxswain/Mechanic, Troon
Lifeboat- Date of Action: 12 September
1980
- Date of Award: 26 November
1980
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In Irvine Bay, off Irvine Harbour, Ayrshire, the
Dutch dredger Holland I was in danger of
parting her moorings in a gale. The Waveney class
lifeboat Connel Elizabeth Cargill launched at
3.55 p.m. in poor visibility, deteriorating weather
and heavy seas, which laid her on her beam ends
several times during her passage. Reaching the
dredger, Coxswain Johnson made an approach, avoided
anchor cables, and took off one man. Another four men
were then rescued, one at a time, and all were landed
safely.
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- LIDDON
Arthur, Coxswain/Mechanic, Dover
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 1-2 December
1975
- Date of Award: 18 February
1976
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- The 1,199 ton Cypriot
coaster m.v. Primrose, loaded with phosphate,
suffered a loss of steering gear in storm force winds
gusting up to 100 miles per hour three miles east of
the breakwater at Dover, Kent. Two cross-channel
ferries gave help. The Waveney class lifeboat
Faithful Forester slipped her mooring at 10.37
p.m. and set out for the casualty. She was laid over
on her beam ends as she left the harbour. The crew of
the coaster had managed to jury rig steering gear, but
the violent weather was driving the vessel towards the
Goodwin Sands. At 11.30 p.m., the lifeboat reached her
and advised that a course should be steered for Dover.
With no pilot or tug able to get out in the violent
weather, Coxswain Liddon stayed on scene and, with the
ferries, piloted the coaster into the harbour at 4.12
am.
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- Also
HAWKINS Anthony
George, Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic, Dover
Lifeboat
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- ALCOCK
Cyril, Mechanic, Plymouth Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 15 February
1978
- Date of Award: 26 July
1978
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- In a violent
west-south-westerly storm, accompanied by very heavy
snow and a very rough sea, the fishing vessel Elly
Gerda went aground on rocks, ten miles south of
Rame Head, at the south end of Whitsand Bay, Cornwall.
The Waveney class lifeboat Thomas Forehead and Mary
Rowse II launched at 10.50 a.m. and reached the
casualty. Second Coxswain Marshall twice took the
lifeboat alongside the vessel, which was hard up
against a vertical rock face, while Mechanic Alcock
hauled off two men. They reported that the Skipper had
gone overboard, but he was subsequently found to be on
the casualty. Shortly after, the Elly Gerda was
washed off the rocks and escorted by the lifeboat into
Looe harbour.
- Also
MARSHALL Patrick John, Acting Coxswain, Plymouth
Lifeboat
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- BERRY
Michael Edward, Coxswain, St. Helier
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 14 December
1982
- Date of Award: 23 March
1983
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- The Norwegian yacht
Festina-Lente, her engine and steering gear
broken down, was a mile south of St. Helier, Jersey,
in a fresh to strong breeze and moderate to rough sea.
The Waveney class relief lifeboat Faithful
Forester set out at 1.56 p.m. and the casualty was
soon found. She had been swept into a bottleneck among
rocks from where another yacht had tried,
unsuccessfully, to rescue her, while six fishing boats
stood by helplessly. Realising that there was no hope
of towing the yacht clear, Coxswain Berry drove the
lifeboat into the heavily broken water. Two survivors
leaped on board, and the lifeboat was driven out stem
first. The rescue operation had taken only five
minutes.
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- BOWRY
Charles Henry, Coxswain/Mechanic, Sheerness
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 16 August
1975
- Date of Award: 21 January
1976
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- The Waveney class lifeboat
Helen Turnbull slipped her moorings at 1.28
a.m., cleared Garrison Point, Sheerness, Kent and
headed at full speed down Medway Channel towards West
Barrow Buoy where the motor sailing yacht
Eladnit had lost her rudder and gone aground in
a south-westerly near gale and heavy broken water. As
there was danger that the lifeboat herself might
ground, Coxswain Bowry anchored and two crew members
were veered down in the inflatable dinghy. On learning
that among the five people on board there were two
children and two adults overcome by seasickness, the
Coxswain towed off the casualty and transferred the
crew to the lifeboat. The yacht was then towed to
Sheerness.
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- BOWRY
Charles Henry, Coxswain/Mechanic, Sheerness
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 30 December
1978
- Date of Award: 29 March
1979
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- In a strong north-easterly
gale, a heavily overcast night, snow flurries,
moderate to poor visibility and rough breaking seas,
the cabin cruiser Ma Jolie II, overdue in
passage from St. Katharine's Dock, London, to the
Medway, was in trouble near Cinque Port Marshes in
Gillingham Reach, off Gillingham, Kent, where there
was an existing wreck. The yacht had struck the wreck,
lost her propeller and was now dragging her anchor.
Coxswain Bowry, in spite of many yacht moorings and
very little sea room, took the Waveney class lifeboat
Helen Turnbull into the shallow water three
times and rescued the two man crew who were landed at
Gillingham Pier at 10.20 p.m.
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- BRYAN
John, Coxswain, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 9-10
November 1969
- Date of Award: 15 January
1970
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- In a gale, rough sea and
heavy swell, the Waveney class lifeboat Khami
left her moorings at 7.35 p.m. to help the Danish m.v.
Karen Bravo which was hove to with her cargo
shifted and with engine trouble. She was found in the
vicinity of Cross Sand lightvessel at 9.35 p.m., and
Coxswain Bryan noticed that she was pitching heavily
with a list of 20 degrees and with heavy seas breaking
over her bows. The wind was now gusting to force ten
over a very rough, confused sea and heavy swell, a
situation worsened by intense cold and rain squalls.
In seven approaches, five men were taken off, and the
lifeboat stood by as the motor vessel's Master
corrected her list and brought her into Gorleston
harbour at 3 a.m.
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- BRYAN
John, Coxswain/Mechanic, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 13 December
1974
- Date of Award: 12 March
1975
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- In gales which had sprung up
overnight, a French tug was towing a barge carrying a
500 foot jack platform, when the tow was cut 45 miles
east-south-east of Gorleston, Norfolk, by the 493 ton
coaster m.v. Biscaya, bound from Rotterdam to
the Humber with a cargo of sulphur. The Waveney class
lifeboat Khami slipped her moorings at 1.54
a.m. and made good speed to the coaster, which was
reached, listing and drifting to the south-south-east,
at 6.30 am. The coaster was drifting with her steering
gear out of action and, when her list increased to 45
degrees at 10.45 a.m., three of her crew took to the
liferaft from which they were rescued by the lifeboat.
Three men remained on board the casualty, so Coxswain
Bryan took the lifeboat into her lee and removed them,
just before she sank. The service was completed at
6.25 p.m.
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- CASTLE
Robin, Coxswain/Mechanic, Sheerness
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 16 October
1987
- Date of Award: 25 November
1987
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- In the west-south-westerly
hurricane force winds sweeping south-east England and
the English Channel, the Waveney class lifeboat
Helen Turnbull was forced to leave her normal
berth and, in total darkness due to a power blackout,
to secure alongside the pumping plant quay at
Queenborough, Isle of Sheppey. Then, alerted to two
men in a small angling boat in danger off the Isle of
Grain, she put out with safety lines rigged aft of the
wheelhouse; every man on board had his lifejacket
lights switched on. Both men were picked up and
brought on board, but, in manoeuvring to get clear, a
violent gust of wind forced the lifeboat's stem
aground. For 30 minutes Coxswain Castle and his crew
tried unsuccessfully to free her, but, at 8 am., the
main engines were shut down and everybody else stayed
below with all watertight doors closed, while the
Coxswain and Second Coxswain remained in the
wheelhouse. At 1.30 p.m., against advice, the younger
angler succeeded in walking ashore. The lifeboat
refloated in moderating weather at 6.17 p.m. and after
pulling her off gently, Coxswain Castle returned the
Helen Turnbull to her Sheerness
berth.
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- HATCHER
Charles George, Coxswain, Blyth
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 7 December
1982
- Date of Award: 23 March
1983
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- As the Waveney class
lifeboat William and Jane was about to set out
for a rough weather exercise, she was told of the
fishing vessel Castle Cove taking water five
miles north-north-east of the River Tyne. Slipping her
moorings at 6.30 p.m., the lifeboat drove through the
dark overcast evening, sleet showers, rough seas and
heavy swell to find that the fishing vessel's engines
had stopped shortly after her arrival. After being
taken in tow to the River Tyne, the casualty started
to sink. The tow was slipped and Coxswain Hatcher went
alongside to rescue three men. The Castle Cove
sank five minutes later, 500 yards north of Tyne North
Pier.
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- HAWKINS
Anthony George, Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic,
Dover Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 1-2 December
1975
- Date of Award: 18 February
1976
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- The 1,199 ton Cypriot
coaster m.v. Primrose, loaded with phosphate,
suffered a loss of steering gear in storm force winds
gusting up to 100 miles per hour three miles east of
the breakwater at Dover, Kent. Two cross-channel
ferries gave help. The Waveney class lifeboat
Faithful Forester slipped her mooring at 10.37
p.m. and set out for the casualty. She was laid over
on her beam ends as she left the harbour. The crew of
the coaster had managed to jury rig steering gear, but
the violent weather was driving the vessel towards the
Goodwin Sands. At 11.30 p.m., the lifeboat reached her
and advised that a course should be steered for Dover.
With no pilot or tug able to get out in the violent
weather, Coxswain Liddon stayed on scene and, with the
ferries, piloted the coaster into the harbour at 4.12
am.
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- Also
LIDDON Arthur,
Coxswain/Mechanic, Dover Lifeboat
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- HAWKINS
Richard John, Coxswain/Mechanic Great Yarmouth and
Gorleston Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 22 December
1979
- Date of Award: 23 July
1980
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- The fishing vessel St.
Margarite went aground on Scroby Sands off
Yarmouth, Norfolk, in a north-easterly strong breeze
with rough steep seas and a very heavy easterly swell.
As the fishing vessel was in danger of breaking up,
the Waveney class lifeboat Khami launched and
headed across the sandbanks. Coxswain Hawkins made two
approaches. One man was taken on board on the second
attempt and another man fell into the sea, but was
rescued. The fishing vessel shortly after floated off
the sandbank. A lifeboatman was put on board, a tow
established and she was then taken to Gorleston, where
later she sank at her moorings.
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- MAIDEN
Robert Nolan, Coxswain, Hartlepool
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 10 November
1985
- Date of Award: 8
May1986
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- In a violent north-easterly
storm and heavy breaking high seas, the Dutch coaster
Anne was dragging her anchor. Shortly after
midnight, she ran aground on Long Scar Rocks near
Hartlepool, Co. Durham. The Waveney class lifeboat
The Scout slipped her moorings and, on reaching
the scene, Coxswain Maiden took her in four times.
While rescuing the four man crew, the lifeboat was
twice swept by heavy seas which broke over and around
the casualty. The coaster's Captain remained at risk
on board, but as the tide fell, the immediate danger
passed.
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- MARSHALL
Patrick John, Acting Coxswain, Plymouth
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 15 February
1978
- Date of Award: 26 July
1978
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- In a violent
west-south-westerly storm, accompanied by very heavy
snow and a very rough sea, the fishing vessel Elly
Gerda went aground on rocks, ten miles south of
Rame Head, at the south end of Whitsand Bay, Cornwall.
The Waveney class lifeboat Thomas Forehead and Mary
Rowse II launched at 10.50 a.m. and reached the
casualty. Second Coxswain Marshall twice took the
lifeboat alongside the vessel, which was hard up
against a vertical rock face, while Mechanic Alcock
hauled off two men. They reported that the Skipper had
gone overboard, but he was subsequently found to be on
the casualty. Shortly after, the Elly Gerda was
washed off the rocks and escorted by the lifeboat into
Looe harbour.
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- Also
ALCOCK Cyril, Mechanic, Plymouth
Lifeboat
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- THOMSON
Peter Neville, Coxswain/Mechanic, Whitby
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 9 April
1988
- Date of Award: 29 June
1988
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- The yacht Cymba was
driven towards the shore after capsizing off Whitby
harbour. The D Class inflatable lifeboat
Gwynaeth launched at 8.40 a.m. followed by the
Waveney class lifeboat White Rose of Yorkshire.
After negotiating heavy breaking seas at the harbour
entrance, Helmsman Botham turned west towards the
casualty which was in very rough broken water. The
inflatable lifeboat picked a man from the water, but
on examination found him to be dead. Meanwhile,
Coxswain Thomson had taken his lifeboat inshore
because the yacht was being driven inland with a
survivor in the water on the stem side, apparently
attached to her in some way. Heading in toward her,
the lifeboat was struck by two large seas; this
incident persuaded the Coxswain to take her in stern
first through atrocious sea conditions. He managed to
secure the man at the third approach, and the survivor
was dragged alongside the lifeboat, lifted in, and
later landed at Whitby. The lifeboat then went back to
sea to escort fishing vessels into harbour - a regular
duty.
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- WHITTLE
Stephen, Coxswain/Mechanic, Dunmore East
Lifeboat
- Date of Action: 9 July
1976
- Date of Award: 17 November
1976
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An open boat was seen to go on
to rocks near Falskirt Rock, off the southern coast of
Co. Wexford, Ireland. The Waveney class lifeboat St.
Patrick launched, and cleared the harbour at 3.05
a.m. in a heavy swell with the wind increasing to force
five, accompanied by driving rain. The search and
approach to the casualty were made more difficult by the
large number of salmon nets and lobster pots in the area,
but Coxswain Whittle brought the lifeboat into the very
narrow and shallow channel, where a buoy was thrown to
one man, who was hauled on board. There was no sign of
the other crew member.
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