National maritime charity, the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, is calling on members of the maritime and rescue communities to nominate those who have demonstrated outstanding courage and expertise in aiding those in peril at sea, for its 167th Skill and Gallantry Awards.
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The Emile Robin award to Captain Louis Hansen and Chief Officer TR Lewis of the SS Hockwold of London for the rescue of the four crew and the Captain’s wife of the schooner Richards and Emily of Goole on 27 November 1912.
The EDWARD AND MAISIE LEWIS award made to Lt Michael Langley and crew of RN Sea King from 772 Naval Air Squadron for the rescue of 10 crew of the mv Igloo Lion, which was sinking in severe weather on 25th October 1992.
On 25 October 1992, the Igloo Lion began taking on water in severe weather 5 miles north west of Guernsey, and shortly after sunset suffered a main mechanical and electrical failure due to the rising flood in the engine room. A RN Sea King helicopter, was diverted from an earlier rescue in the vicinity to assist. On arrival at the scene, the Igloo Lion was found to be drifting, beam-on to large breaking seas, towards a lee shore. In darkness and storm force winds the ship was rolling violently and lurching bodily up and down on the waves.
The ship’s Master requested that his frightened and exhausted crew be airlifted to safety. In the prevailing circumstances the only possible evacuation point was the top of some wooden pallets stowed on deck very close to the ship’s superstructure. As it was, in darkness with the dimly lit ship providing very poor visual references for the Pilot, and in a severe storm with the aircraft constantly in danger from the wildly swinging masts and rigging, hovering over the transfer point was extremely difficult and hazardous, particularly for a single Pilot crew. Petty Officer Aircrewman Rogers was lowered onto the vessel to supervise the evacuation by the hi-line method. Despite at one stage being pinned to the ship’s guardrail by a wooden crate entangled in the hi-line, his courage and stamina gave confidence to the ship’s crew throughout the long and difficult airlift. On one occasion, the aircraft rotor blades
struck a thin radio whip aerial but it was possible to continue the rescue. After 40 minutes of precise and arduous hovering the 10 members of the ship’s crew were lifted to safety and landed at Guernsey airport for medical attention. This was a highly audacious rescue in the most appalling conditions, requiring exceptional flying skills. Being conducted at night it was outside 772 Squadron’s normal operational tasking. Throughout the rescue the aircraft crew displayed a high degree of professionalism, teamwork and calmness under pressure. Their outstanding performance and selfless courage are worthy of the highest commendation. The helicopter crew was Lt Michael Langley, POACM Adrian Rogers and Leading ACM Brian Buggins.
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Society’s Silver Medal and Aneroid Barometer to James, Mace of the smack Acceptor of Grimsby, for rescuing the Captain and 18 crew of the Samarang of Newcastle ‘waterlogged’off the Dogger Bank on 15th October 1881. Silver Medals and pecuniary award was also made to James Jamieson, the apprentice.
Outstanding acts of skill and gallantry have been recognised this week at a national awards ceremony held in London. Two merchant ship Captains and an RLNI lifeguard were given awards in recognition of their outstanding acts of skill and gallantry for saving lives at sea.
The national Skill and Gallantry Awards, now in their 166th year, were presented at Fishmongers’ Hall by Admiral Sir George Zambellas, President of national maritime charity, the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society. The Society provides assistance to those suffering financial hardship during or after a life at sea.
The Lady Swaythling Trophy for ‘Outstanding Seamanship’ was presented to Captain Patrik Norrgård of the P&O Ferry, MV Norstream, for coming to the rescue of a sinking ship in the Dover Traffic Separation Scheme earlier this year. He was honoured for his skilled and timely rescue of the seven man crew of MV Fluvius Tamar in January. His Chief Officer, Captain Marek Rowiński, was also rewarded for his crucial role in the rescue.
An Individual Commendation was awarded to Jamie Wilson, Captain of the UK-flagged ROV support vessel, Deep Vision, for conducting nine rescue missions in the space of four days earlier this year north of the coast of Libya and rescuing more than 900 migrants.
An Individual Commendation was also awarded to Freddie Hedger, a senior RNLI lifeguard at Croyde Beach in North Devon, for the courageous rescue of an unconscious body boarder who had found herself in serious trouble after being caught in difficult sea conditions.
Awards were also presented to charity volunteers for outstanding service and commitment to the Society’s work. Robert Phipps, who runs an ice cream kiosk and is a Teignmouth town councillor was given a Lord Lewin award having taken it upon himself to refurbish and maintain the Society’s collecting mine, positioned next to his kiosk in the town.
Lord Lewin awards were also presented to three other Honorary Agents of the Society: Philip Hili of Malta, Captain Robert Asplet of Jersey and Bruce Coltman of Newcastle and Blyth for their outstanding contribution to the work of Society.
Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society Chief Executive, Commodore Malcolm Williams, commented: “Our awards for skill and gallantry celebrate the endeavours of those helping to save life at sea. It is also the occasion for acknowledging the tremendous work of our volunteers, some of whom have been supporting the charity for over 20 years. The commitment of these individuals allows us to offer support to retired and serving seafarers and their dependants in need. Without their help we simply wouldn’t be able to do this and we are very grateful to them.”
Celebrating its 178th year, the Society has helped hundreds of thousands of mariners and their dependants, including during times of conflict. As we move through the centenary years of WW1 we should remember that over 17,000 fishermen and merchant seafarers lost their lives while ensuring that this Country did not run short of the essential supplies of food, munitions and raw materials without which it could not have survived. The Society assisted over 50,000 survivors and dependants of those lost in the conflict at sea. In the last twelve months, the Society has distributed more than £1.4million in financial support in over 2,000 cases of need.
To find out more information about the Charity, visit www.shipwreckedmariners.org.uk, www.facebook.com/shipwreckedmariners or follow @ShipwreckedSoc on Twitter.
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Silver Medal awarded to Capt GB Lee of the David Malcolm for saving the crew of the ship Aphrogenia on 23 May 1857
The circumstances attending the loss of the ship Aphrogenia on 23rd May having been brought before the Committee by the Secretary whereby it appeared that Captain GB Lee of the David Malcolm then lying in the roads had gallantly gone in his boat to her assistance though the surf was breaking outside his ship and by his strenuous exertions was instrumental in saving the lives of the crew, two native boats having been swamped in the attempt to render aid.
It was resolved unanimously on the motion of Captain Lean, seconded by Captain Rawstorne, that the Silver Medal of the Society be awarded to Captain Lee for his gallant and seamanlike exertions on this occasion.
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LADY SWAYTHLING TROPHY to Coxswain Gary Fairbairn for saving the lives of two people on board the yacht Ouhm on 15 May 2009.
Forth Coastguard called the Dunbar Lifeboat Operations Manager at 1706 on 15th May 2009 requesting the launch of their all weather lifeboat to provide assistance to the yacht Ouhm with 2 persons onboard in difficulties 37 nautical miles east north east of Dunbar.
A force 8 gale was blowing from the east north east; the sea state was very rough with 5 to 7 metres of swell at the launch site. Visibility was at best moderate at approximately 2 to 5 nautical miles. The crew consisted of Coxswain Gary Fairbairn; Mechanic Kenny Peters, Stuart Pirie, Kevin Keillor, Brian Cleator and John Watt.
Before the lifeboat launched Forth Coastguard informed the crew that R/T Magic, a 31 metre 995 ton tug was also proceeding to the assistance of yacht Ouhm. The yacht was reported to have suffered 2 knockdowns and was experiencing difficulty coping with the extreme weather conditions. There were two persons onboard and under bare poles they were drifting at speeds of up to 5 knots towards the lee shore on the north side of the Firth of Forth. At 1730 the Trent class lifeboat, RNLB John Neville Taylor, launched. As the lifeboat cleared the breakwaters at Torness they began to experience 7 metre seas. Speed was restricted to 15 knots for the first hour of steaming. Further offshore the swell became larger and the wind increased to a severe gale force 9. The lifeboat was hit by several breaking seas and these resulted in fendering being torn away, the bow fairlead unlatching and the salvage pump breaking free twice. Once the pump was securely lashed down again the lifeboat continued steaming towards the casualty until she fell about 10 metres from the top of a large wave. At this point vibration was felt along the starboard shaft line so Mechanic Peters went below to investigate whilst Coxswain Fairbairn held the lifeboat head to sea using the port shaft alone. Mechanic Peters reported all was well in the engine room and the lifeboat increased speed. At this point she was hit on her starboard side by a very large, breaking wave. She was laid down onto her beam ends on her port side. The port side wheelhouse windows were underwater and the braces on the whip aerial were bent through the force of the water. The lifeboat swiftly returned to the upright position allowing Coxswain Fairbairn to continue passage towards the casualty.
By 1945 the lifeboat was in the vicinity of the casualty. Yacht Ouhm was not visible owing to the sea state, however Coxswain Fairbairn and his crew were able to see R/T Magic who was keeping station upwind of Ouhm in an attempt to provide the best possible lee. Eventually the lifeboat located Ouhm, she was only visible when her masthead light shone between the waves, which were by now around 10 metres high. Ouhm was lying stern to sea with a drogue of some description deployed.
Coxswain Fairbairn made a rapid assessment of the situation and decided that the crew of two required evacuation and the yacht should be abandoned, as a tow would be impossible. After confirming that the yacht was not carrying a liferaft it became apparent that the lifeboat would have to get alongside Ouhm.
Once the plan had been decided the lifeboat contacted the skipper of the yacht and informed him of the decision to evacuate him and his wife. The lifeboat crew manned the deck in readiness for an approach to put the lifeboat alongside.
The drogue deployed by the yacht was overwhelmed by the conditions and was no longer able to hold the Ouhm stern to sea. This meant the first approach had to be made whilst the yacht was laid beam on to the sea. The resulting approach was difficult and the lifeboat was hit by a wave in the late stages, which could have caused a heavy collision that may have damaged the yacht badly or even sunk her.
Having checked his crew were still secure and well on deck, Coxswain Fairbairn applied full power astern to maintain separation between the two vessels before bringing the lifeboat around for another approach.
On the second attempt the lifeboat slowly approached the casualty heading into sea. At the last moment Coxswain Fairbairn made a tight turn to port, placing the lifeboat starboard side to alongside the casualty. The crew on deck were able to snatch the female casualty from the deck of the yacht and drag her onboard the lifeboat. At the same time a lifejacket was thrown to the remaining male casualty.
Coxswain Fairbairn used exactly the same technique to make a third approach alongside Ouhm. On this occasion the male was pulled from the deck and over the guardrails of the lifeboat. Both casualties were quickly secured in the wheelhouse and Coxswain Fairbairn having passed his thanks to R/T Magic started their passage back to Torness.
The lifeboat arrived back at Torness at 2215, a service of just under 5 hours duration in heavy weather.
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The Society’s Silver Medal for Gallantry was awarded to Skipper Charles Alfred Grimmer, of the st Ben Meidie for rescuing the crew of the st Remindo on the night of 27th April, 1955.
The Society’s Silver Medal for Gallantry has been awarded to Skipper Charles Alfred Grimmer, and a pecuniary award of £5 to each member of the crew serving on the st Ben Meidie at the time, in recognition of their action in rescuing the crew of the st Remindo on the night of 27th April, 1955.
The citation was as follows:- While the Aberdeen trawler Ben Meidie SN. 340 was lying at anchor on the morning of 28th April, the watch reported to the Skipper at 0110, that he saw flares coming from a vessel lying at Kobbatangi while he was anchored to the North of the Kottatangi. He immediately called out his crew, heaving her anchor and went to the assistance of the vessel. He put the small boat out with the mate and four members of the crew. During this time the weather was blowing a very hard gale from the south-east with heavy rain. The small boat went to the assistance of the crew of the vessel in distress, which turned out to the the st Remindo of Grimsby, Off. No.149058. Skipper Grimmer then saw the lights disappearing on board the Remindo and heard shouts of help coming from the sea. He manoeuvred his vessel towards the shouts and connected with the raft, which was only 6’ by 3’. The men were all lashed to the raft but were unable to help themselves. After the men were freed and taken on the, the Ben Meidie then contacted its own small boat, which had three survivors on board. After getting everyone on board the Ben Meidie made for Thorshavn at full speed, at which port he arrived at 0530 on 28th April. If the Ben Meidie had not been there, where she was anchored, the whole of the crew of the Remindo would have been lost. One member of the crew of the Remindo was missing at the time of the rescue when the other 13 men were taken on board. Three of the 13 were found to be dead on arrival at Thorshavn, there being 10 survivors out of the crew of 14 all told.
The presentation was made to Skipper Grimmer at the Town House, Aberdeen, on 2nd June 1956, by Lord Provost Stephen, a Vice President of the Society.
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Emile Robin award to Skipper John Allan Whitelam and Second Hand Stanley Jones of the trawler Yardley for the rescue of six of the crew of the Norwegian fv Arvid and five of the crew of the Norwegian fv Herdla on 11th April 1953.
The Arvid was returning from a fishing trip on 11th April 1953, when she encountered a storm off the West Coast of Norway. The gale was of exceptional force and Arvid was soon in difficulties. Rails and lifeboats were washed overboard and the vessel developed a bad leak. The Herdla, which was in the vicinity, although unable to render assistance to the stricken ship, sent out distress messages. This message was picked up at 1030 by the Yardley which was approaching Svion on her way to the Norwegian coast fishing grounds. Yardley immediately altered course to the position indicated by Herdla. No trace of the ship could be found at the position given, but eventually a wireless signal was received and a bearing obtained, and Arvis was finally located some 14 miles away. The weather was worsening and the Arvid which had received a severe buffeting was making water fast. Skipper Whitelam, manoeuvred his vessel alongside the Norwegian craft so that Yardley lay broadside to the storm in the heavy seas. The crew of Yardley, wearing lifebelts and roped to the ship for safety on account of the heavy seas being shipped, stood by to assist the six Norwegian members of the crew who jumped on to the Yardley from their sinking ship. Soon after this rescue had been carried out, at about 1600 hrs, Yardley received a further radio message from Herdla requesting assistance. Yardley immediately made all speed to Herdla’s positon, which was reached 4 hours later. The distressed vessel was shipping heavy seas and was leaking badly, but Skipper Whitelam again carried out the difficult manoeuvre of bringing his ship alongside the other vessel and in the same manner as had previously been employed, the Herdla’s crew of five were taken safely on board Yardley. Herdla sank only a quarter of an hour later. The weather was still bad and Yardley made her way to Lodingen, where she arrived on the night of 13th April.
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The Emile Robin award to Captain H Murrell and Chief Officer TF Gates of the ss Missouri of London for the rescue of the crew and passengers of the Danish emigrant ss Danmark of Copenhagen on 4 April 1887.
The Danmark, a Danish emigrant vessel belonging to the Thingvalla Line, left Copenhagen for New York with 665 passengers and Captain and crew of 69 on board. On 4th April, when about 800 miles from Newfoundland, she broke her shaft, which thereupon whirled aimlessly round and round, and tore a terrible hole in the ship’s bottom, causing such serious leakage that the Captain perceived there was no chance of keeping her afloat. It was blowing hard and a heavy sea running at the time, so that it was extremely doubtful, even if the boats had been lowered, whether they could live in such a sea, and in any case they could not have carried all the persons on board. It was decided, therefore, to wait for the chance of succour, though the vessel was evidently settling down.
The poor creatures on board spent 24 hours of agonising suspense. They prayed, they sang hymns, they whispered together in groups, they scanned the horizon for the sight of a sail which might rescue them from the death which seemed almost inevitable. Their prayers were answered; on the afternoon of 5th April the British steamer Missouri, Captain Hamilton Murrell, of the Atlantic Transport Line, bound from London to Philadelphia, seeing a vessel flying distress signals, bore down upon her. Captain Murrell agreed to tow the Danmark, but said he could take no passengers. A tow-rope was attached, but for some hours they made very slow progress against head wind and sea. Captain Murrell then determined to give up the hope of reaching the American coast, and (the Captain of the Danmark consenting) squared away for the Azores. Before long, however, it was found that the Danmark was rapidly sinking, and accordingly it was resolved to abandon her, on 6th April.
Captain Murrell lowered his own boats, and, with the seven boats of the Danmark, brought the whole of the 735 persons from the disabled vessel on board of his own ship, without a single accident, although there was a heavy swell at the time. He threw overboard some bundles of rags and bales of wool in order to afford accommodation for the multitude who had unexpectedly invaded his vessel, and brought them all safely to the Azores. Thence the Missouri started back on her interrupted voyage to Philadelphia, taking about half the Danmark’s passengers with her. Captain Murrell has been most warmly received both in America and England on account of his gallant and sailor-like exploit. It is characteristic of the man that in his letter to his owners he does not seem to perceive that he had done anything particularly deserving notice, but tells the story of the rescue in a bluff, straightforward way, and only waxes enthusiastic when praising ‘the capital manner which all my officers and crew worked; I really never saw a more willing and hard-working lot in my life’. At Philadelphia Captain Murrell and his crew were accorded an extraordinary reception.
The Captain stayed three days in the City of Homes, and, besides being awarded a gold medal from the Humane Society there, was entertained at a banquet given by the Sons of Saint George, and presented with a magnificent gold watch, having a diamond star mounted on the front of the case. In Baltimore five more days were spent, and among other presentations made was a gold medal from the Masonic Grand Lodge of Maryland. On 24th May, after arrival of the vessel at the Tilbury Docks, the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House, London, was crowded on the occasion of the presentation, by the Lord Mayor, of public testimonials from England and America to Captain Murrell, the officers and crew of the Missouri, for their heroic conduct in effecting the rescue. The Captain and his Chief Officer, Mr Thomas F Gates, have likewise been noted by the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society for the special ‘Emile Robin Life Saving Rewards,’ at the Society’s disposal for annual award to the Captain and Chief Officer of a British vessel saving from imminent peril those on board another vessel at sea.
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