Penlee life boat

[Lewis McColl]

The Penlee lifeboat disaster occurred on 19 December 1981 off the coast of Cornwall . Do they still turn the Christmas lights off on the 19th December.
Brave men one and all RIP. Also spare a thought for the Crew of the Union Star and the wife and children lost as well.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Thanks Lewis.

The Ballad of Lifeboat 954

Nine five four, built on Watson’s lines,
She lay inside these walls, it’s here she served her time.
Standing ready to assist those in peril on the seas,
Although her house stands empty now, I see her in my dreams,
I see her in my dreams.

Timber-built in the sixties, named the Solomon Browne,
A hundred and twenty horse power, she made nine knots per hour.
She launched in weather calm and rough, in sun and fog and rain,
She made the slipway for to roar, she caused the winch to strain.

See the christmas lights twinkle in the dawn,
There’s a red sky overhead, a fierce impending storm.
The Union Star, her maiden voyage, it’s down the channel she must go,
With passengers and crew on board and it’s coming on to blow,
It’s coming on to blow.

At six o’clock that night, the Union’s engines failed,
She’s lying ahull, and she’s riding out the gale.
Salt water in her fuel tanks, waves breaking on her beam,
Storm force winds just west of South, the worse they’d ever seen.

Nine five four, built on Watson’s lines,
She lay inside these walls, it’s here she served her time.
Standing ready to assist those in peril on the seas,
Although her house stands empty now, I see her in my dreams,
I see her in my dreams.

This is Penlee lifeboat calling Union Star:
We understand you had trouble with the chopper,
The Union Star she’s anchored now, the seas break mountains high,
The lifeboat comes around again for another try.

The pilot hovers low, he sees the Solomon Browne,
Nearly breaks her back as on the Union’s deck she’s thrown
Bears witness to her bravery as she takes off four,
Then sees her standing out to see, so close to Kernow shore,
So close to Kernow shore.

Nine five four, built on Watson’s lines,
She lay inside these walls, it’s here she served her time.
Standing ready to assist those in peril on the seas,
Although her house stands empty now, I see her in my dreams,
I see her in my dreams.

Outside a shrieking gale, the weather’s closing in,
There’s matchwood on the shore, there’s diesel on the wind,
There’s friends and family listening not knowing if she’s there,
R eight zero to Penlee lifeboat, if you read me fire a flare,
If you read me fire a flare.

Hold them in your hearts, those men who made you proud.
Let your tears fall and say their names aloud,
Though years pass by like falling leaves and many things have changed,
It still feels like yesterday, you’ll miss them just the same.
You’ll miss them just the same.

http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/c...73=#post312100

The Lifeboat song: Home from the Sea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI3xtoO-TnE


.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Today we remember the eight brave, courageous and selfless lifeboat crew members of the Penlee Lifeboat ‘Solomon Browne ‘ who, on the evening of the 19th December 1981 left Mousehole to help the crew of the ill fated coaster ‘Union Star’, only never to return home.
We will remember them

RNLI

untitled.jpg

On this day 37 years ago, six days before Christmas, these eight lifeboat volunteers launched the Solomon Browne from

Penlee Lifeboat

Station against hurricane winds to rescue the crew of the 1,400 ton coaster Union Star. Tragically, they along with the eight people on the Union Star all lost their lives. Gone but never forgotten, today we honour those that gave their lives to save others.

48419409_10156338416423999_7130894571885559808_n.jpg

RNLI.

[Shaun Gander]

I watched the program again. Again I ended up in tears.

I spent many years in the emergency services. That last goodbye has been the 'last' good bye for so many of my colleagues all over the world.

Be grateful for those you love and can hold, so many wives, husbands and kids don't have that luxury.

SDG

[Ken Norton]

I don't think there are many that have watched the full story that have not ended with a few tears Shaun, have watched it a few times over the years and always tugs at the emotions. They all do a great job.

[Ken Norton]

Nice post Lewis, yes they still turn the Xmas lights off I think it is for one hour between eight and nine p.m. on the 19th. Dec. when they are dimned out of respect.

[Keith at Tregenna]

On 19 December 1981, the Dublin-registered coaster, Union Star, was on its maiden voyage from IJmuiden in the Netherlands to Arklow in Ireland, carrying a cargo of fertiliser. It carried a crew of five, including its captain Henry Morton. Also on board were Morton´s wife, Dawn, and her two teenage daughters, who were travelling to be together for Christmas.

The Union Star developed an engine fault approximately eight miles east of the Wolf Rock, on the south coast of Cornwall. She was unable to restart her engines, and assistance was offered by a tug, the Noord Holland, under the Lloyd´s Open Form salvage contract. Morton refused the offer, unwilling to pay an undetermined amount for salvage.

The fuel supply of the Union Star became contaminated by sea water and the weather continued to worsen, so she put out a distress signal to the Falmouth coastguard. Against 80 mph winds, gusting to 95 mph, (hurricane force 12 on the Beaufort scale) Union Star was being driven onto the rocks of Boscawen Cove, near Lamorna. The conditions were so rough that the crew of the Royal Navy Sea King helicopter sent from RNAS Culdrose were unable to remove any of the eight on board.

The lifeboat Solomon Browne, a wooden 47 feet Watson class lifeboat, crewed by eight men from the village of Mousehole, was launched into very difficult waters at Penlee Point, near Mousehole. All of its crew were experienced seamen, chosen from the 12 volunteers who responded when the call went out. Only one man from each family was taken, due to the danger of the conditions.

As the Union Star was driven close to the rocky cliffs, Coxswain Trevelyan Richards took the lifeboat head on into the storm. The lifeboat made several attempts before getting alongside Union Star; at least twice it was thrown on the ship´s deck, and on another occasion slammed into its side. In mountainous seas, with the swell over 50 feet high, Solomon Browne retrieved four of the eight people on board the Union Star, who jumped out from its wheelhouse, before being forced to turn away from the ship. The lifeboat went back towards the Union Star for yet another attempt to rescue the remaining crew members; this proved fatal.

From that time, no more was seen of the Solomon Browne, nor heard from her radio. Her last message was: "We´ve got four men off, hang on, we have got four at the moment. There´s two left on board...", at which point the radio went dead. A few moments later, her lights disappeared, at about the same time as Union Star keeled over.

What happened next is a matter of some conjecture as there were no eye witnesses. Possibly, due to a sudden lurch in direction of Union Star, and on a tremendous wave, Solomon Browne was thrown up and over the freighter; possibly she was stoved in below by one of the many rocks in the cove; possibly she was simply rolled onto the rocks by the 60-foot breaking seas.

The lifeboat from Sennen Cove tried to search and rescue, but it proved impossible for her to round the corner of Land´s End. The lifeboat of St Mary´s, Isles of Scilly crossed over to join in the search for survivors, and the lifeboat of the Lizard crossed Mount´s Bay in hurricane conditions, causing herself structural damage in the process. The extensive search was also conducted from ashore and by helicopters from RNAS Culdrose.

Both vessels were lost with all hands. Of the 16 lives lost, eight bodies were eventually recovered, four from the 8 crew of the lifeboat and four from the Union Star. Wreckage from the Solomon Browne was found along the shore, and the Union Star lay capsized onto the rocks west of Tater Du Lighthouse.

Source: https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?77062

[happy daze john in oz]

No matter where they are in the world the life boat service they provide an essential service.
Mainly volunteers who are prepared to put it on the line, to go out in all conditions in an attempt to save lives.
They all have my utmost admiration.