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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Walmer Lifeboat Station

Walmer Lifeboat Station is located on The Strand on Walmer promenade, in the county of Kent.

Following an appeal, a station was established here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1856.

The station currently operates two Inshore lifeboats, the B-class (Atlantic 85) Donald McLauchlan (B-808) since 2006, and the D-class (IB1) Duggie Rodbard II (D-794) since 2016.

History

Over two thousand ships are believed to have been wrecked on the Goodwin Sands, and the masts of several wrecks are visible from the shore at low tide. For many years, there were three lifeboats located along a 3 miles stretch of coast opposite the sands, North Deal, Kingsdown and Walmer.

1800–1939

In 1830, RNLI Gold and Silver Medals were awarded, for the rescue of 13 crew from the ship Mountaineer, and three Deal boatmen, on 24 November 1829.

In 1856, the RNLI issued an appeal to place a lifeboat at Walmer, highlighting the dangers of the Goodwin Sands to international trade through the Port of London. One member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club offered to pay half the cost of a lifeboat, if the remaining club members raised the remainder. A site for a boathouse was provided by landowner Mr Frederick Leath, and a wooden boathouse was constructed, costing £186-11s-0d. A 29-foot 6in self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat (one with oars and sails), costing £160-2s-6d, was built by Forrestt of Limehouse, and arrived along with a launching carriage in Walmer in November 1856. The boat was named Royal Thames Yacht Club.

In 1871, a new brick-built boathouse was constructed, replacing the 1856 wooden boathouse, which was dismantled, and reconstructed at North Deal.

Crew member E Young drowned in 1896 when he was trying to board the Steamship Trapian from the lifeboat. The Walmer station was closed in 1912, but was reopened in 1927, when it was deemed the most suitable of the three local stations to operate the intended motor-powered lifeboat. Lifeboat Barbara Fleming (ON 480) was transferred from Kingsdown when that station was closed, and kept on a launching cradle at the head of the beach. Soon afterwards, from 1933, the station had its first motor lifeboat.

In 1933, motor lifeboat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No.2) (ON 762) was placed on service. She would take part in the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. In 1944, Coxswain Joseph Mercer was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal for the rescue of 13 men from an anti-submarine boat stranded on the Goodwin Sands. In 26 years service to Walmer, Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No.2) (ON 762) would be launched 412 times, and save 241 lives.

Postwar to present

The Hampshire Rose (ON 1024)

The last All-weather lifeboat at Walmer was the RNLB Hampshire Rose (ON 1024). Launching 132 times in 15 years, she would save 57 lives. In 1964, a D-class (RFD PB16) Inshore lifeboat had been placed at Walmer. When the Hampshire Rose was retired from service on 5 May 1990, she was replaced with the addition of a B-class (Atlantic 21) lifeboat, and Walmer was permanently established as an Inshore lifeboat station. The boathouse was extended in 1992, to accommodate the Talus Atlantic 85 DO-DO launch carriage. A new Atlantic 21, RNLB James Burgess (B-589), was also placed on service in 1992, in the same year as a visit by the Queen Mother as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and on 22 January 1997 a new D-class (EA16) lifeboat, RNLB Lord Kitchener (D-514), was placed on service.

Most recently, Atlantic 85-class lifeboat, RNLB Donald Mclauchlan (B-808) was placed on station in December 2006, with a new D-class (IB1), RNLB Duggie Rodbard II (D-794) arriving in 2016.

Station honours

The following are awards made at Walmer

  • RNLI Gold Medal, three,
    • 1830, to H.M. Coastguards Capt. Philip Graham, RN, Lt. William Ward Percival Johnson, RN and Lt. William Stephen Watts, RN, for rescuing 13 crew from the ship Mountaineer and three boatmen from Deal, on 24 November 1829.
  • RNLI Silver Medal, four, including
    • 1830, to John Durban, for rescuing 13 crew from the ship Mountaineer and three boatmen from Deal, on 24 November 1829.
    • 1859, to John Moss for saving one man from the tender of the lugger Stornoway on 19 December 1858.
    • 1948, to Coxswain Frederick Upton for rescuing 30 men, including two stowaways, and a dog from the steamer Silvia Onorato aground on the Goodwin Sands. The lifeboat spent 45 hours at sea.
    • 1952, to Coxswain Frederick Upton, for rescuing 38 men from the wreck of the steamer Agen that was aground on the South Goodwin bank.
  • RNLI Bronze Medal, four, including
    • 1944, to Coxswain Joseph Richard Mercer, for the rescue of 13 from H.M. Anti-Submarine boat No.25, stranded on the Goodwins on 18 January 1944.
    • 1948, to Mechanic Cecil Cavell for rescuing 30 men, including two stowaways, and a dog from the steamer Silvia Onorato aground on the Goodwin Sands. The lifeboat spent 45 hours at sea.
    • 1952, to Mechanic Cecil Cavell for rescuing 38 men from the wreck of the steamer Agen that was aground on the South Goodwin bank.
    • 1977, to Coxswain Bruce George Brown, for rescuing the four crew from the sinking cabin cruiser Shark, along with the Second Coxswain who had become trapped in the cabin.
  • The Maud Smith Award 1948
    (for the bravest act of lifesaving during the year by a member of a lifeboat crew)
    • 1948, to Coxswain Frederick Upton.
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum, ten, including
    • 1969, to Helmsman Bruce Brown and Crew Members Cyril Williams and John Riley for rescuing four people cut off by the tide.
    • 1970. Along with the Ralph Glister Award, to Helmsman Cyril Williams and Crew Members Leslie Coe and Charles Taylor for rescuing two men cut off by the tide in a cave.
    • 1972, to Coxswain Henry Brown for saving the yacht Nell and her six crew, plus a cat.
    • 1991 to Helmsman Duane Brown for rescuing the three crew from the yacht Josse aground on Goodwin Sands.
    • 2002 to Helmsman Andrew Coe, Adam Cowell and Philip Brenchly for the rescue of the 32 ft yacht Thai Thai off the Goodwin Sands.
  • A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution, six, including
    • 1978, to Coxswain Bruce Brown and Second Coxswain Cyril Williams for refloating the vessel Elmela off the Goodwin Sands.
    • 1985, to Helmsman Anthony Evans for rescuing two men who were cut off by the tide after their canoe had capsized.
    • 1991, to crew members John Collins and Shaun East for the Josse rescue.
  • Special Award
    • 1997, to Pat Hardman, for his 27½ years of volunteer work for the RNLI in Deal, in which time he saved 119 lives from shipwreck.
    • 2005, to Les Coe, for his 50 years of volunteer work for Walmer Lifeboat during which time he served as a crew member and Head Launcher.

Walmer lifeboats

All-weather lifeboats

ON Op.No. Name In service Class Comments
Pre-300 Royal Thames Yacht Club 1856–1861 29-foot 6in Self-righting (P&S)
Pre-381 Royal Thames Yacht Club 1861–1871 37-foot Self-righting (P&S)
Pre-561 Centurion 1871–1884 36-foot Self-righting (P&S)
34 Civil Service No.4 1884–1895 40-foot 1in Self-righting (P&S)
394 Civil Service No.4 1897–1912 40-foot Self-righting (P&S)
Station Closed 1912–1927
480 Barbara Fleming 1927–1933 40-foot Self-righting (P&S) Transferred from Kingsdown when that station closed
762 Charles Dibdin
(Civil Service No.2)
1933–1959 41ft Watson First motor lifeboat at station
948 Charles Dibdin
(Civil Service No.32)
1959–1975 42ft Watson
1024 37-32 The Hampshire Rose 1975–1990 Rother
All-Weather Lifeboat withdrawn 1990, replaced with B-class (Atlantic 21)
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Inshore lifeboats

D-class

Op.No. Name In service Class Comments
D-14 Unnamed 1964 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-26 Unnamed 1965 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-24 Unnamed 1966 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-135 Unnamed 1967–1970 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-200 Unnamed 1971–1976 D-class (Avon S650)
D-254 Unnamed 1977–1988 D-class (Zodiac III)
D-363 Unnamed 1988–1997 D-class (EA16)
D-514 Lord Kitchener 1997–2006 D-class (EA16)
D-663 Duggie Rodbard 2006–2016 D-class (IB1)
D-794 Duggie Rodbard II 2016– D-class (IB1)

B-class

Op.No. Name In service Class Comments
B-512 US Navy League 1990–1992 Atlantic 21
B-589 James Burgess 1992–2006 Atlantic 21
B-808 Donald McLauchlan 2006– Atlantic 85

Launch and recovery tractors

Op. No. Reg. No. Type In service Comments
T8 WEL 302S Talus MBC Case 1150B 1988–1996
T87 WEL 300S Talus MBC Case 1150B 1996–2019
T119 N470 XAW Talus MB-H Crawler 2019–
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ Op.No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 29-foot 6in (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse.

References

  1. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  2. ^ "From Lloyd's List – Nov. 27". Caledonian Mercury. No. 16892. 30 November 1829.
  3. ^ "Effects of the Late Gales". The Morning Post. No. 18396. 27 November 1829.
  4. ^ Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.
  5. ^ Morris, Jeff (August 1999). The History of the North Deal, Walmer and Kingsdowne Lifeboats. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–46.
  6. ^ "Walmer's Station history". RNLI. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Charles Dibdin". Association of Dunkirk Little Ships. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  9. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021 (2021 ed.). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–18.
  10. ^ "Lord Kitchener Named at Walmer". RNLI. Spring 1997. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  11. ^ "New Walmer RNLI lifeboat named in honour of much-loved Sussex man". RNLI. Retrieved 7 October 2016.

Media related to Walmer Lifeboat Station at Wikimedia Commons