| Penlee Lifeboat Disaster |
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On 18 December 1981 the Dublin registered cargo ship, ''Union Star'', on its maiden voyage from Ijmuiden to Arklow, developed an engine fault in offshore winds of Hurricane force 12 ( Beaufort Scale ) near the south coast of Cornwall . She was blown five miles off course and put out a Distress Signal . The Penlee lifeboat ''Solomon Browne'' was launched into very difficult waters. Against 80 mph winds (gusting to 95 mph) and dragging its anchor ''Union Star'' was being driven onto the rocks of Penlee Point . The conditions were so rough that the crew of the Royal Navy Sea King Helicopter sent from RNAS Culdrose were unable to lift any of the eight crew. As the ''Union Star'' was driven close to the rocky cliffs. Coxswain William 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 ''Solomon Browne'' retrieved all but one of the five people whom jumped out from the ''Union Star's'' wheelhouse onto the lifeboat, before being forced to turn away from the ship. From this time no more was seen of the ''Solomon Browne'', or heard on her radio. Her last message was: "We’ve got four off at the moment". Ten minutes later her lights disappeared, at about the same time as ''Union Star'' keeled over. What happened next is a matter of some conjecture. Probably, due to a sudden lurch in direction of the ''Union Star'' as her cable parted, and on a tremendous wave, ''Solomon Browne'' was thrown up and over the freighter, crashing against her stern on the downward fall. When she had resurfaced only four of the Lifeboatmen were aboard. The lifeboat from Sennen Cove tried to search and rescue, but it proved impossible for her to round the corner of Gwennap Head , to the west of the wreck and south of Lands End . Of the 16 lives lost, eight bodies were eventually recovered. No sign of ''Solomon Brown'' was ever found. The ''Union Star'' parted from its anchor and was lost with all hands. The search for survivors was extensive, from ashore and from the lifeboats of St Mary's , Isles Of Scilly and The Lizard , and with the helicopters from RNAS Culdrose. The crew of ''Solomon Browne'' were:
William Trevelyan Richards was posthumously awarded the RNLI 's Gold medal while the remainder of the crew, Nigel Brockman, John Blewett, Charles Greenhaugh, Kevin Smith, Barrie Torrie and Gary Wallis were posthumously awarded Bronze medals. A gold medal service plaque was awarded to the station. The disaster prompted a massive public appeal for the benefit of the village of Mousehole , home of the crew and where the lifeboat was based. Nigel Brockman's son, Neil, still serves on the Penlee lifeboat. He volunteered for the 1981 'shout' but was sent back by Richards who did not want two members of the same family out in such conditions. Every 19 December the world famous Christmas Illuminations of Mousehole are turned off at 8:00 pm for an hour as an act of remembrance. A TRIBUTE The year 2006 marks the 25th anniversary of the Penlee Lifeboat Disaster. The following poem was written by Brian O’Dowda (Bodowda@ntlworld.com) in January 1982 and is dedicated to the heroism of the Solomon Browne’s crew. Duty :Teatime in Cornwall on a Saturday night, :Just six days to Christmas, the storm at its height :A maroon was sent up that brought men at the run, :But this was Penlee, and the year eighty-one. :Cox Richards saw the fearful might of the sea :And breathed a soft prayer that the boat would slip free :He’ll not get her launched, the experienced ones knew, :But William calmly selected his crew. :He turned back Neil Brockman though eager and brave, :And slipped the ‘Browne’ towards the wild tempest wave. :“Just one from each house” His cry lost on the storm, :But out of such wisdom legends are born :James Madron, Nigel Brockman, say their names with pride, :With Barry Torrie and Gary Wallis; but why had they died? :For a Lloyds Open Charter and a deadly delay, :While a tugboat stood handy – but would owners pay? :Kevin Smith was on leave but he didn’t wait, :With Charles Greenhough and John Blewett went to their fate. :To man the swift lifeboat and take on the storm :For saving men’s lives is why they were born. :And what a staggering total of lives they had won :Solomon Brown’s tally had reached ninety-one! :She crashed through the gale for the three-hundreth time :To raise her saved number to around ninety-nine. :They succeeded at first past their own wildest dreams :To pluck frightened victims from the coaster’s deck beams :One, two, three four were hauled safely aboard :While a Culdrose Sea King could do naught but record :The fantastic bravery of the Solomon’s crew :Returning time after time – what more could they do? :In sixty-foot seas that were December cold :That fearless young crew that would never grow old :But the heroic rescue was doomed from the start :When the furious storm played her own heartless part :Reclaiming those lives so desperately won :From Mousehole and Penlee, in the year eighty-one :Brian O’Dowda January 1982 SEE ALSO
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