RNLB IVAN ELLEN
Slightly longer than I first anticipated but hopefully the ending will explain why.
Severn Class
First introduced in to service in 1996, although the prototype was built in 1992, and in total 46 examples were built by Green Marine and then being fitted out by Berthon Boat Company, VT Halmatic, Souter Marine or FBM Marine. Normally carry a 3-metre, 2-man Y-class inflatable dinghy. The final boat of class left Green Marine' Waterloo Road Factory in Lymington on 15/12/03 for fitting out at the nearby Berthon Boat facility. In 2009 it was announced that studies had been undertaken and that the hull-life would be extended to 50-years and the fleet would be re-engined. The first to be fitted with MTU 150hp model 10V2000 M93 engines, the first boat to undergo this was 17-46 in early 2009.
The Severn Class has a sheerline that sweeps down for ease of survivor recovery. She is inherently self-righting and should it be knocked over in extreme weather, it will automatically right itself within a few seconds. Her propellers and rudders lie in partial tunnels set into the hull that, along with the two bilge keels, provide excellent protection from damage in shallow water.
In addition to her twin engines, the Severn is fitted with a hydraulic-powered bow thruster for improved manoeuvrability.
The comprehensive electronics include VHF and MF radios with DSC functionality, VHF direction finder, DGPS with electronic chart system and radar.
The Severn carries a small Y boat, which is an inflatable daughter boat complete with a 15hp outboard engine. This small craft can be launched with a crane and is used in moderate conditions to access areas where the lifeboat cannot reach.
Comprehensive first aid equipment includes stretchers, oxygen and Entonox.
Other equipment includes a portable salvage pump carried in a watertight container.
RNLB IVAN ELLEN
RNLI Official Number: 1265
Named after Ivan and Ellen Leech, whose wills provided money for the vessel.
Call Sign: VSWX8
Specifications:
Built in 2003
Dimensions 17m x 5.5m x 1.38m
Speed 25-knots
Displacement 40-tonnes
Range 250-nm
Construction Fibre Reinforced Composite
Endurance:
Engines 2 x Caterpillar 3412 (1250-hp) Crew 6
Survivor capacity: Self-righting – 28 - Non self-righting – 124
Placed on station at Penlee, Cornwall on 15 March 2003. The lifeboat’s permanent mooring is at Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall.
Recent Launches (station log):
12 December 2013 - Two volunteer RNLI lifeboat crews faced difficult conditions as they worked to bring home a 20 metre fishing boat that had broken down 33 miles due south of Lizard Point.
The Joy of Ladram had suffered gear box failure and was at the mercy of the elements. She was initially assisted by The Lizard RNLI lifeboat team who then passed the tow on to the Penlee crew who took her in to Newlyn.
The first RNLI team to launch were the volunteers from The Lizard who responded to their pagers at 4.15pm yesterday afternoon. By 5.45pm they were on scene onboard the Tamar class all-weather lifeboat Rose and took the vessel, a Newlyn based gill netter, in tow. Conditions were demanding with a southerly wind of force six to seven and a big, lumpy sea.
The team from Penlee lifeboat station, on-board the Severn class all-weather lifeboat IVAN ELLEN then launched at 9pm, meeting up with The Lizard lifeboat just after 10pm four miles south west of Lizard Point. The tow was transferred and the Penlee team headed back to Newlyn, towing the fishing vessel, arriving at 1am this morning.
1 January 2014 - Penlee Lifeboat launched at 01:40 to help search for a missing person who had been swept out to sea at Loe Bar (near Porthleven) while paddling with friends, Lizard Lifeboat and Navy 193 search and rescue helicopter were also tasked along with several Coastguard cliff Rescue teams, The Lifeboats searched as close to the shore as possible but due to the 5-6m swell and gale force onshore winds the Lifeboats were forced into deeper water, at 04:30 after an extensive search from all units the weather conditions deteriorated even more, Both Lifeboats were released, despite a poor trip back both Lifeboats arrived safely at their stations around 05:20, sadly the person missing wasn't found. Weather, South 6-8 increasing 9 at times, 5m swell rough sea.
17 February 2014 - Both Penlee Lifeboats launched on service at 17:44. Falmouth Coastguard received a call from a member of the public reporting three young girls in the sea and in difficulties in rough seas between the Promenade and Battery rocks, Penlee ILB arrived on scene first and located the girls and quickly got them aboard the Lifeboat, they were then taken to Penzance harbour where an ambulance was waiting, thankfully the girls are ok but very lucky. Rescue 193 helicopter and Penzance Coastguard CRT also on scene. Weather SW 4 rough sea 2m swell.
The Penlee Lifeboat Disaster – 19 December 1981
The Penlee lifeboat disaster occurred on 19 December 1981 off the coast of Cornwall, in England, UK. The Penlee Lifeboat went to the aid of the coaster Union Star after its engines failed in heavy seas. After the lifeboat had managed to rescue four people both vessels were lost with all hands; in all, sixteen people died including eight volunteer lifeboatmen.
MV Union Star
The MV Union Star was launched in Ringkøbing in Denmark just a few days before it was wrecked on the Cornish coast. A mini-bulk carrier registered in Dublin, Ireland, it sailed to IJmuiden in the Netherlands to collect a cargo of fertiliser for its maiden voyage to Arklow in Ireland.
It carried a crew of five: Captain Henry Morton; Mate James Whittaker, Engineer George Sedgwick, Crewman Anghostino Verressimo, and Crewman Manuel Lopes. Also on board was the captain's family who had been picked up at an unauthorised stop on the east coast of England: his wife Dawn and teenage stepdaughters Sharon and Deanne.
Near the south coast of Cornwall, 8 miles (13 km) east of the Wolf Rock, the new ship's engines failed. She was unable to restart them but did not make a mayday call. Assistance was offered by a tug, the Noord Holland, under the Lloyd's Open Form salvage contract but Morton initially refused the offer, later accepting after consulting his owners.
Winds were gusting at up to 90 knots (100 mph; 170 km/h) – hurricane force 12 on the Beaufort scale – with waves up to 60 feet (18 m) high. The powerless ship was blown across Mount's Bay towards the rocks of Boscawen Cove, near Lamorna.
RNAS Sea King helicopter
In light of the closeness of the ship to the beach, the Coastguard at Falmouth summoned a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from 820 Naval Air Squadron (who were providing cover for 771 Naval Air Squadron), RNAS Culdrose. It used call sign "Rescue 80" during the mission.
The aircraft (airframe XZ574) was flown that night by United States Navy exchange-pilot Lt Cdr Russell Smith, assisted by Lt Steve Marlow, S/Lt Kenneth Doherty and Lacmn Martin Kennie of the Royal Navy. However, due to the extreme wave conditions, they were unable to winch anyone off the ship.
RNLB SOLOMON BROWNE (ON 954)
The Coastguard had difficulties contacting the secretary of the nearest lifeboat, Penlee Lifeboat Station at Mousehole on the west side of the bay. They eventually contacted Coxswain Trevelyan Richards and asked him to put the lifeboat on standby in case the helicopter rescue failed. He summoned the lifeboat's volunteer crew and picked seven men to accompany him in the lifeboat. They were: Second Coxswain/Mechanic Stephen Madron, Assistant Mechanic Nigel Brockman, Emergency Mechanic John Blewett, crewmembers Charlie Greenhaugh, Kevin Smith, Barrie Torrie and Gary Wallis. Neil Brockman, the son of Nigel Brockman, got to the lifeboat station on time, but was turned down for the trip by Trevelyan Richards, who was reluctant to take out two members of the same family that night.
The lifeboat launched at 8:12 pm and headed out through the storm to the drifting coaster. The lifeboat was the SOLOMON BROWNE, a wooden 47-foot (14 m) Watson-class boat built in 1960 and capable of 9 knots (17 km/h). After it had made several attempts to get alongside, four people managed to jump across; the captain's family and one of the men were apparently safe. The lifeboat radioed that 'we’ve got four off', but that was the last ever heard from anyone on either vessel.
Lt Cdr Smith USN, the pilot of the rescue helicopter later reported that: ‘The greatest act of courage that I have ever seen, and am ever likely to see, was the penultimate courage and dedication shown by the Penlee boat when it manoeuvred back alongside the casualty in over 60 ft breakers and rescuing four people shortly after the Penlee had been bashed on top of the casualty's hatch covers. They were truly the bravest eight men I've ever seen who were also totally dedicated to upholding the highest standards of the RNLI’.
Lifeboats were summoned from Sennen Cove, The Lizard and St Mary's to try to help their colleagues from Penlee. The Sennen Cove Lifeboat found it impossible to make headway round Land's End. The Lizard Lifeboat found a serious hole in its hull when it finally returned to its slipway after a fruitless search. Wreckage from the SOLOMON BROWNE was found along the shore, and the Union Star lay capsized on the rocks west of Tater Du Lighthouse. Some, but not all, of the 16 bodies were eventually recovered.
The inquiry into the disaster determined that the loss of the Union Star and its crew was because of:1.the irreparable failure of the ship's engines due to contamination of fuel by sea water while off a dangerous lee shore; 2.the extreme severity of the weather, wind and sea; and 3.the capsize of the vessel on or shortly after stranding.
The loss of the SOLOMON BROWNE was: in consequence of the persistent and heroic endeavours by the coxswain and his crew to save the lives of all from the Union Star. Such heroism enhances the highest traditions of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in whose service they gave their lives.
Aftermath
Coxswain Trevelyan Richards was posthumously awarded the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's gold medal, while the remainder of the crew were all posthumously awarded bronze medals. The station itself was awarded a gold medal service plaque. The disaster prompted a massive public appeal for the benefit of the village of Mousehole which raised over £3 million (£9.74 million as of 2014), although there was an outcry when the government tried to tax the donations.
Two nights before the disaster, Charlie Greenhaugh had turned on the Christmas lights in Mousehole. After the storm the lights were left off but three days later his widow, Mary, asked for them to be repaired and lit again. The village has been lit up each December since then, but on the anniversary of the disaster they are turned off at 8:00 pm for an hour as an act of remembrance.
Within a day of the disaster enough people from Mousehole had volunteered to form a new lifeboat crew. In 1983 a new lifeboat station (still known as 'Penlee') was opened nearby at Newlyn where a faster, larger boat could be kept moored afloat in the harbour. Neil Brockman later became the coxswain of the station's Severn class lifeboat. The old boathouse at Penlee Point with its slipway is empty but has been maintained and a memorial garden was created beside it in 1985 to commemorate the crew of the SOLOMON BROWNE.
Airframe XZ574 is today preserved at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton, mainly due to its being flown during the Falklands War conflict by Prince Andrew, Duke of York.
My own opinion is that the SOLOMON BROWNE would be good subject to appear on a stamp.
Sources: Neil Rush’s Lifeboat World On-Line - http://www.lifeboatsonline.com/RNLIContents.html; RNLI Penlee - http://rnli-penleelifeboat.org.uk/RNLI- ... class.html; Wikipedia.
Mozambique 2013 16.00 MT sg?, scott?
Peter Crichton