Scarborough RNLI to hold annual memorial service
It marks the anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the lifeboat's history
Scarborough RNLI is holding its annual memorial service today at St. Mary's Church.
The service marks the anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the lifeboat’s history.
Three crew died when the ECJR lifeboat overturned in the south bay in a terrible storm on 8th December 1954.
The RNLI says in atrocious conditions, with enormous waves and a howling gale, the lifeboat had been at sea all afternoon, escorting fishing boats back to the harbour.
With its rescue work complete, the ECJR was engulfed by waves and capsized close to the harbour mouth.
It says the deaths of coxswain Jack Sheader, second coxswain John Cammish and signalman Francis Bayes devastated their families and numbed the whole town with shock and grief.
Every year since then, the anniversary of the tragedy has been commemorated by a church service remembering those three in particular but also other lifeboat crew who have perished at sea. They include Frank Dalton, who died in a horrific accident in tumultuous seas on 9th December 1951.
The service is due to begin at 6.30pm
The story of that fateful day
One of the worst days in the history of Scarborough RNLI began with a storm brewing.
As it grew worse, the ECJR lifeboat was launched, at 11.40am on 8 December 1954, to help fishing boats known to be at sea.
In rough seas and a south-easterly gale, the lifeboat started by escorting the Venture, a coble with one man aboard, into the harbour.
Ten other fishing boats were known to be at sea, to the north, so the lifeboat went out again and eventually escorted all but three to safety.
At 3.20pm, the ECJR put out to sea again, to look for the missing boats.
By that time, the gale had become severe and was blowing against an ebb tide, causing steep, breaking waves up to 15ft high.
Heavy cloud, driving spray and sleet greatly reduced visibility.
News was then received that the three missing boats had all reached Whitby, so the ECJR was recalled.
The lifeboat headed for the harbour on a north-westerly course, with the wind and heavy seas astern, the crew streaming a drogue (anchor) astern to steady the boat.
Coxswain John Sheader and another crewman were at the wheel and slowly, carefully, worked the lifeboat closer and closer to the harbour entrance.
As a particularly heavy wave was seen coming up astern, the engines were eased right back, until the wave passed and then they were run at half-speed again.
At 4.45pm, as the lifeboat approached the harbour for the eighth time that fateful day, when it was only about 200 yards away from safety, a gigantic wave smashed right over the boat.
The coxswain, who saw it coming, shouted for the engines to be put into neutral and for everyone to “hang on!”
Almost completely submerged by the wave, the boat was driven forward for about 30 yards by a solid wall of water. The boat sheered to port. The next wave struck the boat on the port quarter. The ECJR capsized and both engines cut out immediately, as they were designed to do.
The lifeboat righted itself in seconds, with three crew members still aboard. Two others were quickly hauled back on board. But as they tried to grab the hands of second coxswain John Cammish, the heavy seas swept him from their grasp.
Cammish and Sheader were washed ashore shortly afterwards. They were rushed to hospital but died. Signalman Frank Bayes had received a severe blow to the forehead, possibly in the capsize, and his body was recovered a few hours later.
The ECJR received only superficial damage; the engines and radio continued to work perfectly.
Within 48 hours, a new crew had been formed, including all five survivors.
The survivors were Ernie Eves, Bob Crawford, Mickey Scales, Jitta Sheader and Allan Rennard.