Lifeboat Station
Great Rescues
The inshore Lifeboat heads out to sea
Here are just a few of the Hastings and St Leonards' great rescues:
In 1904 a silver medal was awarded to Alfred Stonham (or Biddy the Tubman) for conspicuous bravery in swimming out and saving the Master of the fishing boat 'William and Maria'
The lifeboat 'Cyril and Lilian Bishop' took part in the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. During the Second World War, the lifeboat was launched 48 times and rescued 21 lives
The outstanding service of the war was on March 31 1943 when the lifeboat rescued seven men from HM Trawler Caulonia which had been wrecked near Camber Sands. Heavy seas were breaking over her but the coxswain kept the lifeboat alongside her for half an hour until the seven men were safely aboard.
In 1974 a silver medal was awarded to coxswain John Martin and a bronze medal to second coxswain George White for the rescue of three men from a fishing vessel in a violent storm.
Further Information: