Online book of remembrance for Penlee lifeboat tragedy
- Published
A book of remembrance has been launched online to mark the 40th anniversary of a tragedy at sea that killed 16 people.
The eight-strong crew of the Solomon Browne lifeboat, from Penlee, perished when they were called out in horrendous conditions on 19 December 1981.
All eight people on board the Union Star, which was being swept towards the Cornish coast, also lost their lives.
The current coxswain of the lifeboat said the book provided an opportunity to share messages of love and support.
Patch Harvey, coxswain of Penlee's all-weather lifeboat Ivan Ellen, said he hoped the book would "acknowledge the continued support and compassion shown by people from all around the world for the Penlee lifeboat community and families of those lost".
He added: "It is important that we continue to recognise and remember the sacrifice made by the crew of the Solomon Browne, who gave everything to help others in need.
"They didn't give up and their story, their memory, should be kept alive for generations to come."
What happened on 19 December 1981
The Union Star, a cargo ship, was on its maiden voyage from Holland to Ireland.
The ship's engine failed in the middle of a tremendous storm, and rough seas and strong winds swept the ship towards the coastline.
It carried a crew of four, as well as Capt Henry Morton, his wife and two teenage stepdaughters, who had been picked up so that they could be together for the Christmas holidays.
A dozen men answered the call for lifeboat crew but only eight were needed.
Servicemen on an RNAS Sea King helicopter saw the Solomon Browne battle to get alongside the Union Star and take four people onboard.
But all radio contact was soon lost and the next morning the Union Star was found capsized on rocks and wreckage of the lifeboat began to wash ashore.
The Penlee lifeboat disaster was the last occasion in which the entire crew of a lifeboat died.
The book of remembrance has a foreword from the president of the RNLI, the Duke of Kent.
It also includes a timeline of the tragic events that unfolded, as well as the names of those who died.
They were:
RNLI Coxswain William Richards
RNLI Second coxswain and mechanic James Madron
RNLI Assistant mechanic Nigel Brockman
RNLI Emergency mechanic John Blewett
RNLI Crewman Charles Greenhaugh
RNLI Crewman Kevin Smith
RNLI Crewman Barrie Torrie
RNLI Crewman Gary Wallis
Union Star Captain Henry Morton
Union Star mate James Whittaker
Union Star engineer George Sedgwick
Union Star crewman Anghostino Verressimo
Union Star crewman Manuel Lopes
Captain Morton's wife Dawn and two stepdaughters Sharon and Deanne
An RNLI spokeswoman said the book "also details how Penlee RNLI endured - how in the midst of tragedy a new volunteer crew stepped forward and how the Penlee lifeboat crew of today continue to be on call when needed most".
In January 2022 the book will be printed and put on display at the Penlee RNLI Visitor Centre at the station in Newlyn Harbour.
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