The Loss of the Lifeboat, the 'Solomon Browne'
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Lieutenant Commander Russell Smith, the pilot of the Sea King helicopter, recounted:
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 lifeboat crew.
‘They were truly the bravest eight men I've ever seen, who were also totally dedicated to upholding the highest standards of the RNLI.
In the year ninteen eighty one on the nineteenth day of December
A day the town of Mousehole in Cornwall, will always remember
An R.N.L.I. Watson class wooden lifeboat, the 'Solomon Browne'
Launched from Penlee lifeboat station in that little coastal town.
A coaster on its maiden voyage had set sail from a port in Holland
With a large cargo of fertiliser for the town of Arklow in Ireland
Eight miles off the English coast, water breached the engine room
Hundred mile an hour winds blew, the darkness added to the gloom.
The crew tried to restart her engines but their efforts were in vain
Outside conditions worsened with hurricane winds and heavy rain
The coaster was the 'Union Star' and it was floundering helplessly
It had now lost the use of its engines and was at the mercy of the sea.
The captain radioed the coastguard to report their dire situation
Who then contacted air sea rescue at Culdrose naval station.
A Royal Navy helicopter was scrambled to try and rescue the crew
But in the powerful hurricane force winds, it was impossible to do.
Sixty foot waves battered the ship and the sea showed no mercy
Its tall mast rocked to and fro that would have caused a catastrophe
The helicopters winch line was too short and so they had to abort
And a distress call was made to Penlee Station, to launch the lifeboat.
Because of the relentless hurricane conditions raging out on the sea
The captain of the lifeboat chose seven, just one from each family
That night the gates of hell opened as they struggled across the sea
The helicopter pilot said he'd never before, witnessed such bravery.
Eight people were on board the 'Union Star' and the lifeboat rescued four
They radioed the helicopter to say, they'd try and rescue the other four
The lifeboats lights went out and contact with the coastguard was lost
Their heroic rescue mission was doomed and with their lives paid the cost.
The helicopter was very low on fuel and had to head back to base
And when they returned to the scene later there wasn't a trace
Both the 'Union Star' and the lifeboat had been capsized by the waves
Sending both ships crew and the lifeboatmen, to their watery graves.
The next day wreckage from both vessels was washed up ashore
That was a stark painful reminder of the events the night before
Sixteen people lost their lives that night, to the unforgiving sea
Eight from the 'Union Star' and the eight lifeboatmen of Penlee.
The next day papers reported, on that heartbreaking tragedy
And an appeal was made for the families of the men lost at sea
All up and down the country people donated generously
And people the world over, sent messages of sympathy.
The lifeboatmen of Penlee were awarded medals posthumously
For their dedication to duty and their extreme gallantry
Within days volunteers came forward to form a new crew
To carry on saving lives at sea, because that's what they do.
Every year the Christmas lights on the nineteenth day of December
Are turned off for one hour so that the bereaved families can remember.
One illuminated cross and two angels, are left on in their memory
Shining brightly across the town of Mousehole and out across the sea.
After the disaster they closed down the Penlee lifeboat station
And now stands as a memorial to those brave mens dedication
Everything has been left in place as it was, on that fateful night
And to have carried on using it, just wouldn't have been right.
A new lifeboat station was built in Newlyn in nineteen eighty three
Just over a mile up the coastline from the old station at Penlee
It still bears the same name and that name will always be
Associated with men of great courage and extreme bravery.
Written 28th September 2021.
Copyright © Tom Cunningham | Year Posted 2021
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