At 3.55 on the afternoon of 17th November, 1962, the honorary secretary of the Seaham life-boat station, Captain R. Hudson, was informed by the coast- guard that, according to a report from a local fisherman, a small boat was still out and weather conditions were grow- ing rapidly worse. Captain Hudson immediately gave orders for the assem- bly signal to be made. The maroons were fired at four o'clock, and at 4.10 the Seaham life-boat George Elmy, one of the 35-foot 6-inch Liverpool class, was launched. She had a crew of five aboard. They were: Coxswain John Miller, Second Coxswain Frederick Gippert, Bowman James Farrington, Motor Mechanic Arthur Leonard Brown, and Arthur Brown.

When the life-boat left the harbour a north-by-east wind of force 6 was blowing, but this rapidly increased to force 8 and there were gusts of storm force. There was a rough sea, with a con- fused swell, and the weather was over- cast with showers. Visibility was about two to three miles. It was two hours be- fore high water, and the tide was setting south-by-west at about 1£ knots.

Twelve-foot Waves Outside the harbour the height of the waves was estimated at about 12 feet, and there were some 22 feet of water on the bar—i.e. between the breakwaters of Seaham harbour.

The life-boat reached the casualty, which was the fishing vessel Economy, in about ten minutes. The position was off Dawdon Colliery to the south of Seaham.

Coxswain Miller had to bring the life- boat alongside three times before the crew of five could be taken off the fishing vessel. At 4.51 the life-boat reported that she had the crew of the Economy on board and that the Economy was drifting two miles east of Easington.

Five people were taken off the fishing vessel. They were: Joseph Kennedy, George Firth, Gordon Burrell, Donald Burrell and his son, David Burrell, aged nine.

Captain Hudson was standing on the quay near the inner lock gates with a pilot, Captain R. S. Tait, and another witness when the life-boat was first seen about 600 yards south-south-east of a fixed red light on the south breakwater.

The life-boat was apparently making good headway on a course about magnetic north when her lights were temporarily obscured by the drum end of the south pier. Captain Tait saw the red port light and the white mast head- light just clear of the end of the south pier. He then saw her green starboard light and her white mast headlight fol- lowed by the red port light and the white mast headlight. From this it was clear that she had taken a turn to port fol- lowed by a quick turn back to starboard.

Thirty Feet from Pier Then the life-boat was seen to capsize to port. The time was 5.15 and the life- boat's position about 30 feet off the end of the south pier at the entrance to the harbour.

When the life-boat capsized one man, Donald Burrell, managed to hang on to a propeller shaft with one hand and put his other hand through one of the ruffle holes on the keel. The life-boat grounded to the north of the Liddle Stack, and he let go at once and managed to scramble ashore.

The five members of the crew and the other four people who had been taken off the fishing vessel all lost their lives.

The Sunderland and Hartlepool life- boats were launched at six o'clock and 6.20 respectively to search for survivors from the capsized life-boat, and the crews gave their rewards for these services to the local fund for the depen- dents of the men who lost their lives.

Coroner's Verdict On 19th December, 1962, a coroner's inquest was held at Seaham, at which a verdict of "accidental death by asphyxia caused by drowning" was returned. The coroner said that in his opinion the life- boat was justified in setting out, the coxswain was thoroughly competent and the life-boat seaworthy, and that he was satisfied that no blame should be at- tached to the coxswain for the loss of life.

The Institution carried out its own investigation, after which the following report was issued: "The life-boat was hit by successive waves from heavy seas when broadside to wind and tide in the confused broken water at the entrance to the harbour.

These conditions were further aggra- vated by the backwash and undertow from the breakwaters.

Decision to Launch Correct "The decision to launch the life-boat to the help of the fishing coble Economy was correct. The condition of the hull and machinery of the life-boat at the time of launching was in all respects first class. The crew were experienced and had complete confidence in the life- boat and in the coxswain. Weather conditions deteriorated rapidly after the life-boat had been launched.

"In spite of being severely pounded on rocks after the capsize the life-boat is still seaworthy and will not therefore be destroyed." Surveyor's Report The Institution's Surveyor of Life- boats, Mr. R. A. Oakley, travelled to Seaham on the night of 17th November and examined the life-boat the next day.

His report stated: "The boat was reached at 1.30 p.m.

on 18th November, i.e. about low water.

She was lying bottom up, with her head to the north alongside some old piles to which she had been lashed on the previous tide. The major damage was as follows: (a) Skin planking on the port side severe- ly damaged over a length of 12-14 feet from the gunwale to deck shelf, and also for about 3 feet in length below the deck shelf. The gunwale is broken in a number of places and many of the scuppers are badly distorted.

(b) Shelter has been broken away and is completely missing from the instru- ment board bulkhead aft and the top is also stove in forward of the bulk- head. Engine room hatch was found in the open position.

(c) Locker seats torn away.

(d) All guard stanchions forced off the gunwales, but some were held on the starboard guard chain.

(e) Side batten seats damaged more extensively on the port side from which a number of the deck air cases were missing.

(/)Some deck hatches on the port side had been forced from their rebates.

(g) Steering shaft bent and support bracket with binnacle attached had been torn away from the deck.

(H) Drogue rope and tripping line ends were still fast to the eyeplates. The drogue hoop had been crushed and was broken at two places opposite each other on the diameter. The four drogue strops had been torn from their seizings and the tripping line had six turns round the strops which all lead from the tripping line end of the drogue." Superintendent Engineer's Report The Superintendent Engineer, Com- mander R. A. Gould, carried out an examination of the boat's machinery installation after her arrival at the Depot and reported as follows: "(o) Engines—Both engines are undam- aged and can be turned by hand.

Each cylinder has its proper com- pression and there is no stiffness, noise or other unusual circumstance.

(b) Lubricating Oil—The dry sump lubricating oil tanks were sounded and there is about 1 in. of black oil in each, but no water.

(c) Fuel—The petrol tanks can be pumped to 3 Ib. per square inch and hold this pressure.

(d) Header Tank—Empty, but no dam- age and the fresh water system is intact down to the coolers.

(e) Coolers—These are intact and the main inlet and discharge is clear and undamaged.

(/) Gear Box—Gears can be engaged ahead and astern freely.

(g) Propellers and Shafts—These are free and undamaged—they can be turned by hand and there appears to be no damage to the 'A' brackets.

(/;) Electrics—All switches are in work- ing condition.

(/) Batteries—The four batteries appear to be sound except for loss of acid.

There was no water in the battery box which was properly secured.

(j) Radio Telephone Equipment—Both the port and starboard lockers were flooded.

(k) V.H.F.—This is situated in the engine room and the installation was flooded.

(/) Conclusions—From the foregoing and detailed examination of the auxiliaries, control rods, etc., noth- ing was found to indicate that these engines were not functioning norm- ally at the time of the capsize." Twelve days after the capsize the life-boat's engines were tested at the depot at Boreham Wood and after the batteries had been recharged and the machinery had been cleaned up the engines started at once.

Messages of Sympathy Among many messages of sympathy received was a telegram from the Institution's President, H.R.H. Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. The Chair- man of the Seaham Urban District Council launched an appeal for a fund to help the dependents of those who had lost their lives. Contributions to this fund exceeded £45,000.

In answer to a question by private notice by Mr. W. R. Blyton, M.P. for Houghton-le-Spring, the Minister of Transport, Mr. Ernest Marples, gave an account of the disaster and stated that he was sure the House would wish him to express its deepest sympathy to the families of all the brave men who lost their lives. In answer to a supple- mentary question by Mr. Greville Howard, M.P. for St. Ives, Mr. Marples said: "I am sure that the whole House will agree that the Royal National Life- boat Institution acted very speedily and very efficiently and, I think, in the circumstances, extremely generously." Letter to the Press On 7th January a letter was published in the Daily Telegraph and a number of other newspapers from Mr. H. C. C.

Wilson, Managing Director of the Seaham Harbour Dock Company, who wrote: Sir, Having been closely linked with the recent life-boat disaster at Seaham, I should like to pay a warm tribute to the work of the Royal National Life-boat Institution.

The life-boat capsized in the late afternoon of Saturday, November 17th.

The deputy chief inspector of the Institution and the central district inspector both reached Seaham that same evening and spent the night on the beaches and in the harbour ready to assist in any rescue that might be possible. The surveyor of life-boats, the assistant accountant and a senior clerk reached Seahani from London at 6.30 a.m. on Sunday.

Immediate Needs of Families The immediate tasks of the inspectors and the surveyor were to investigate the disaster and to make the station opera- tional again as soon as was reasonably possible. The duties of the assistant accountant and the senior clerk were to look after the immediate needs of the families of the life-boatmen who had given their lives.

All these officials hardly left the station during the next few days and they pursued their duties with great devotion.

The bereaved families of the life-boat- men were visited on the Sunday, and by Monday morning each family had received £20 from the Institution's funds to cover immediate needs. A radio tele- gram was sent to the late coxswain's son, who was on board a vessel bound for South Africa, and he was flown home in time for his father's funeral. Telegrams and other messages of sympathy were recorded and passed on.

Pensions to Families Within hours of the chairman of Seaham District Council opening a disaster fund a donation of £500 was received from the Institution.

The accountant and clerk visited the bereaved families again to discuss their wishes in connection with the funerals, and then made the necessary arrange- ments. All funeral expenses were paid by the Institution, including the cost of relaying the memorial service to the nearby church hall for the overflow congregation. Wreaths, R.N.L.I, flags for flying and draping on the coffins, and uniform caps were provided.

The R.N.L.I. automatically pensions the families of those who lose their lives on service at the rate payable to a chief petty officer in the Royal Navy. It also makes provision for children of the deceased during the continuance of their education; these arrangements were explained to the families.

Provision was also made for the full- time mechanic's wages and the retaining fees for the part-time members of the crew to be paid up to the end of the year.

Memorial Service On 22nd November the Secretary of the Institution and the district organiz- ing secretary also visited the families and they, together with the chief inspector and the chairman of the boat and con- structional committee as well as other officials in the area, attended the funerals.

Instructions were given to solicitors to attend the inquests on behalf of the families, and to act on their behalf in any legal matters that may arise as a result of the disaster.

The memorial service on 25th Novem- ber was attended by the chairman of the committee of management and by two other members of the committee, and by the other officials of the Institution who were still in the area at the time.

R.N.L.I. officials also called on the bereaved families of the fishermen who were lost and attended the funerals.

The prompt and humanitarian way in which the officials applied themselves to comforting the distressed, and in providing for their future, makes one realize that the Royal National Life- boat Institution does something much more than to provide and maintain life-boats around our treacherous coasts..