Explosion at sea AN EXPLOSION, on the night of November 15, 1973, aboard the 300-ton deep-sea trawler Boston Jaguar, 37 miles 020° (T) from Cromer, Norfolk, left the ship without steering gear, with her mate killed and a crew member hurt with suspected internal injuries. The trawler had received medical advice via Humber Radio Station recommending that the injured man be taken ashore as soon as possible, but, although the trawler Boston Wasp was standing by, the skipper of Boston Jaguar thought it unwise to transfer the injured man before he had been examined by a doctor. Helicopter assistance could not be considered until daylight.

On receiving this information from Cromer Coastguard, the Cromer station honorary secretary at that time, Dr Paul Barclay, decided that although liable to seasickness he must go out with the lifeboat himself; of the other four local doctors, one was ill, one over 75 years old and two had no sea experience, and it was clear that professional medical help beyond the knowledge of the qualified first aider, Crew Member Richard Davies, was going to be needed.

Dr Barclay therefore handed over shore control of the service to the deputy launching authority, D. L. Snelling, and joined the assembled crew; The Good Hope, a 46' Watson lifeboat on temporary duty at the station, launched at 2310. The wind was north west, gale force 8, with seas of 20' running against a northerly ebbing tide. It was cloudy and raining.

Gorleston Coastguard, co-ordinating the service, directed The Good Hope to Dudgeon Lightvessel, as Boston Wasp reported having Boston Jaguar in tow at 2311, heading for the Hghtvessel. The lifeboat established radio contact with both trawlers soon after launching and relative positions were exchanged at frequent intervals.

Despite heavy head seas, the lifeboat reached the lightvessel at 0130, a distance of 21 miles in 2 hours 20minutes. The trawlers were now eight miles east north east of the Dudgeon, so Coxswain Henry Davies, BEM, altered course to intercept the tow, reasoning that in the prevailing weather it would not be safe to have the two trawlers stopped close to the lightvessel. Visual contact was made at 0215 and the lifeboat approached the casualty at 0225.

The wind had now decreased to force 6 and backed to west north west. Rough seas and a heavy north-west swell were running, and the weather remained cloudy with rain.

Coxswain Davies took the lifeboat close alongside Boston Jaguar and at 0230 passed a securing line. Dr Barclay and Richard Davies stood by at the starboard rail, but the first attempt to sheer alongside the trawler's starboard side resulted in the lifeboat being heavily knocked away. At the second attempt the impact threw both men from the rail on to the lifeboat deck, but at the third approach the coxswain held the lifeboat alongside for long enough to allow the two men to jump on to the trawler's deck.

Due to the heavy seas and swell, the lifeboat then stood off from the casualty to await the doctor's examination of the crew member. Dr Barclay first established that the mate of the trawler was dead, having sustained severe head injuries and a severed arm when gas containers exploded in the after compartment.

With help from Richard Davies he then attended the injured deckhand, who had facial lacerations and was severely shocked. At 0302 Dr Barclay instructed that the deckhand should be taken off the trawler by helicopter at first light and taken to Cromer Hospital for further investigation of possible internal injuries. RAF Coltishall agreed to fly-off at 0630.

The tow then altered course for Cromer with the lifeboat in company.

Coxswain Davies decided it imprudent to attempt to close Boston Jaguar a second time and the doctor agreed that he and Richard Davies should remain aboard the trawler; throughout the passage from Cromer, Dr Barclay had suffered from severe seasickness but not until he had attended his patient would he rest.

During the tow towards Cromer, Richard Davies realised that the skipper and crew of Boston Jaguar were still too shocked to give a rational appraisal of the situation aboard. He organised the covering of the mate's body and removal of the severed limb from view. He then helped in maintaining the vessel's course, while towing astern of Boston Wasp, by using main engines as necessary.

At 0600 the lifeboat and tow arrived off Cromer, the tow being piloted through the shallows by Richard Davies.

The RAF helicopter arrived at 0650 and at 0705 the injured deckhand and Dr Barclay were lifted and taken to Cromer Hospital, arriving three minutes later. Due to the rough sea it was notpossible to rehouse the lifeboat at Cromer and, after transferring Richard Davies from Boston Jaguar to the lifeboat, Coxswain Davies made for Great Yarmouth, in company with the tow, arriving at 1030. The tow continued to Lowestoft and the lifeboat crew returned by road to Cromer at 1200.

For this service Dr Paul S. Barclay, MC, TD, was accorded a bronze medal for gallantry. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain Henry Thomas Davies, BEM, and Crew Member Richard Davies.

Medal service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain L. B. Harrison, Motor Mechanic R. Amey, Assistant Mechanic L. J. Harrison and Crew Members J. Lee, W. Davies and H.

Davies..