Storm search A PROLONGED SEARCH was made by Padstow, St Ives and Clovelly lifeboats in a south-westerly storm for the Danish coaster Lady Kamilla, which foundered off Trevose Head on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1977, and for her crew of nine. In addition to the three lifeboats, HMS Sherington, Nimrod aircraft, Wessex and Sea King helicopters and various merchant vessels which were in the vicinity also took part. HM Coastguard rescue teams also carried out a shore search. Lady Kamilla, which had originally reported taking water in her hatches, foundered and sank before help arrived. The crew abandoned ship and two survivors were picked up from a liferaft by helicopter. No other survivors were found, although wreckage identified as coming from Lady Kamilla was sighted.

Padstow lifeboat, the 48ft 6in Oakley James and Catherine Macfarlane, was at sea searching for 14 hours 42 minutes; Clovelly lifeboat, the 71ft Clyde City of Bristol, for 14 hours 45 minutes; and St Ives lifeboat, the 37ft Oakley Frank Pen/old Marshall, which suffered damage when hit by an exceptionally large sea, for 6 hours 16 minutes.

At 0003 the honorary secretary of Padstow lifeboat station was informed by Trevose Head Coastguard that Lady Kamilla, 15 to 20 miles west of Trevose Head, was taking water. Maroons were fired and at 0030 James and Catherine Macfarlane launched on service with eight crew aboard, Coxswain Antony Warnock taking an extra crew member because of the severe weather.

At 0010 the honorary secretary of St Ives lifeboat station heard a 'mayday' call from Lady Kamilla and telephoned to the Coastguard to discuss launching.

Maroons were fired and at 0044 Frank Penfold Marshall launched on service.

The weather was very bad with winds south west strong gale to storm, force 9 to 10, poor visibility and a phenomenally high sea. Tide was 2 hours flood.

Padstow lifeboat headed for the position of the casualty and at 0215 Coxswain Warnock fired a parachute flare.This was not seen by the casualty, but was reported by St Ives lifeboat and by HMS Sherington. Lady Kamilla was then asked to fire a red flare, but this was not seen by the lifeboat and Lady Kamilla's captain reported that it was not a good flare and that conditions aboard were now very bad. At 0218 he informed Trevose Head Coastguard that he was having to abandon ship.

St Ives lifeboat had been heading north towards the reported position of the casualty. At 0225, when she was 14 miles north of St Ives Head, a message was received from the Coastguard that red flares had been reported off Portreath/Porthtowan and the lifeboat was asked to investigate. Coxswain Thomas Cocking altered course to the south east. At 0255, the lifeboat was on a south east heading at full speed when Assistant Mechanic David Smith, standing on the coxswain's right, suddenly saw a 'wall of water' to starboard and shouted, 'Look out!'. Coxswain Cocking looked up through the top of the canopy and saw the wave breaking.

He estimated its height at 30 to 35 feet.

He shouted to the crew, 'Hold on!' and immediately put his arms through the spokes of the wheel and held on to the binnacle, in a semi-crouched position, to lock his hold on the wheel. His right leg was hooked between the legs of his stool.

The wave broke down on to the starboard side of the lifeboat, rolling her to port. Second Coxswain John Perkin, standing on the coxswain's left, remained jammed against the port side of the cockpit. Emergency Mechanic John Thomas, standing behind the coxswain, remained jammed between the coxswain's seat and the after end box.

David Smith, was wrenched off the starboard guardrail, to which he was holding, and thrown to port. Motor Mechanic Philip Penberthy remained in the radar seat. Both Signalman Eric Ward, who had been standing behind John Perkin to port, and Assistant Mechanic Smith found themselves 'floating' and thought they had been thrown out of the lifeboat. David Smith felt John Thomas and the coxswain beneath him. Radio Operator Thomas Cocking, Jnr, on the starboard seat under the canopy, stood on the side of the battery box cover, jammed his head and shoulders under the starboard deckhead of the canopy and held on to the handrail. From this position he saw the entire cockpit fill with water except for a small air pocket, in which was his own head.

The boat seemed to hang in this position, which is thought to have been approaching a 90 degree roll. As Coxswain Cocking's eyes cleared he looked forward and realised the port navigation light was submerged. He left the throttles at full speed and the boat seemed to slide down the back of the wave in this attitude before righting herself. Both side-dodgers had been carried away inboard and the boat quickly drained the top four feet of water. The remainder took a little longer.

The wind was estimated by Coxswain Cocking at west south west force 9 to 10, which corresponds with recorded anemometer readings at Isles of Scilly, Lands End and St Mawgan. It had been blowing steadily from the south west at force 5 to 8 since December 21 and had gradually increased throughout December 23.

The tide at this point should have been running against the wind 230° at 0.8 knots. The depth of water would have been about 55 metres and there were no significant fluctuations in the bottom in that area, the shallowest patch being about 49 metres.

The radar and MF radio were swamped and put out of action but the VHP remained working and Coxswain Cocking continued searching off Porthtowan until 0630, when the search in this area was called off and concentrated in the area of the original position given. In view of the damage she had sustained to her electronic equipment, St Ives lifeboat was recalled to station. Frank Penfold Marshall entered harbour at 0700 and was re-carriaged and placed on restricted service at 0800.

Meanwhile, Padstow lifeboat had arrived at the search area at 0320 and started a box search to the north and north east.

At 0610 the staff coxswain in command of Clovelly lifeboat, Michael Houchen, was requested by Hartland Coastguard to search three to five miles offshore from Hartland Point down to Pentire Point to look for survivors from Lady Kamilla. City of Bristol left her moorings five minutes later and searched the coast area until 1130 when she was directed to carry out a box search off Trevose Head. At 1224 a Nimrod aircraft sighted wreckage 24 miles west north west of Trevose Head and City of Bristol was diverted to investigate. At 1347 the coxswain sighted wreckage about four miles east of the position given and picked up a number of gas cylinders which were identified as belonging to the casualty.

Coxswain Warnock, in Padstow lifeboat, was continuing his search under very difficult conditions. At 1430 it was reported that two survivors had been picked up from a liferaft by a helicopter in a position about 20 miles to the north. As Padstow lifeboat could not arrive at this new search area before dark she was recalled by the Coastguard. She arrived back at station at 1512 and was rehoused and ready for service at 1600.

Clovelly lifeboat was diverted at 1530 to the position where the two survivors were found in the dinghy and continued to search this area, together with a helicopter, until 1715 when the search was called off because of darkness.

City of Bristol, after sheltering for the night in Lundy Island Roads,returned to her moorings at Clovelly the following morning at 0810.

For this service the silver medal for gallantry has been awarded to Coxswain Thomas Cocking of St Ives and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Second Coxswain John N. Perkin, Motor Mechanic Philip P. Penberthy, Assistant Mechanic David L. Smith, Emergency Mechanic John B. Thomas, Signalman Eric T. Ward and Radio Operator Thomas Cocking, Jnr. In the highest traditions of the RNLI, their devotion to duty was such that they refrained from advising either the Coastguard or the honorary secretary of the degree of roll they had experienced or of their subsequent discomfort and exhaustion, but had continued with the service. All that was really appreciated on shore was the damage to equipment. Letters of appreciation signed by the director, Captain Nigel Dixon, RN, have been sent to the honorary secretary Coxswain Antony Warnock and his crew of Padstow, and Staff Coxswain Michael Houchen of Clovelly lifeboat and his crew..