Trawler listing THE DEPUTY LAUNCHING AUTHORITY of Plymouth lifeboat station was advised by HM Coastguard at 1030 on Wednesday February 15 that the fishing vessel Elly Gerda, ten miles south west of Rame Head, had taken water indeteriorating weather and reported herself as in a desperate situation. The frigate HMS Sirius was standing by and the lifeboat was requested to launch.

Maroons were fired and, at 1050, Plymouth's 44ft Waveney class lifeboat Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse II left Millbay Docks with Acting Coxswain Patrick Marshall in command.

The wind was east south east force 6, visibility was fair and it was high water on a neap tide.

The Coastguard suggested a course of 238°M to steer from Penlee Point and after about five miles on this course HMS Sirius was sighted on the starboard bow. Course was altered to intercept and the lifeboat passed under the frigate's stern at about 1145 taking station close on the port quarter of the casualty. Elly, Gerda had a 10 to 15 degree list to port and was awash amidships.

Hearing by VHP that her skipper was making for Looe the lifeboat replied that the forecast was for worsening conditions from the south east and because the holding ground in Looe Roads was poor and the trawler would be obliged to wait until 2230 before entering the exposed harbour over a dangerous bar, it would be wiser to set course for Fowey. Elly Gerda, however, continued towards Looe at 2 to 3 knots. HMS Walkerton now relieved HMS Sirius as 'on scene commander'.

By the time of arrival off Looe Island, at about 1315, the wind had reached gale force 8 and, with a depth of water of about 30 feet, the seas were steep. The lifeboat stood by while the trawler made her anchor ready for letting go and HMS Walkerton departed.

When Elly Gerda had anchored at about 1440, using 90 fathoms of trawling warp, the lifeboat also tried to anchor; but, with half her cable veered, the anchor failed to hold and so Acting Coxswain Marshall decided to change his position. The lifeboat was in 16 feet of water and Motor Mechanic Cyril Alcock, who was working the windlass, was constantly covered by water coming over the bow. The wind was now bordering on strong gale force 9, with driving rain.

As soon as the anchor was recovered and stowed the lifeboat asked the Coastguard whether a mooring buoy between the trawler and Looe Island would take the weight of the lifeboat and, on being told it would, secured to it. The acting coxswain set anchor watch while his crew sheltered below.

He was relieved an hour later, at about 1600, by Motor Mechanic Alcock and, after another hour, with the wind gusting to storm force 10, a very heavy sea was running and the mooring began to drag. The lifeboat therefore slipped and steamed dead slow into the weather.

Visibility now became very poor in heavy snow and and it was almost dark. The acting coxswain asked the Coastguard to arrange for a cottage on Looe Island to keep a light on all night so that the lifeboat could use it as a reference point to keep herself clear of the Rennies, rocks which extend south east from the island. He and Motor Mechanic Alcock then took turn about on the wheel. The wind was now force 10 to 11 with heavy snow and it was very cold on the upper deck.

At about 1945 the skipper of the trawler told the lifeboat that his anchor was dragging and that he intended to steam south east and anchor again. The tide was about half flood and Acting Coxswain Marshall warned the trawler that she should not go too far south east because of the Rennies. The message was acknowledged, but the trawler stood on. The acting coxswain told her she should stop her engines and then steamed to take station on her port quarter as the trawler seemed to alter south west and still steamed ahead.

The lifeboat entered foam and broken water coming over the reef as the trawler ran aground on the Rennies and called for the lifeboat to come in and take off her crew.

Seas breaking over the reef were falling on the casualty's foredeck and washing in over her port side. All her deck lights were on but her anchor wire was trailing out on her starboard quarter so that the lifeboat was obliged to approach on her weather side.

Motor Mechanic Alcock and Crew Member M. Foster positioned themselves on the starboard foredeck but could not get anyone off on the first approach. On the second approach the bows of the lifeboat struck the trawling gallows as a sea set her on the casualty's quarter. The lifeboat rose above Elly Gerda's stern and then the flare of her bow fell on to her bulwarks. Acting Coxswain Marshall kept his port engine half ahead, starboard slow astern, with starboard wheel on, to keep from being set round the casualty's stern on to her anchor wire. He could not move his bows further along the trawler's side for fear of hitting the rocks himself and of striking his wheelhouse on the gallows, so he kept his bows into the gallows.

He could see nothing of the stern of the trawler because he was dazzled by her afterdeck light and the spray on the wheelhouse windows.

Motor Mechanic Alcock, holding on with one arm, hauled one of the casualty's crew aboard, then as a large sea struck the lifeboat's port side and threw the bow against the gallows, he grabbed a second survivor and hauled him aboard. The lifeboat's bows had been extensively and deeply dented but their watertight integrity had not been breached.

Acting Coxswain Marshall took the boat astern again to make a third approach. As Crew Member Foster brought the second man aft, however, he said that his skipper had gone overboard.

Acting Coxswain Marshall immediately order parachute flares to be fired. These revealed no one in the water but showed that the trawler's bows were against a vertical rock face.The skipper then came up on VHP saying he was still on board and that he intended to remain there as he thought he would wash clear of the rocks. After a few minutes he did wash clear and steamed eastwards, towing his anchor.

It was just after 2000 and he said he would steam around and try to recover his anchor before attempting to cross the bar at about 2200. The seas were very steep and at times the trawler was lost to view, but she was successfully guided clear of the rocks by radioed instructions from the lifeboat. Her skipper then went on deck and hauled on the wire and eventually succeeded in recovering his anchor.

The lifeboat pumped oil over the bar before the trawler started in and then took up station on her starboard quarter.

As soon as the trawler was safely over the bar the lifeboat followed under three-quarter throttle. Two fishermen boarded the trawler to pilot her up harbour and the lifeboat then secured alongside her to transfer her crew on board. It was 2200.

After an hour ashore for much needed refreshment, the lifeboat departed from Looe at 2315. The south east whole gale was still blowing and the lifeboat encountered very heavy seas, especially on the bar and rounding Rame Head. She entered Millbay Docks at 0020 and, after refuelling, returned to her moorings and was ready for service at 0120.

For this service the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Acting Coxswain Patrick J. Marshall and Motor Mechanic Cyril Alcock. Medal service certificates were presented to Crew Members Michael Foster and Ivor Lovering..