Broken in two A MESSAGE from HM Coastguard was received by New Brighton lifeboat station at 1438 on Saturday July 11 to say that a motorboat, Mary, was in trouble off New Brighton bathing pool; she was taking in water.

The lifeboat crew were already at the boathouse making ready for the dedication ceremony the next week of their new Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat.

Maroons were fired at 1440 and the lifeboat was launched from Portland Slip at 1445 under the command of Helmsman Ian Campbell; with him were Crew Members Anthony Jones, Michael Jones and Robert Robertson.

It was a fine afternoon, but a fresh breeze, force 5, was blowing from the west north west and the sea was very rough. It was just after low water.

The lifeboat first made for the position she had been given off the bathing pool, where there were a number of pleasure boats. Seeing one boat with a fishing party on board which appeared to be lying low by the stern, Helmsman Campbell went alongside, but it was not this vessel which needed help.

At this point, Helmsman Campbell decided that Mary must be further out to sea and further to the west, so he set off in that direction at full speed. While on the way, he received information from the coastguard that Mary, a 30ft ex-ship's lifeboat, was lying between Askew Spit and Little Burbo Bank, six miles north north west, and she was being pounded by heavy surf; there were two people on board.

The Atlantic 21 found Mary at 1522.

The owner's wife was taken on board the lifeboat and an attempt made to tow the casualty into calmer water. Very little headway could be made, however, as the boat was still taking water and her pumps could not clear it. Helmsman Campbell decided that Mary should drop anchor and the owner be taken off. On the way back to station a request was made for an ambulance.After landing the two people at 1605, the lifeboat returned to Mary with the idea of taking her in tow again, but she had taken in much more water and it was decided to leave her and return to station. The Atlantic 21 was back at the slip at 1705 and was washed down, refuelled and ready for service at 1745. By now Mary, which had been on passage from the Isle of Man to Birkenhead, was under water with only her mast visible and she was later found to have broken in two.

For this service, a letter signed by Cdr Bruce Cairns, chief of operations, expressing appreciation to Helmsman Ian M. Campbell and his crew was sent to the station Honorary Secretary, Captain J. A. Billington..