The day bells sang out for Blogg's boys Philip Thouless looks back 65 years to when he witnessed one of the finest hours of Cromer lif eboatmen — led by the renowned Coxswain Henry Blogg.

At 0400 on 13 December 1933, Cramer lifeboat got the call for help. A bitterly cold easterly gale had sprung up, bringing a real taste of Arctic conditions to the East coast town, creating gusts of up to 62mph. Famous coxswain Henry Blogg instinctively had slept none too well.

Blogg scrambled into his clothes and the town became alive as the lifeboatmen ran for the pier through driving rain. The boathouse was filled with activity and noise as the men donned oilskins and belts. The engines burst into life and the H F Bailey slid down the slipway into the angry seas.

Drenched The call was for the sailbarge Glenway. With two men and a boy on board she had been driven ashore at Happisburgh. She was in too shallow water for the lifeboat to approach so Blogg stood by until dawn when the barge was high enough on the beach for the men to get ashore. As there was no hope of rehousing the lifeboat at Cromer and it was now 0800, Blogg decided to carry on to Gorleston and refuel. Wave after wave swept the boat and the cold and drenched clothing made every man long for shelter.

During this time a disaster was happening off Cromer. The 65 ton barge Sepoy had anchored two miles east of Cromer pier to ride out the storm. The terrible gale and enormous seas made her anchors drag and she moved slowly towards the shore.

The elderly captain and his mate worked in driving rain to stop the drift but it was to no avail. By now water was spilling over the deck and, as the crew took to the rigging, the barge struck bottom and grounded in a rush of foam.

Coastguards alerted the reserve lifeboat Alexandra. A scratch crew of lifeboatmen and fishermen assembled, and were joined by volunteer launchers. Many launchers were waist deep in the icy sea before the boat was pushed into the waves.

But despite the terrific effort she was flung back onto the beach, spilling her crew into the surf. She was again launched.

This time she was afloat, but in spite of much swearing, pulling and panting, she was once more tossed onto the beach. The lifeboat was then hauled half a mile along the beach and, by double banking some of the oars, she was launched.

Desperate Cromer townfolk were on the beach helping and praying for the two cold, desperate men on the barge. The spray and wind threatened to tear them from the rigging. The lifesaving team were in action - three lines had been fired only to be blown back. The fourth, however, had fallen across the stern of the barge. The captain and the mate climbed down into the spray and together got the line into the rigging.

Fate was against them. As they dragged the lifesaving rope, the struggling lifeboat was swept past by the force of the sea and fouled the rope, which parted. Cheers of the watchers were now replaced by groans as the lifeboat, for the third and last time, was flung onto the beach.

The two men in the rigging climbed higher to escape the bitterly cold sea and the hatchway burst open flooding the hold.

Distance The Coastguard had tried in vain to contact H F Bailey, and had alerted Gorleston, who had sent out their lifeboat to meet Blogg. Meeting eight miles out, Blogg was now faced with a return journey of 20 miles in the face of a fierce, freezing gale.

For three and a half hours they battled north against seas that continually tried to snatch the entire crew overboard.

Blogg said that this was the worst journey of his 24 years experience as coxswain. When the people on Cromer cliffs saw the lifeboat returning in the distance, cheer after cheer was heard. This cheer brought new life to the lifeboatmen who had almost given up the struggle to live as they were so numb from exposure.

The Sepoy was 200 yards from the beach in an area filled with a seething mass of water.

Dashed Blogg's hopes of anchoring to windward and drifting down on the wreck were dashed as he realised he would foul the Sepoy's anchors and cables. The only possibility was to get the lifeboat alongside the barge on the beach side, the biggest danger being that a wave might catch them when they turned broadside. Blogg tried to get between the barge and the breakers but the force of the water was too powerful and the lifeboat was swept past the wreck. Once more Blogg tried and failed...

Blogg, seeing the Alexandra on the beach, knew she had tried and failed. So in spite of the great strain he had endured since 0400, he brought the helm round and moved in once more. This time they were close enough for a grapnel to be flung which caught in the rigging and was fastened.

But a mountain of water picked up the H F Bailey and smashed her into the Sepoy, holing the lifeboat and breaking the line. Blogg realising that the men had been exposed to icy water and wind for eight hours and could not last much longer, took the only chance left. He swung his boat and, from the lee side, pointed his bows at the barge driving straight at the wreck.

The lifeboat's bows rose on a wave and crashed down onto the Sepoy, holding just long enough for the barely conscious mate to be dragged aboard. Before they could reach the captain an enormous sea lifted the H F Bailey and swept her off the Sepoy.

Blogg had no wish to repeat the dangerous manoeuvre but had no choice. For a second time, by brilliant seamanship, he drove the lifeboat on to the wreck and the captain was snatched to safety. Again the sea lifted the lifeboat off but with her stem now broken off. sea was pouring in her sides.

Decision Blogg was faced with another decision - he was short of fuel and Gorleston was 28 miles away. The journey might prove fatal to the rescued men and the lifeboat crew were exhausted after their 12 hour ordeal. Blogg decided to bring the HF Bailey round and beach her. With a grinding jolt she grounded and men ran into the icy sea to steady her with ropes.

The Sepoy's men were helped out of the lifeboat and the mate was taken to hospital.

Henry Blogg and his men were cheered and from Cromer's church tower came a crash of bells that pealed in joy and pride for her lifeboat crews..