spIRIt Storyteller, boatman and hero Anglesey has seen more than its fair share of difficult rescues. Carol Waterkeyn hears how Margaret O’Leary’s grandfather played a pivotal role This year marks the 80th anniversary of an outstanding rescue by Moelfre’s pulling and sailing lifeboat, the Charles and Eliza Laura. She was launched in violent gales at around 3pm on 28 October 1927 to go to the aid of the struggling ketch, Excel.

Margaret O’Leary’s grandfather, Captain William Roberts, was Acting Coxswain that night and he is no mythical hero from the past. She remembers him fondly from when she was a little girl. Margaret says: ‘He was a great storyteller. He used to sit on the beach with his boat, and people would take the trouble to come to meet him and to shake his hand and he would speak of the lifeboat’s rescues and tell tales of the sea.’ He would take his grandchildren fishing and Margaret and her brother John would hear these fascinating stories too.

Memories William Roberts lived his whole life in the village of Moelfre, Anglesey. When not on the lifeboat, he sailed his own ketch, The Frances, which he worked along the coast of Wales and across to Ireland, carrying coal, wheat and other cargoes. Later, he worked as a coastguard. He and his wife Elizabeth had two children, Elsie (Margaret and John’s mother) and Thomas, and lived in the cottage that William had built.

William’s descendents still own that cottage and it holds many reminders of William’s years as a lifeboat crew member, including his Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal certificates. Nor has the community forgotten: the nearby lifeboat station houses replicas of William’s and other crew members’ medals and many historical photos.

When Margaret makes the journey from her present home of landlocked Warrington, memories come flooding back of their happy times together and she and all the family are immensely proud of what her grandfather did. But what exactly did he do? The rescue The weather was extremely cold and the sea menacing as William Roberts took the helm of the Moelfre lifeboat in 1927. He was joined by Captain Owen Jones as Acting Second Coxswain and 13 crew, one of whom by coincidence also named William Roberts.

The Life-boat journal of that time states: ‘[Captain Roberts] took charge, having with him Captain Jones, who, although not a regular member of the Life-boat Crew, as he is otherwise occupied, goes out when he can, and is always ready to put his local knowledge and experience at the service of the Life-boat.’ William Roberts must have been relieved to have his sterling support during this fateful service.

The lifeboat had received a message from Point Lynas that a vessel was in distress about 3½ miles from their lighthouse. After getting a more exact location from pilot vessels sheltering under the Point, Roberts made haste and, after 2½ hours of sailing, reached the Excel around 5.30pm. She was in a helpless state and tethered to a German steamer, which itself was in trouble and unable to help the ketch or her crew. As soon as the lifeboat arrived, the steamer cut the Excel free with the crew of three still onboard. The ketch pitched to leeward and the lifeboat attempted to get alongside.

This first attempt failed. Conditions were so bad and the ketch so waterlogged that it was obvious the vessel and its crew could not last much longer. Drastic action was needed and the Captains Roberts and Jones made the difficult decision to take the Charles and Eliza Laura, under full sail, right over the sinking craft. There was a huge risk of wrecking the lifeboat; but the brave gamble paid off and heavy seas carried them right onto the Excel’s upper deck. The three casualties were hauled aboard and the lifeboat was swept back by another wave. Shortly afterwards the ketch sank.

Stamina But this was no rousing triumph: one of the rescued seamen died in the lifeboat of injuries he received during the transfer. Later, such were the horrendous conditions that Crew Member William Roberts collapsed and died of exposure. The lifeboat too had been badly damaged; she was holed, full of water and her jib badly torn, making sailing almost impossible. She struggled towards the Menai Straits beating against the gale and arrived at Puffin Island about 2am, some 11 hours after she had set out from Moelfre. On land, the telephone and telegraph had failed several hours earlier so, although the Beaumaris lifeboat launched to look for them, the moored craft was thought not to be in difficulty, and their potential rescuers returned to station.

The exhausted and now apparently helpless crew remained at anchor until daylight when they were finally recovered by the motor lifeboat from Beaumaris, reaching safety at 8.30am. Margaret comments: ‘It is incredible to think that during the whole rescue, my grandfather remained at the tiller.’ She continues: ‘For some hours after the ordeal, he was completely blind from saltwater spray, the wind and the strain of watching all night. In fact the whole crew are recorded as suffering from exhaustion and needing medical attention.’ Captains Roberts and Jones both received the RNLI’s highest accolade, the Gold Medal, for their courage and leadership in the face of very grave danger. Their crew received Bronze Medals (Crew Member Roberts posthumously) and a Letter of Thanks went to Mr and Mrs Musgrave of the Bulkeley Arms Hotel, Beaumaris, who took in the crew while they recovered from their ordeal.

A tale of three William Roberts The William Roberts who so sadly died during the rescue will never be forgotten.

His devotion to duty cost him his life yet his legacy lives on through his great grandson, William. This third William Roberts was Coxswain of the Moelfre lifeboat in the 1970s and 80s and received the MBE. Margaret has met more of her lifeboating relations in later life and has found out more about the crew who served in 1927. She is thrilled that, in true Moelfre, Roberts and indeed RNLI spirit, villagers are to hold a commemorative service for them all on 28 October this year.

(For more information, contact Margaret on 07817 083084. Readers of Offshore can find out more about Moelfre in this quarter’s Spotlight section.) .