1 A landmark anniversary of one of the worst disasters in Scarborough lifeboat’s history is coming up next month. Three crew died when the ECJR lifeboat overturned in the south bay in a terrible storm on 8 December 1954. In atrocious conditions, with enormous waves and a howling gale, the lifeboat had been at sea all afternoon, escorting fishing boats back to the harbour. With its rescue work complete, the ECJR was engulfed by waves and capsized close to the harbour mouth. The deaths of coxswain Jack Sheader, second coxswain John Cammish and signalman Francis Bayes devastated their families and numbed the whole town with shock and grief. Every year since then, the anniversary of the tragedy has been marked by a commemorative church service remembering those three in particular but also other lifeboat crew who have perished at sea. They include Frank Dalton, who died in a horrific accident in tumultuous seas on 9 December 1951. On Sunday 7 December, on the eve of the 60th anniversary, a sandstone plaque will be unveiled by eye-witness and Scarborough RNLI standard bearer Ross Tyson. Mr Tyson, 82, recalls that he was off-duty in his role as a coastguard watch-keeper at the castle, and watched the tragedy unfold from the lifeboathouse slipway. He later joined the lifeboat shore crew as tractor driver and head launcher, and was on the crew of the station’s first inshore lifeboat. The plaque, paid for with an anonymous donation, is to be positioned on a stone ledge on the fishermen’s aisle. The service is due to begin at 6.30pm. Hoping to attend is Jack Sheader’s daughter Sally Bullamore, whose story will be read out by Rachel Jenkinson. A second service will be held on the seafront the following day, at 3pm. The lifeboat will launch for the final time from the current lifeboathouse, which will soon be demolished and replaced. A bagpiper will play a lament as one of the longest serving crew members, Peter Billingsley, lowers the RNLI flag. The lifeboat will put to sea for the crew to lay a wreath in the harbour mouth. “It will be a service of thanksgiving for everyone who hasn’t returned safely to shore,” says lifeboat operations manager John Senior. 2 One of the worst days in the history of Scarborough RNLI began with a storm brewing. As it grew worse, the ECJR lifeboat was launched, at 11.40am on 8 December 1954, to help fishing boats known to be at sea. In rough seas and a south-easterly gale, the lifeboat started by escorting the Venture, a coble with one man aboard, into the harbour. Ten other fishing boats were known to be at sea, to the north, so the lifeboat went out again and eventually escorted all but three to safety. At 3.20pm, the ECJR put out to sea again, to look for the missing boats. By that time, the gale had become severe and was blowing against an ebb tide, causing steep, breaking waves up to 15ft high. Heavy cloud, driving spray and sleet greatly reduced visibility. News was then received that the three missing boats had all reached Whitby, so the ECJR was recalled. The lifeboat headed for the harbour on a north-westerly course, with the wind and heavy seas astern, the crew streaming a drogue (anchor) astern to steady the boat. Coxswain Jack Sheader and another crewman were at the wheel and slowly, carefully, worked the lifeboat closer and closer to the harbour entrance. As a particularly heavy wave was seen coming up astern, the engines were eased right back, until the wave passed and then they were run at half-speed again. At 4.45pm, as the lifeboat approached the harbour for the eighth time that fateful day, when it was only about 200 yards away from safety, a gigantic wave smashed right over the boat. The coxswain, who saw it coming, shouted for the engines to be put into neutral and for everyone to “hang on!” Almost completely submerged by the wave, the boat was driven forward for about 30 yards by a solid wall of water. The boat sheered to port. The next wave struck the boat on the port quarter. The ECJR capsized and both engines cut out immediately, as they were designed to do. The lifeboat righted itself in seconds, with three crew members still aboard. Two others were quickly hauled back on board. But as they tried to grab the hands of second coxswain John Cammish, the heavy seas swept him from their grasp. Cammish and Sheader were washed ashore shortly afterwards. They were rushed to hospital but died. Signalman Frank Bayes had received a severe blow to the forehead, possibly in the capsize, and his body was recovered a few hours later. The ECJR received only superficial damage; the engines and radio continued to work perfectly. Within 48 hours, a new crew had been formed, including all five survivors. The survivors were Ernie Eves, Bob Crawford, Mickey Scales, Jitta Sheader and Allan Rennard. The photos show the ill-fated ECJR lifeboat; a memorial service at the lifeboathouse a few days after the tragedy; and eye-witness Ross Tyson. (Words by Scarborough RNLI press officer Dave Barry.)
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 18:43:46 +0000
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