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In Britain, no-one is ever very far from the sea, and we are all aware how treacherous it can be to mariners. Countless seafarers owe their lives to the lifeboat service, which was established in 1824.It is worth remembering that until comparatively recently lifeboats were powered by oar and sail. Their crews had to row their open boats through mountainous surf out into open water, where they then raised their sails to do battle with the violent seas.
The stories of the Aldeburgh and Cromer lifeboatmen are typical of the bravery and persistence of the courageous lifeboat crews. In 1881, for example, the Aldeburgh boat stayed at sea in a dreadful snowstorm for almost 30 hours and travelled a total of 120 miles during the rescue mission. In the stormy December of 1899 the lifeboat was called to the aid of a stricken vessel that had run aground on the sands; she was suddenly struck broadside by two huge waves, causing 12 crewmen to the flung overboard. You can see the illustration below in the seafaring section of this, the Victorian Photographic Library website.
Six lifeboatmen perished, and the whole country was shocked by the disaster. Aldeburgh's most celebrated lifeboatman was James Cable, who was coxswain in 1888. He retired in 1917 after 50 years of service, during which he received three Silver Medals from the RNLI and the Norwegian Silver Medal. He was also presented with a silver cigarette case by a lady after he had saved her three daughters from drowning.
Henry Blogg, the most decorated lifeboatman in the history of the service, was the coxswain of the Cromer lifeboat from 1909 to 1947, earning three gold medals, four silver, the George Cross and the British Empire Medal. During his 53 years as a lifeboatman the Cromer boat saved 873 lives. In 1917 Henry Blogg and two other crew members earned silver medals in going to the assistance of the Swedish steamer 'Fernebo', which was blown in half after striking a mine in a terrific gale.
The Cromer crew had only just returned from saving another vessel, but they turned their boat around and without a word of complaint headed straight back into the heavy sea. In 1941 Blogg was washed out of the lifeboat while rescuing the crew of the 'English Trader' - he was 65, an age when most of us are feeling it is time we put our feet up for a well-earned rest.
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