by J Mock

Created on: October 05, 2008   Last Updated: January 22, 2010

On the stormy night of 19th December 1981, eight local men from Mousehole Village in Cornwall, England boarded the wooden lifeboat, Solomon Browne, to aid a stricken vessel off-shore. Although the lifeboat and her crew would reach the helpless coaster, the Union Star, against all odds, the sea would never allow the Solomon Browne, or her crew to return home.

Even in the face of atrocious weather conditions, the eight brave and experienced volunteers left Penlee Point to cross the perilous seas of Mounts Bay, en route to answer a mayday call from a ship in distress in the sea off Lands End.

In the pitch black of the night the lifeboat battled 50ft waves and winds reaching hurricane force 12 (between 80-100mph) to reach the broken down cargo vessel, which was on its maiden voyage towards Ireland from Holland.

The crew, led by coxswain William Richards, reached the Union Star as it dangerously lurched and rolled towards the rocks of Boscawen Cove and attempted to rescue the eight persons aboard. The lifeboat crew, having already rescued four people, launched a final attempt to save the remaining four, but it is at this point that all radio contact ceased from the lifeboat. The tragic bravery of these selfless volunteers was to no avail, and all hands of both vessels were claimed by the sea.

Additional rescue attempts from the Sennon Cove and St Mary's (Isles of Scilly) lifeboats and a sea-king helicopter from RAF Culdrose were hampered by the extreme weather conditions, and could not reach either the lifeboat or the coaster, before the vessels and crew were lost.

Remnants of the lifeboat were found washed ashore in the following days, and the Union Star ran aground on rocks near Tatar Du Lighthouse. Search and rescue teams eventually recovered eight bodies, the remaining souls rest peacefully in the ocean.

The crew of the Solomon Browne:

Trevelyan Richards - 56 years

James Stephen Madron - 35 years

Barrie Torrie - 33 years

Charles Greenhaugh - 46 years

Gary Wallis - 23 years

Nigel Brockman - 43 years

John Blewett - 43 years

Kevin Smith - 23 years

The crew and passengers of the Union Star:

- Henry Moreton, his wife and two daughters.

- Four crew members.

The following inquiry into the events could not portion blame on any party, but concluded that it was an unfortunate occurrence, as a result of the arduous weather conditions.

In memory to those who lost their lives on this fateful night, the Christmas lights in Mousehole are switched off at 8pm each anniversary as a mark of respect to the lost souls.

Why did these men risk life and limb? Because they believed in a duty of care to aid those in need and volunteered themselves whenever the need arose, but the sea has no regard for duty or care, and on that fateful night in December '81 they gave their lives, though never to be forgotten.

Source: http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/Mousehole/penlee_lifeboat .htm

Learn more about this author, J Mock.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.