Shipping

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

Busiest year in long history of Appledore lifeboat 05.10.1973

Appledore lifeboat service has had its busiest year since it was established in 1825. To date there have been 26 service calls in which 23 lives have been saved.

In one spell it made 5 rescues in four days. "We hardly stopped one week," said Mr Wickersham. On the recent call to the yacht Chong Peng, because of storm force winds and extra man was taken.

Picture shows left to right: R Cann (second coxswain), P Ford (helper), M Bowden, J Wills, R Fisher, B Williams (second mechanic), Eric Wartnaby, J Heard, J Pavitt, E Evans (mechanic), D Cox (coxswain), M Lee, S Dymond (helper), I Wickersham (secretary) and, kneeling, J Harris (helper).

Clovelly protests again about removal of shore lifeboat 29.03.1968

A chapter of very nearly 100 years ends in the history of the lifeboat service at Clovelly - amid renewed protest from the village.

Weather permitting the shore-based lifeboat leaves for Cowes that day and in future the R.N.L.I.'s 70ft cruising lifeboat, known as 70001, which is now on permanent duty in the Bristol Channel, will be responsible for the area previously covered by the Clovelly boat.

Because he disagrees with the decision to take away Clovelly's shore based lifeboat, the local chairman, Mr Jack Prince, intimated he was not seeking re-election.

Commander W. L. G. Dutton, Chief Inspector of Lifeboats, from headquarters, also stressed that the Clovelly committee had done everything anyone could expect to try to keep the boat.

Mr William Badcock, a local trawler owner, said a definite promise had been made to them that the 70001 would remain "on station" and not be away from the vicinity for two or three days on end and he wanted headquarters to know that local people were looking for this promise to be implemented.

Captain A. G. Sowman, is continuing as secretary of the station.

Lifeboatmen are to seek salvage 22nd December 1967

A claim for salvage is being made by Appledore lifeboatmen following the incident when they helped the 900 ton coaster "Woodlark" aground off Morte Point to safety.

Mr Ernest Carter, the lifeboat coxswain, and his crew are taking legal advice about the action, which would be independent of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The men themselves will have to foot the bill.

The Woodlark, which was carrying a cargo of wines, was aground for about 7 hours before the lifeboat, which had stood by, helped on a rising tide to pull her clear from the rocks about 20 minutes before the arrival of a tug. The ship reached Bristol under her own power although it was reported that her engines had been damaged.