Post by Administrator on Jan 3, 2007 20:27:44 GMT
Monday April 23rd 2007 will commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Samtampa and Mumbles Lifeboat tragedy in which all 39 crew of Samtampa were lost along with the 8 crew of the Mumbles lifeboat, Edward Prince of Wales, which set out to rescue the men as the ship broke into three pieces after coming ashore at Sker Point, Porthcawl.
Two services have been planned, one at Porthcawl on Saturday 21st April at the All Saint's Church in Porthcawl and hopefully depending on the weather a visit to Sker Point where the ship came ashore. The second service is to be held on the Monday 23rd at the All Saint's Church at Mumbles itself.
(Yes both churches are named the same)
For more details for the service at Mumbles contact Mr. Roy Griffiths, Lifeboat Station Operation Manager.
For more details for the service at Porthcawl contact Mr. John David who was on duty the night of the tragedy.
I also have contact with a family member from Whitby whose relative Robert Weatherhill was lost from the Samtampa. She is hoping to organise a coach trip from the North-East if enough interest can be found as 25 of those lost included ten men from Middlesbrough, four from Whitby, two each from Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and Staithes and one each from South Bank, Skelton, Bishop Auckland, Hartlepool and Thornaby. Brian Lees, now living in Canada, who I have contact with lost his brother Herbert from the ship and is flying over for the service. I found his brother's family for him last year after a story appeared in the local Evening Gazette.
I am hoping to attend at least one of the services, preferably at Sker Point, Porthcawl to lay a MN wreath where Samtampa came ashore. (Tide and weather permitting I plan to walk out and leave the wreath on the site, if not will drop into the sea)
In 2006 I handed over two brass memorial plaques to the Redcar & Whitby Lifeboat
Museums, which I had made naming and commemorating all 47 men lost in this tragic event.
Regards, Billy McGee Mem. No. 1277
Two services have been planned, one at Porthcawl on Saturday 21st April at the All Saint's Church in Porthcawl and hopefully depending on the weather a visit to Sker Point where the ship came ashore. The second service is to be held on the Monday 23rd at the All Saint's Church at Mumbles itself.
(Yes both churches are named the same)
For more details for the service at Mumbles contact Mr. Roy Griffiths, Lifeboat Station Operation Manager.
For more details for the service at Porthcawl contact Mr. John David who was on duty the night of the tragedy.
I also have contact with a family member from Whitby whose relative Robert Weatherhill was lost from the Samtampa. She is hoping to organise a coach trip from the North-East if enough interest can be found as 25 of those lost included ten men from Middlesbrough, four from Whitby, two each from Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and Staithes and one each from South Bank, Skelton, Bishop Auckland, Hartlepool and Thornaby. Brian Lees, now living in Canada, who I have contact with lost his brother Herbert from the ship and is flying over for the service. I found his brother's family for him last year after a story appeared in the local Evening Gazette.
I am hoping to attend at least one of the services, preferably at Sker Point, Porthcawl to lay a MN wreath where Samtampa came ashore. (Tide and weather permitting I plan to walk out and leave the wreath on the site, if not will drop into the sea)
In 2006 I handed over two brass memorial plaques to the Redcar & Whitby Lifeboat
Museums, which I had made naming and commemorating all 47 men lost in this tragic event.
Regards, Billy McGee Mem. No. 1277