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We try to publish as many comments as we can but unfortunately, due to the volume of comments we receive every day, we cannot guarantee that all comments submitted will be published
Jamie Sims, Cumbria
My great uncle crash landed his Hampden plane in Cardigan Bay on the morning of 1st Aug 1940 after running out of fuel. I believe his body was picked up by the crew of the Frederick Angus. Can anyone shed any more on this story please? I understand he was a very strong swimmer and had left the wreckage to get help. The motor boat 'Emerald Star' picked up the two survivors and one other body.
Thu Jun 4 16:32:20 2009
Godfrey Jones, Stamford ,Lincs
I have in front of me the photo of the 1889 lifeboat Elizabeth Lloyd and my Dadcu is 3rd from the left, back row. Can anybody tell me what happened on 7th October 1889 when they went to help the barque Arklow during a 'fearfull storm'?
Sun May 3 19:40:40 2009
Paul Grice
I know this enquiry on the web was some time ago, but my uncle, Lesley Grice went down on the Aquila, and I have done a bit of research, finding out the U boat captains name and history, I have a postcard of the U boat that sank the Aquila and a couple of years ago, I sat next to a survivor of the sinking at a Battle of the Atlantic dinner.
Wed Apr 29 14:39:20 2009
Cathy Woodrow Liverpool
My granddad, Norman Woodrow, was ships cook -merchant navy- aboard the SS Aguila when it was torpedoed in 1941. He was aged 28.
Wed Feb 18 15:11:25 2009
Brian George, Mynydd Isa
i have now found the photo of my late father-in-law(rex owens)at the launching ceremory of the aguila wren.behind him strung between masts are signal flags.does anyone know what they mean?i also whilst serching in the loft i found a silver tea pot from the aguila.
Thu Dec 11 10:23:21 2008
Brian George
My father in law Rex Owens handed over the aguila wren ,on behalf of yoeward brothers the owners of SS Aguila sunk during the war.in which a company of wrens drowned.the ship was a passenger cargo vessal which sailed with sister ships between liverpool and the canarries from 1900 until the 1950,s
Thu Sep 11 10:32:18 2008
Derrick Wren from Tucson Arizona
Just looking for the geneology of the Wren family.
Mon May 19 09:11:40 2008
Dave Richards from Stafford
Baden Davies was my uncle through his second marriage and I stayed with him and my aunt during the main school holidays in the late 50's,early 60's. I remember well one Bank Holiday Monday, they launched the Lifeboat for as a bit of PR for the crowds and Uncle Baden took me on board for this occasion. I can only remember it was a hot day and the beach was crowded and for a lad of 11 it was fantastic and a great honour. My father told me that in the olden days when they did this display Uncle Baden's brother who was a champion swimmer in his time - I was told he held the record at one time for swimming Bala - would "accidentally" fall off the end of the Pier and have to be rescued by the Lifeboat. I had many good times down there with my uncle on the fishing boats.He was a character to say the least, you do not get many like him today.
Thu Aug 9 17:05:00 2007
Ron Davies A/B ex HMS Southdown
No relation to lifeboat crew, but I admire their guts and determination on the night in question. I was a seaman on board HMS SOUTHDOWN at that time. The seas were some of the worst I was in and we did a lot of North Sea work during the war, but those life boat crews were magnificent. Good luck to them all.
Wed Aug 8 17:12:17 2007
R.Hutchings Jones. West Kirby
Looking through the pics I find a photo of myself in the 50/60's with the Aquila Wren. I am retired now after serving 49 years with Aber, Hoylake, @ West Kirby RNLI.
Remember me to Alan Blair Ronnie Hutch.
Sun Jan 7 20:09:34 2007
John Jefferies from Fresno, CA USA
Marvelous account and photos. My grandfather and several others were saved off Swansea in 1913 by a RNLI boat. Makes me proud to be of Welsh descent.
Thu Sep 28 09:43:17 2006
Dave of Melksham
I remember the Aguila Wren and the palaver in launching. Once the maroon was fired, there would be a pause while the lifeboat was dragged from its shed in Queen's Road along Bath Street (or Portland Street), Terrace Road (Windy Corner) to the Prom, where it was launched as in photo number 6. I was convinced it was done that way to give us kids time to get to the Prom to see the launch.
Fri Mar 24 22:03:23 2006
Emlyn Edwards, Solihull
As a small boy growing up in Aber in the 1930s, the harbour was magic. I spent so much of my time there playing in the boats, helping or most likely getting in the way. When my Uncle Jack Johnson was home, he had a boat called the Stella and I used to go out with him. At one time, he and Baden had a boat called the King George V which once caught fire and I think was rescued by the lifeboat, but as that was over 70 years ago my memory is not quite as clear as it used to be.
I have in front of me a photograph of the 1889 lifeboat (the original i gave to the Nat Library). My Dadcu is 4th from the left sitting on the top. I have always been immensly proud of him. My dad spent 18 years at sea on Q boats Minesweepers and took part in the raid on Zeebrugge on St George's day 1918. He had the clasp given to him as one of the crews who swept the North Sea after the war. He wasn't one to blow his trumpet and i'm sure that people who saw him as a shy retiring man had no idea what he had done. Anyway I went to sea as an apprentice with Houlder Brother. My first ship the Empire Balfour was captained by Walter Smail whose daughter Heather was a WREN and was lost when the Aquilla went down. He was one of the guests when the Aquilla Wren was commissioned back in 1952-53(?).
By that time I had left the sea after a very serious illness. I aked a policeman on duty whether I could pass through to have a word with Captain Smail, but he officiously refused.
Wed Mar 8 17:52:06 2006
Do you have any memories of the Aberystwyth lifeboat crew? Do you remember any dramatic rescues? Add your thoughts and comments here:
