To see a full view of the picture, scroll down to the end of this article.The idea for this essay came to me after being invited to attend a memorial service at All Saints Church Oystermouth. The service was one of Thanksgiving to Commemorate the 60th anniversary of the saving of the 42 Officers and Crew of HMCS Chebougue by the crew of the Mumbles Lifeboat on 11th October, 1944. Stranded on a sandbar off Port Talbot at night and in heavy seas, the Mumbles lifeboat miraculously rescued everyone aboard and this despite having two crew members in their seventies, another two in their sixties and a combined average age of 55. For that rescue the Coxswain William Gammon (1900-47) was given the highest award of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, its Gold Medal.
When attending the service in October 2004, I happened to glance up at one of the stained glass windows. I was at once struck by the design and wondered what had brought it about. I was looking at the commemorative 'Lifeboat Window' and as I searched for information on it, it really was an example of 'history you can see'. For the window depicts the famous lifeboat disaster of 23rd April 1947 when the Mumbles lifeboat lost its entire crew of eight members while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Samtampa. The latter was a 7,219 'Liberty ship' built in America in 1943. She was on her way to Newport from Middlesborough when she ran aground on the rocky ledges of the Sker Point near Porthcawl. Her captain decided to try and ride the storm out at anchor, however her cables snapped and in just 80 minutes she was sundered into three pieces.
The Mumbles lifeboat was launched at 7:10pm and began its fateful journey towards Porthcawl. It was called the Edward Prince of Wales and was the first motorised Mumbles lifeboat and had been in service since 1924. All that can be known for sure is that the lifeboat reached the scene before being capsized by the sea conditions with the loss of all the crew. It was the first time that a lifeboat of this design had been capsized.
The crew of the Samtampa also perished that storm-lashed night bringing the death toll to a tragic 47 lives lost. All the bodies were washed ashore the following day. The lifeboat crew that perished was as follows; Coxswain William J. Gammon, 2nd Coxswain William Noel, 1st Mechanic Gilbert Davies, 2nd Mechanic Ernest Griffin, Boatman William Thomas, Boatman William Howell, Boatman Ronald Thomas and Boatman Richard Smith. The 'Lifeboat Window depicts the tragedy of that night. It shows the capsized lifeboat in the middle of the picture and the eight crew members in the water surrounding it. Also in the design can be seen two segments of the Samtampa with the whole scene set in a swirling sea of blue and white glass. At the bottom of the window can be seen the lifeboat house, a village street in Mumbles and (I think) Mumbles lighthouse. Tim Lewis who was head of the school of Architectural Glass at Swansea at the time designed the window. For a piece of modern stained glass there is a residual art nouveau feel to it and though the scene depicted is turbulent, the eye rests on it with ease.
Since the Mumbles lifeboat station was established in 1835, no less than 18 lifeboatmen have made the ultimate sacrifice, many are buried at Oystermouth cemetery. On the other side of the balance sheet the station has saved 797 lives and won 19 RNLI medals, one gold, silver and 5 bronze. The majority of the RLNI lifeboat crews are volunteers.
Richard Porch
RNLI websiteThis article is an extract from Richard Porch's book 'Swansea: History You Can See', published in 2005 by Tempus Publishing / City & County of Swansea.
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Gammon from Northampton
My Family is from the Mumbles, having traced my family tree I have connections with William Gammon and Richard Smith. My father also remembers the lifeboat being Launched...Great piece...gives me goosebumps.
Sat Sep 6 14:47:06 2008
Dave Buckworth, Redcar N Yorkshire
I attended the service at All St's church on 23 April 2007 along with 6 members of the MNA and 10 relatives from Whitby N. Yorkshire. I was honoured to be asked to read the 39 names of the Samtampa's crew 25 of them came from the North East. The Welsh people made us feel very welcome.
Mon Mar 10 12:10:01 2008
Malcolm Nicholson, Shepperton
My late father was very close friends with Tom Cox, who was a radio operator on the lifeboat the night the Samtampa went down. As I remember the story, he had been out on both crew shifts that day. The coxswain told him he had been out enough times, so he stayed ashore. That proved to be the journey on which unfortunately the lifeboat lost, the first trip that day that Tom had missed....
Fri Feb 8 10:40:44 2008
Gareth, Maesteg
I was wondering if you had come across any mention of the USCG Tampa. It was sunk in the Bristol Channel by a German U Boat in September 1918. All the crew went down with the ship, apart from two who were washed ashore.The authorities were able to identify one of the bodies that washed ashore as being Seaman James Marconnier Fleury, USCG, but the other was neveridentified. They were both buried with full military honors at Lamphey Churchyard. On the 14 April 1924 a boat plate was washed ashore at Rest Bay, Porthcawl. What odds would you give for ships with simular names sinking so close to each other in the different world wars.
Tue Jan 8 12:26:57 2008
David James from Swansea
Today I attended the rememberence service at All Saints church, to remember the tragic loss of life Samptampa and Edward Prince of Wales. I attended with my Grandmother who is the only child that reached adulthood of William Gammon the Coxswain of the lifeboat Edward Prince of Wales. The service was very moving. I am in awe of these brave people that so readily risk everything so that others may be given a chance. To all lifeboat people past and present I salute your bravey.
Mon Apr 23 19:02:36 2007
Peter kerslake, Gloucester
My father Sidney was a cousin of William Gammon. My father's mother and William's Mother were sisters.When he was alive he was always talking about Bill Gammon and the Swansea lifeboat crew, he was so proud of them.
Wed Apr 18 16:51:27 2007
Samantha Fivash - Gloucester
What an interesting article, I didn't know of the stained glass window. My father was born in Swansea, we too are related to William Gammon. His mother Susan & my great grandmother Mary Ann were sisters. It is another reason to return to Swansea for a visit. Thank you
Wed Apr 18 16:49:51 2007
Ann James Llanelli
My grandfather's name was Ernest Gammon. I remember as a young girl, the family talking of a relative of his living in Swansea, being a member of the lifeboat crew. Is it possible it was William the coxman?
Tue Apr 10 10:47:02 2007
John Cumberland from Kirk Merrington
I am at the moment doing some research for a book I am writing and whilst in our local churchyard descovered the grave of William Mensforth a young man who lost his life while serving on the S.S. Samtampa and came across your site, many thanks for being there John.
Mon Jan 29 09:39:35 2007
Jill Gammon, Tunbridge Wells
I am also distantly related to William Gammon, and very proud too. I hope to visit Oystermouth very soon and I believe the William Gammon lifeboat is in the Cornwall Maritime Museum on display. Am I wrong?
Tue Jan 16 13:51:17 2007
Don Pottie - Cape Breton - Canada
Thank you for such a great site. My search has led me to the know of the courage and heroism of the men of the Mumbles Lifeboat. I am in search of the names of those men of the Chebogue who may be buried in your area. One name that I have is Joseph Gould. My neighbour was one of those rescued when the Chebogue went a ground. He has never spoke of the war until just recently, and now has expressed a wish to know what some of his mates are buried. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Don.
Wed Nov 1 08:50:03 2006
Julie Williams formerly of Mumbles now N. Wales
George Michael was my great grandfather. He died in the 1903 disaster. I am trying to find out as much as I can about my relatives and my family tree. I know of the stained glass window as I was brought up in the vicinity of All Saint's church and was later married there.
Wed Oct 18 14:06:37 2006
Alison Missen Porthcawl Coastg
Very impressive especially when you see it in the church. If anybody is interested some of the lifeboat crew and coasties from Porthcawl are trying to repair storm damage to the plaque at Sker, we hope to complete by the 60th aniversary. There will be a service at All Saint's Porthcawl at 2.30pm on the 21st of April 2007. I believe there will be a service in Mumbles on 23rd April 2007
Mon Oct 16 11:07:43 2006
Tony Davies, Bronwydd Arms,Carmarthen
I was a small boy when in 1948 my father took me to see the wrecked, SS 'Samtampa', which would have been approximately one year after the terrible storm which took the lives of all aboard the 'Samptampa' as well as those of the gallent men of the lifeboat 'Edward - Prince of Wales'.
I am now 63, but I can recall to this day seeing the forward mast of the 'Samtampa'. As a small child I had no comprehension of what I was looking at but I knew instinctively that something terrible had occurred. Given such a tragedy I have been surprised that so few people%! 20seem to recall the disaster so I am pleased to learn that church services are to be held at both Porthcawl and Mumbles next April, 2007, when the 60th anniversary of the loss of both vessels and their crews are to be commemorated.
I hope to be at both services at which I would be honoured to recite the poem I have written in remembrance of the event.
Tony Davies
Bronwydd Arms
Thu Sep 28 09:09:10 2006
Laura Connor from Swansea
My great grand father was William Thomas, the bowman from 1947 disaster and my nan was the last remaining widow. She unfortunately passed away peacefully in June 2005. As a family we are so proud of them both. Nan raised three fabulous children alone, uncle Gary, aunty Jill and my amazing mum.
Wed Sep 13 08:58:04 2006
Angiy Michael from Bristol
My great great granfather died in the 1903 disaster and his brother survived both the 1883 and 1903 disasters and was still serving in his sixties.. I think its great that there is a lasting memorial to these amazing men
Sat Jan 28 13:05:38 2006
Lucy Gammon from Cardiff
I would just like to say I think that window is amazing, and I think I am a relative somewhere down the line of William Gammon and am trying to track down my family tree. So I find this fascinating and didnt know that this existed but I really think its an amazing piece of art!
Wed Jan 25 19:54:04 2006
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