St Abbs Lifeboat Record of Service

19th March 1912

Helen Smitton stood by three or four St Abbs fishing boats (reports vary).

20th March 1912

Helen Smitton stood by the ketch Colonel Moir of Banff.

15th November 1915

Helen Smitton attended fishing boats Rose and Cornucopia of St Abbs, saved both boats and eight lives.

6th April 1917

Helen Smitton attended a false alarm.

21st April 1917

Helen Smitton attended SS Ringholm of Bergen, saved one life.

4th May 1917

Helen Smitton attended SS Odense of Copenhagen, saved two lives.

9th May 1917

Helen Smitton attended SS Kitty of Grimsby’s tender, saved ten lives.

8th December 1922

Helen Smitton stood by the motor fishing yawl Violet of St Abbs in tow of yawl Welfare.

26th February 1923

Helen Smitton escorted the St Abbs motor fishing yawl Guide into harbour.

26th September 1929 or 1932 (reports vary)

Helen Smitton stood by the St Abbs fishing boat Laurel.

20th August 1934

Helen Smitton escorted the St Abbs motor fishing boats Victory and Billow’s Crown into safety.

5th December 1934

Helen Smitton attended the SS Dunscore of Glasgow, saved six lives.

17th March 1935

Helen Smitton attended the steam trawler Tyrwhitt of South Shields, and assisted in saving the vessel and the lives of her 10 crew.

24th December 1935

Helen Smitton stood by the St Abbs fishing boats Victory, Violet and Laurel.

21st February 1936

Helen Smitton escorted the St Abbs fishing boat Myrtle into harbour.

12th August 1938

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest attended the motor boat Victory of St Abbs and saved two lives.

6th February 1940

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest attended the SS Verbormilia of London and saved 32 lives.

28th November 1940

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest landed a sick man from the HMS Brabant and thereby saved his life.

2nd April 1941

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest attended the HMS Cramond Island, and saved 11 lives.

7th May 1941

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest picked up the body of a German airman.

31st July 1941

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest attended a bather in difficulties at Coldingham Bay but was unable to help.

7th May 1942

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest picked up a body from an RAF aeroplane.

13th May 1942

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest picked up the body of an airman.

13th March 1944

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest stood by the fishing boat Spes Bona of Eyemouth.

20th October 1944

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest gave help to the fishing boat Billows Crown of St Abbs.

5th April 1945

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest attended the SS Gasray of London, saved 16 lives.

1st May 1946

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest attended a motor fishing boat (unnamed), saved the boat and two lives.

21st December 1946

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest gave help to the fishing boat Faithful of St Abbs.

15th September 1948

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest attended the motor fishing boat Caledonia and the rowing boat Girl Pat. Saved both boats and five lives.

20th October 1948

Annie Ronald and Isabella Forrest attended the motor fishing vessel Emulate of Eyemouth, saved the boat and five lives.

9th April 1950

J B Couper of Glasgow attended a rubber dinghy and rescued one casualty.

24th April 1950

J B Couper of Glasgow escorted three fishing vessels of Burnmouth.

2nd May 1951

J B Couper of Glasgow escorted the motor fishing boat Laurel of St Abbs.

15th January 1954

W Ross MacArthur of Glasgow escorted three fishing boats of St Abbs.

29th November 1954

W Ross MacArthur of Glasgow attended the White Heather of Berwick, saving the boat and five lives.

25th March 1955

W Ross MacArthur of Glasgow attended the fishing boat Lindfar of Eyemouth and landed an injured man.

2nd August 1957

W Ross MacArthur of Glasgow gave help to the M V Santo Cruz.

18th/27th November 1958

W Ross MacArthur of Glasgow gave help to the motor vessel MV Nyon of Basle and landed 30 individuals.

18th July 1959

W Ross MacArthur of Glasgow attended a motor boat and saved the boat and three lives.

3rd April 1960

The Howard D Lifeboat (relief boat) attended the yacht Southern Cross of Belfast, saved the boat and three lives.

28th August 1960

The Howard D Lifeboat (relief boat) attended the fishing boat Vera of St Abbs, saved the boat and one life.

22nd April 1962

The Howard D Lifeboat (relief boat) escorted the damaged yacht Rosehearty of Buckie.

26th June 1962

The Howard D Lifeboat (relief boat) escorted the motor fishing vessel Alison Mary.

24th August 1962

The Howard D Lifeboat (relief boat) gave help to a fishing coble.

26th August 1962

The Howard D Lifeboat (relief boat) escorted three motor fishing vessels.

24th August 1963

The Howard D Lifeboat (relief boat) saved two capsized dinghies.

16th November 1965

The Jane Hay escorted the motor fishing vessel Guide Me of St Abbs.

January 1970

The Jane Hay attended a hoax Mayday call to the trawler Craighall, which was actually still in a harbour.

12th August 1970

The Jane Hay landed the body of a boy who had fallen from a cliff.

13th August 1970

The Jane Hay gave help to a man stranded on a cliff.

3rd April 1972

The Jane Hay attended the motor boat Diane, saved the boat and four lives.

15th May 1972

The Jane Hay escorted the fishing boat Albatross of St Abbs.

12th July 1972

The Jane Hay attended the power boat Franziska and recued two casualties.

17th September 1972

The Jane Hay attended two canoes, and saved the canoes and two lives.

15th June 1974

The Jane Hay gave help to a youth who had fallen from a cliff.

15th June 1974

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat gave assistance to a youth who had fallen from a cliff (as above).

19th May 1975

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat towed in an inflatable dinghy which had broken down, and thereby rescued three casualties, a man and two girls.

17th May 1976

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat rescued a youth from the cliffs at St Abbs Head.

29th August 1976

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat assisted in a search for two skindivers.

9th September 1976

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat rescued two men and a woman from the yacht Glorfindal in St Abbs outer harbour during a storm.

8th April 1977

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat rescued a ewe from a cliff.

21st May 1977

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat rescued two men stranded on a cliff

21st May 1978

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat rescued a man who had fallen while climbing a cliff.

31st May 1979

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat took fuel to a trawler which had run out of fuel with its trawl down.

8th August 1979

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat towed the pleasure boat Fiddler into St Abbs harbour hen it had engine trouble.

5th September 1979

Unnamed Inshore Rescue Boat assisted the coastguards in rescuing a boy stranded on rocks.

Later Rescues to be added as found

Some recent rescues attended by the Thomas Tunnock from 2014 to 2017 are recorded on the St Abbs Lifeboat webpage, and you can follow the St Abbs Lifeboat on Facebook for the most recent shouts.