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ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY

Awards History

Here are some of the Awards given for acts of Bravery That I have come across as always if you know of any more or you have more info we can use please e-mail us.
The first is from ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY BRONZE MEDALS CITATIONS TAKEN FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1899
Although not a act by a Coastguard It is very interesting It reads
Berigot, Francisco. Mate of the French boat St.Louis. Case 30014

On the 13th April 1899, John Dobbin fell from the Custom House Quay into the dock at Port Talbot, there being 27 feet of water at the time. Berigot jumped in and held him till further help came and they were pulled out.

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This next Report is From the Evening Post of March 16th 1934 it is about my late Father who was a Coastguard for 47 years but I only Recently found out the full story of what happened that day after a small write up in the column 60 years ago after which I sent off and Received this Report it Reads

PORT TALBOT SEA THRILL

YOUTH SAVED BY FRIEND-swept from pier by huge. wave-HEROIC DIVE
Exhausted mens grim struggle.

THRILLING

Rescue scenes where Witnessed off Port Talbot`s pier last night after a youth had been washed off the Wooden structure by a big wave which stunned his two companions.
The rescued youth was Rowland Thomas aged 18 of Wharf-road Aberavon after whom one of his friends Eric Locke aged 19 of the same address dived in and assisted him till the arrival with ropes and bouys of Messrs E Walingham and E Busbridge of the Port Talbot Life Saving Crew.Who where on duty as watchers because of the heavy seas
Locke and Thomas together with Rob Dorman aged 38 of Taibach,where walking towards the pierhead when without warning a huge breaker washed them off their feet Thomas was hurled over the pier into the sea and Locke and Dorman managed to save themselves by clinging to the wooden superstructure.
Dorman was partially stunned by the force of this impact,but Locke was bruised and upon looking over the side and seeing Thomas struggling in the angry sea,dived over without removing any of his clothing,and managed to reach his pal,who was by this time in a drowning condition.
He brought Thomas to the side of the pier and encouraged him to cling to the wooden piles in the hope of rescue for five minutes the two men held on,beaten and bruised by the waves as they where dashed against the pier
Then fortunately.Their plight was observed by Walshingham and Busbridge,who reached the pier in the nick of time with life-lines and bouy
It was mainly due to the determination and pluck of Locke that Thomas was hauled to safety in an exhausted condition.

CREW`S AID

When Thomas was rescued,the lifeline was thrown into the sea for the rescue of Locke.Both men where in such a condition that artificial respiration had to be applied by the life-saving crew,and Dorman had received first aid for cuts to his head
The three men where subsequently conveyed to their homes and ordered to bed.
Relating his experiences to an evening post reporter a member of the Life-saving Crew said he had never seen a greater display of courage. the westerly gale was blowing at the time.He said;the tide was just on the turn and there where tremendous seas.
Locke had just recovered from a attack of rheumatic fever and was wearing a heavy overcoat.He was dazed by the force of the impact against one of the piles.but quickly recovered.
He saw Dorman was safe and then made a head dive into the raging seas to save Thomas.Two or three times they was submerged by the waves but with heaps of courage,clung on to the pile,and Locke helped Thomas to the wooden stage until assistance arrived.
Seen at his home to-day Thomas said he owed his life to his pal Eric Locke"we where returning along the south pier and where approaching the watch tower when a terrific wave swept over the pier.Dorman and Locke where just a little ahead of me.We was washed off our feet I tried to grab at the side of the pier but failed and was washed in to the sea I had a light raincoat on and I struggled desperately in the waves to reach the pier
"It was a terrible experience I seemed to be getting further and further away every moment and then to my great relief Eric Locke who had dived in was by my side.He clung on to me and we struggled together but several times waves submerged us "I could see we where making progress and at last managed to reach the wooden stage there we clung on for dear life.
"It was an experience i do not want again but for Locke I should not have been here to tell you this story."
Locke was the hero of this story was too modest to say anything about it.He was bruised and stiff but was glad that his pal had been saved.