William Roberts of Moelfre and "The Charles and Elizabeth Laura"

Excel of Poole in 1927

Excel the ketch from Poole was sinking fast

The storm was raging off the shores of Moelfre

Three desperate men were beaten by the blast
Three desperate men were beaten by the blast

Wil Roberts Owen Jones and crew from Moelfre

In Charles and ‘Lisa’ Laura to assist

Found no way to get close against the Excel

Waterlogged and sinking to her rest
Waterlogged and sinking to her rest

Backing off - with storm seas breaking over

Wil Roberts frantic thinking turned to calm

he aimed the lifeboat - sailed her into Excel

To rescue men the thrashing waves would harm
To rescue men the thrashing waves would harm

Gauging where the biggest wave was pouring

His lifeboat - as the wave broke on the wreck

Lifted in the water - she was flying

She landed on the sinking Excel’s deck
She landed on the sinking Excel’s deck

Three men left the Excel in the lifeboat

As the next wave lifted her away

Battered by her flight but still she floated

She battled gales until the light of day
She battled gales until the light of day

Anchored off the Puffin as he storm raged

Waterlogged exposure all the night

Beaumaris lifeboat towed her in the morning

Desperate from her full-sail late night flight
Desperate from her full-sail late night flight

One man from Excel - one from the lifeboat

Died before the lifeboat reached the shore

Wil Roberts landed - blinded by the salt spray

For hours he thought that he would see no more
For hours he thought that he would see no more

When you see the lifeboat crew on dry land

Don’t forget they’re capable and brave

They’ll turn out in ferocious storms to rescue

Lives that would be lost - they fight to save
Lives that would be lost - they fight to save

2002 CPR

Treaddur Bay and Team - 8th September 2001

Trearddur Bay and Team - 8^th September 2001

Chris Pritchard and Terry and Aubrey

And Davy and Tony and Lee

With Dorothy Selina to Penrhyn

To save three men tipped in the sea

The sea roared six metres above them

The Fangs was a dangerous place

They tacked up and down for survivors

Kept clear of the fierce tidal race

Great waves broke in over the lifeboat

The Holyhead lifeboat came out

Air Rescue arrived out of Valley

But all could see nothing about

Police and Cliff Rescue were soon there

But wave heights were too high to see

Then three people tied up together

Were found and removed from the sea

Exhausted they lay til they landed

Their boat Echo Beach was no more

But teamwork made sure they were rescued

And brought back to safety on shore

Chris Pritchard and Terry and Aubrey

And Davy and Tony and Lee

From Trearddur Bay came to rescue

To save three men trapped in the sea

 2002 CPR

Three Cheers in Flint

Three Cheers in Flint

Let’s give three cheers for the lifeboat

Another three for the crew

And give three more for the shore men

And the money raisers too

The Flint Lifeboat rescued a dolphin

Three pensioners trapped in their bed

The crew of a boat and some drunkards

A skier who fell on his head

So give three cheers for the lifeboat

Another three for the crew

And give three more for the shore men

And the money raisers too

For certain the lifeboat men’s training

Is varied and rich and it’s good

For seamen and floods - wrecks and diving

And small children trapped in the mud

Now Give three cheers for the lifeboat

Another three for the crew

And give three more for the shore men

And the money raisers too

The waters in Flint wandered inland

They worked 14 hours a day

To rescue a hundred and eighty

Whose houses were swamped in the Bay

Just give three cheers for the lifeboat

Another three for the crew

And give three more for the shore men

And the money raisers too

And that was in Spring 1990

Between all the rescues at sea

And working at jobs to earn money

And using the time they had free

Please give three cheers for the lifeboat

Another three for the crew

And give three more for the shore men

And the money raisers too

Give three cheers for the lifeboat

Another three for the crew

And give three more for the shore men

And the money raisers too

2002 CPR

The Man from Llanfairynghornwy

The Man from Llanfairynghornwy

Active was a smack out from Belfast

Driven into Cemaes Bay

Grounded drowning in the tumbling sea

Seen by The Man

        Seen by The Man

                Seen by The Man

                        From Llanfairynghornwy

The raging tide prevented launching

Of any boat in Cemaes Bay

One horse was forced into the water

By the good man

        By the good man

                By the good man

                        From Llanfairynghornwy

A grapnel was thrown into bowsprit shrouds

Of the smack in Cemaes Bay

Hauling a lifeboat out

Pulling a lifeboat to the Active

Bringing the help

        Bringing the help

                Bringing the help

                        From Llanfairynghornwy

The crew of five could not stand to leave

Exhausted in Cemaes Bay

So they were helped and gently lifted

Saved by the man

        Saved by the man

                Saved by the man

                        From Llanfairynghornwy

2002 CPR

Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn - December 1863

Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn - December 1863

Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn

into the roaring foam

out in the gale

where wreckage tumbled

Robert Rees brought them home

Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn

tying the stoutest rope

around his waist

fought into the sea

Robert Rees gave them hope

Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn

four men holding secure

set out to save

the helpless sailors

Robert Rees left fewer

Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn

saving twenty-eight men

from drowning there

right in front of him

Robert Rees once again

Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn

could not let the living

if he could save

could not let them die

Robert Rees was giving

Robert Rees of Morfa Nefyn

his strong arms a power

for life and care

brought them to the beach

Robert Rees’ finest hour

          Robert Rees’ finest hour

                    Robert Rees’ finest hour

Awarded Board of Trade Bronze Medal and RNLI Thanks on Vellum

On 2^nd & 3^rd December 1863, 18 ships, sheltering in Porthdinllaen Bay were driven ashore and wrecked in a storm.

2002 CPR

Rhyl Dragonfly - 27.02.2001

Rhyl Dragonfly - 27.02.2001

A Dragonfly - off Rhyl - was drifting closer

Into shore at Splash Point on the sand

Coxswain Robinson could not release her

He called the inshore boat to lend a hand

He called the inshore boat to lend a hand

Mechanic Jones - the helmsman of the inshore

Struggled near the sandbank - swamped in wave

Crewman Denton’s line near the propellor

In he waded - trying hard to save

In he waded - trying hard to save

Time to take the Dragonfly’s small crew off

Four men waiting in the wheelhouse flood

Off they came - and one man fell unconscious

Three were frozen - but they knew they could

Three were frozen - but they knew they could

Live a little longer out of water

Then the Dragonfly was washed ashore

Overnight the winds had brought disaster

Destroyed - the Dragonfly would fly no more

Destroyed - the Dragonfly would fly no more

They’d

Live a little longer out of water

Then the Dragonfly was washed ashore

Overnight the winds had brought disaster

Destroyed - the Dragonfly would fly no more

Destroyed - the Dragonfly would fly no more

       

Awards - Framed Letters from Chairman of RNLI to

Mechanic Martin Jones, the helmsman of the ILB

and to Crewman Derek Denton.

2002 CPR

Reverend James Williams of Llanfairynghornwy

Reverend James Williams of Llanfairynghornwy

James Williams back in 1835

Saw a wreck two miles from Aberffraw

The Sarah out of Liverpool was lost

So James took charge of rescue

and how

He “happened to be in the neighbourhood”

He organised a line from ship to shore

From mast head to the cliff top

and held firm

By local men with strong arms

and more

The sea was raging - pulling at the rope

As fourteen men swung over in the air

The ship - reduced to matchwood as they left

But they didn’t care

they didn’t care

The Reverend Williams rode out after wrecks

Reclaiming bounty from the roaring sea

He stripped the desperate sailors from the decks

Not one died

if he could be set free

2002 CPR

Llandudno Lifeboatmen

Llandudno Lifeboatmen

And Irvine left the baby in the pushchair

And someone left his dinner growing cold

And someone jumped a taxi without money

And someone kept the car he might have sold

But no-one in Llandudno thinks they don’t care

They know that risks are taken on the sea

They understand the men aren’t being funny

They always pay their dues eventually

They follow father in to crew the lifeboat

They jump up night or day - with life on hold

They freeze at sea for hours in the winter

In willingness they’re worth their weight in gold

But danger is no stranger in a lifeboat

It turns out into any raging sea

And trawls to keep the swimmers safe in summer

With lifeboats there’s no “be - or not to be”

A lifetime of devotion brings no money

Just one day the decision “You’re too old”

And now you’ll have to crew the lifeboat trailer

You can’t go out on rescues - you’ve been told

The only way that you can now give service

Is raising help to keep the men at sea

It’s not the same as going out to rescue

But it’s the way the new life has to be.

2002 CPR

It's all the same

It’s all the same

And it’s all the same

The desperate men and women in the sea

And it’s all the same

It’s all the same to us

If they’ve sailed the world

Or stupidly produced calamity

And it’s all the same to us

It’s all the same to us

And it’s all the same

Where ships and boats are battered by the tide

And it’s all the same

It’s all the same to us

Trapped inside a cave

or threatening to jump to suicide

And it’s all the same to us

It’s all the same to us

And it’s all the same

Thought lifeboat crews can never say a lot

And it’s all the same

It’s all the same to us

But we’re thinking men

Although we’re always out there on the spot

And It’s all the same

It’s all the same to us

Yes it’s all the same

It’s all the same to us

2002 CPR

I'm leaving my cash to the Lifeboats

I’m leaving my cash to the lifeboats

I’m leaving my cash to the lifeboats

Who help sailors dying at sea

And idiots out on their lilos

They’re good enough for me

The crews hit the sea in their lifeboats

To cover for cowards like me

Who don’t like to see people drowning

They’re good enough for me

ch

They all volunteer to crew lifeboats

They serve the whole country at sea

For no more than deep satisfaction

They’re good enough for me

I’m leaving my cash to the lifeboats

Who help sailors dying at sea

And idiots out on their lilos

They’re good enough for me

I’m leaving my cash to the lifeboats

Who help sailors dying at sea

And idiots out on their lilos

They’re good enough for me

2002 CPR