British Lifeboatmen: Medal

Friday, 1 April 2011

George Jappy and The Misteltoe

George Jappy and The Mistletoe

George Jappy out of Buckie - back in 1968

The coxswain of the moment on the Spey

The 21st of February 1968

He went to find the Mistletoe at sea

The trawler Mistletoe was grounded in the River Spey

The George and Sarah Strachan went to help

In coated ice and heavy swell - just in the River Spey

They tried to get a line aboard - to tow

Fishing boats were standing by - the waves were breaking hard

Across the deck of Mistletoe-in-ice

George was risking all - to bring the lifeboat in so hard

And one by one the six crew jumped aboard

Back to Buckie safely - with the men whose lives were saved

George had gained a Bronze - and all his crew

Had Medal Service Thanks for their endeavours - when they saved

The men of Mistletoe - stuck in the Spey

George Jappy out of Buckie - back in 1968

The coxswain of the moment on the Spey

The 21st of February 1968

He went to find the Mistletoe at sea

charlottepetersrock@tiscali.co.uk http://charlottepetersrock.blogspot.com

Fergal Walsh

Fergal Walsh

18.8.2001 - RNLI Silver Medal

They called the Ballycotton lifeboat out

Waterford and Shannon came by air

But Fergal knew the boy - without a doubt

Would be long dead before they all got there

John Carthy - out from Dublin - with his friend

Was swept up from the shore by one great wave

When Tom jumped in - he thought he'd met his end

He struggled from the sea He could not save

Strong waves still battered John against the reef

The broken seas exhausted all his will

He couldn't reach the shore without relief

On shore they watched - and knew the waves would kill

Peter held the line as Fergal leapt

Swimming in a sea that beat him back

Onto rocks - but still he swam and kept

Hope alive above the sea's attack

John - face down - was breathing in the sea

Fergal threw his arms around to save

Beaten by the rocks and still not free

Both were battered - rocks and reef and wave

Slowly Peter hauled them both to land

Line round Fergal's neck and body caught

Peter - felled by waves - just could not stand

Rose and fell Determinedly he fought

Up the beach - and working hard on John

Keeping him alive in any way

Fergal wouldn't let the boy be gone

Gave him strength to live that awful day

Just a lifeboat man out for a walk

Using all his courage and his skill

Fergal Walsh did more than walk and talk

Risking life - where waves and rocks would kill