On 13 October, it will be 100 years since the St David’s lifeboat, Gem, was wrecked in Ramsey Sound with the loss of her coxswain, John Stephens, and two of the crew – Henry Rowlands and James Price.
St David’s RNLI crew is planning to commemorate the centenary and would like to know the names of relatives of the lifeboatmen and their rescuers. Photographs or other information relating to the Gem and her crew are also welcome.
On the night of the wreck, the lifeboat crew had successfully rescued the three man crew of the ketch Democrat when she was driven onto the Bitches reef. Twelve of the lifeboat crew and the three crew from the Democrat survived for 14 hours on wave swept rocks until they were rescued by local boats that had put out from Porthclais. Sydney Mortimer received an RNLI Silver Medal for his part in the rescue.
If you are able to assist or have any information, please contact Coxswain David John at the lifeboat station on 01437 720215 / [email protected] or the Lifeboat Press Officer Jim Phillips on 07791 121039 / [email protected].
