Bronze medal service at Stromness - almost 100 years on

Carmania II 1929

On Valentine’s Day, 1929, at about 4 o'clock in the morning, the maroons went up over Stromness. Coxswain William Johnston and crew took the Stromness lifeboat – JJKSW – the short distance along Hoy Sound to the aid of the Grimsby trawler: Carmania II which had gone aground on the Kirk Rocks in heavy seas.

The fishing boat had been returning home from Iceland with a large catch of fish. Her steering gear jammed and she was blown onto the rocks.

The lifeboat had no hope of reaching the stricken vessel from seaward as heavy seas were breaking up to 150 yards from her. On the landward side were the reefs, with water too shallow to pass over them.

Coxswain Johnston stood by for three hours until the tide rose, and daylight came, so he could attempt a rescue. JJKSW was manoeuvred closer, an anchor put down and a life-buoy sent to the wreck. Five men were rescued by this means. A tremendous wave snapped the anchor wire but Johnston drove the boat into the lee of the wreck and his crew managed to haul Carmania’s boat to the lifeboat. Five more were saved but the tender was swept away with two still on board. William Johnston, with consummate skill, drove the lifeboat ahead, between wreck and shore, and caught up with the two men thereby completing the rescue of all 12 of the Carmania’s crew. For his service Coxswain Johnston was awarded a second service clasp to his RNLI bronze medal. Norman Johnston of Stromness told me his grandfather, Thomas Wishart had been a member of the lifeboat crew that day. Thomas passed away in 1970, aged 84, after serving the RNLI for 47 years.

On board the Carmania II in 1929 had been George Stark and James Wells. George got home safely and had a son, Allan, three years later. James’ wife was safely delivered of a daughter, Sheila, in 1934.

Sheila’s daughter, Tracey, got in touch with Stromness RNLI Lifeboat Station recently to fill in the gaps of what happened next. She now has three grandsons descended from George Stark and James Wells. George and James were great great grandsons to Tracey's grandsons.

When they were working together on the fishing boat, George and James had no connection other than that of shipmates. Had it not been for the valiant efforts of the Stromness lifeboat crew their stories would have ended.

The date given for the rescue is February 14 1929, but lifeboat services have their effects long into the future. The benefits of this rescue are still apparent almost 100 years later.

Notes to editors

· Stromness RNLI lifeboat station has been operating since 1867. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/stromness-lifeboat-station

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