Prestigious heritage IMechE award for RNLI lifeboat that travelled to Dunkirk
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) was delighted to receive a prestigious Engineering Heritage Award from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for its Thomas Kirk Wright lifeboat at the RNLI College in Poole on the 22nd May.
The RNLI was presented the award at a ceremony by John Wood, Chair of the Engineering Heritage Committee at IMechE to celebrate the advanced engineering capability of the Thomas Kirk Wight boat. The boat was recognised by IMechE for its Hotchkiss internal cone propeller system, this system was developed to allow the lifeboat to operate in shallow water close to the shore.
The Hotchkiss internal propeller system allowed the Thomas Kirk Wight boat to play an important role in the Dunkirk evacuation, where it was manned by the Royal Navy and helped to save the lives of those stranded.
Ross Barraclough, Chief Engineer and Technical Director at the RNLI says: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to receive this prestigious award from IMechE for the Thomas Kirk Wright lifeboat. As we mark the 85th anniversary of Dunkirk, it’s important to recognise the part the RNLI played and the lives that the crew and their boats saved.
‘The advanced engineering capabilities of the Thomas Kirk Wright boat at its creation helped it go on to save between 300-500 lives during its service and we’re delighted that has now been recognised.’
John Wood said: ‘The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is proud to honour the Thomas Kirk Wright lifeboat with an Engineering Heritage Award. Its innovative design and historic role at Dunkirk exemplify the life-saving power of engineering.’
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The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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