From wartime rescues to today’s launches: Baxter family legacy at Montrose RNLI
Montrose RNLI is proud to share the remarkable family story of volunteer crew member Jake Baxter, who’s service on our station’s All-Weather Lifeboat (ALB) and Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) follows a lifeboating tradition in the Baxter family stretching back many decades.
Jake’s great-great-grandfather, John Baxter, his great-great-uncle, William “Willy” Baxter, and his great-grandfather, George Baxter, all served as RNLI crew at Montrose during the Second World War - a period when launches were carried out in some of the most dangerous conditions imaginable, with limited equipment compared to today and the added risks of wartime operations at sea.
Newspaper reports from 1941 recount a dramatic and near-fatal incident involving the Montrose lifeboat ‘Good Hope’, a Watson-class lifeboat built in 1939 and stationed at Montrose from 1939 to 1972. After being at sea throughout the night on service, the lifeboat was returning towards Montrose when she was crossing the harbour bar and was struck by a huge wave, causing the lifeboat to capsize in heavy seas.
As the lifeboat capsized, three crew members were swept into the sea: the coxswain, Andrew Mearns, along with John Baxter and his son, William “Willy” Baxter. When the lifeboat re-righted herself, the conditions were so severe that the remaining five crew were unable to reach or rescue their three crewmates who had been swept overboard. Despite every effort to locate them in the violent seas, the crew were forced to concentrate on keeping the lifeboat afloat and bringing her safely back towards harbour.
The three men were carried by the current for nearly a mile along the coastline. All were wearing lifejackets, which kept them afloat in the rough seas until they were eventually washed ashore on Montrose beach. Search parties were organised along the shoreline while the lifeboat made her way back to port, and the 3 men were later found in an exhausted condition.
Newspaper reports describe the coxswain as being almost unconscious when they were brought ashore, and all three were taken to the infirmary suffering from the effects of exposure, cuts and bruises. Jake’s ancestors John and Willy Baxter both survived the ordeal, a remarkable outcome that underlines the dangers faced by RNLI volunteers at the time.
John Baxter served on the Montrose lifeboat alongside both of his sons, Willy and George, reflecting a remarkable family commitment to the RNLI during the Second World War. Contemporary reports note that John was also a partner in a slater business in Ferryden, highlighting how lifeboat volunteers balanced dangerous lifesaving service with demanding working lives ashore. Their service together offers a powerful glimpse into the depth of dedication shown by wartime crews who routinely launched into darkness and severe weather to help others in trouble at sea.
Today, that same commitment is carried forward by Jake. While modern lifeboats, training and equipment provide far greater protection, the core values of teamwork, courage and selflessness remain unchanged. Alongside his volunteer role with Montrose RNLI, Jake also works as a slater - meaning he is continuing not only a family tradition of stepping forward when others need help at sea, but also the working heritage that supported several generations of his family before him.
“I grew up hearing stories about my great-great-grandfather John and his two sons going out on the lifeboat from Montrose, but reading about what they went through in 1941 really puts it into perspective,” said Jake. “The conditions they faced were unbelievable. It makes me proud to be following in their footsteps, and it definitely reminds me why the RNLI and the crew here mean so much to me.”
“Jake really is a natural on the lifeboat,” said Scott Murray, Coxswain at Montrose RNLI. “Knowing that his great-great-grandfather John and his great-great-uncle William were swept overboard during a wartime service, and that his great-grandfather George also served from this station, puts what we do today into perspective. The lifeboats and equipment we use has changed, but the spirit of the people hasn’t.”
The RNLI relies on the dedication of volunteers like Jake - and the support of their families - to provide a 24/7 lifesaving service. The Baxter family story is a powerful reminder that for some families in Montrose, lifeboating is more than volunteering - it is a tradition of service and craft passed down through generations.
Key facts about the RNLI
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.