Angle Lifeboat Station

Angle Lifeboat Station is located near the village of Angle, on the southern side of the entrance to the Milford Haven Waterway in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1868. Originally called Milford Lifeboat Station, the name was changed to Angle, Milford Haven Lifeboat Station in 1892.

The station currently operates a Tamar-class lifeboat, 16-11 Mark Mason (ON 1291), on station since 2009.

History
Even before there was a lifeboat station at Angle, three RNLI Silver Medals had already been awarded for local rescues. On 19 November 1850, Thomas Landells, Tide Surveyor for H.M. Customs, would rescue eight people from the schooner Maria.

In 1867, Commander Harvey, RN, of H.M. Coastguard, wrote to the RNLI requesting that a lifeboat station be established at Milford Haven, which was agreed. A stone boat house and wooden slipway were constructed at Angle Point by Mr. P James, at a cost of £170-4s-0d, and a 33-foot self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, was built by Woolfe of Shadwell. at a cost of £281-17s6d. The lifeboat was funded by Bradford philanthropist Sir Titus Salt, and was named Katherine at a ceremony on 28 November 1868.

In 1887, it was decided to replace the old wooden slipway with a new and longer slipway, 200 feet in length, and a new 37-foot lifeboat, Henry Martin Harvey (ON 227) was placed at the station in 1888. The new boat would be sent to London for the addition of a drop-keel in 1891, returning in 1892. In October 1892, the station name was changed from 'Milford', to 'Angle, Milford Haven'.

Plans were announced in 1926 to place a motor-lifeboat at Angle, and construction began of a new larger boathouse and deep-water slipway, to the west side of the existing boathouse. It was completed in January 1929, at a cost of £20,000. On 10 January, a 45-foot 6in Watson-class lifeboat Elizabeth Elson (ON 713), arrived on station. With twin 40 hp petrol engines, she was capable of 8.23 knots. In her 28 years on service at Angle, she would be launched 58 times, and rescue 144 lives.

Coxswain James Watkins was awarded the RNLI bronze medal for rescuing 28 people on 26 November 1929, from the single-screw steamship Molesley, which had been caught by a sudden wind change and a poor decision by its captain. Watkins went on to be awarded the RNLI Silver Medal for rescuing 6 people in 1944 from the motor boat Thor, and a year later, a second bronze medal (clasp) for a difficult rescue of nine people from the steamer SS Walter L M Russ. (This steamer had been seized from the Germans and sank on 15 July before it could be renamed the Empire Concourse.) James Watkins finally retired in 1946 after 24 years service as coxswain and 13 years as second coxswain.

For over 9 hours on 5–6 August 1973, the lifeboat Richard Vernon & Mary Garforth of Leeds (ON 931) stood by the oil tanker Donna Marike, which was carrying high-octane fuel, and at risk of explosion. On 1 December 1978, in gale-force conditions, 3 people were rescued from the fishing boat Cairnsmore, one of them from the water. For these two services, Coxswain William John Rees Holmes was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal and second service clasp.



A Tyne-class class lifeboat was placed on service in 1987, 47-011 The Lady Rank (ON 1114), and would serve Angle for the next 21 years. In 1991, construction began of a new, larger, boathouse and slipway adjacent to the 1927 structure. Following completion in 1992, the old boathouse and slipway were demolished. A D-class Inshore lifeboat was first placed at the station in 1994, and in 1996, the D-class lifeboat Isabella Mary (D-493) began service at the station.

On 5 May 1997, the motor boat, Dale Princess was blown on to cliffs on Skomer Island. For rescuing four people in gale-force winds and stormy seas, Coxswain Jeremy R. Rees was awarded the RNLI bronze medal

The Lady Rank was withdrawn to the Relief fleet in 2008, later to serve as ADES 20 Bicentenary BSE with the lifeboat service in Uruguay. After a brief spell with another Tyne-class lifeboat on station, 47-010 RFA Sir Galahad (ON 1112), the 1992 boathouse was modified, and in 2009, the station received a new Tamar-class lifeboat 16-11 Mark Mason (ON 1291).

In May 2024, it was reported that difficulties maintaining crew and helpers may force the relocation of the Angle lifeboat. A declining local population has meant for 12 years, the crew is primarily from Milford Haven, and transported to the station when called. If travelling by road, a distance of 17 mi. With limited numbers of shore crew available, the lifeboat is placed on a mooring.

Loch Shiel
In 1894, 33 people were saved from the 1878-built Loch Shiel which had run onto rocks at Thorn Island. 27 people had managed to scramble on to the rocks, but were still at the mercy of the weather. The lifeboat rescued the 6 people still on board the Loch Shiel. Three lifeboatmen were then landed elsewhere on the island, climbing around Thorn Island to a position above the 27 survivors, and using ropes, eventually hauling all of them up to safety. Two lifeboat crew members and the honorary secretary were each awarded the RNLI Silver Medal, including Thomas Rees, who would later become Coxswain.

The rescue is described as Wales' "Whisky Galore". The Loch Shiel was carrying goods from Scotland to Adelaide and included gunpowder, beer, and 7,500 (some say 7,000) cases of Glasgow whisky. The cargo was partially recovered by HM Customs and Excise, but some of the bottles are still amongst the wreck and are described as "undrinkable". In 1999, bottles of beer from the wreck were auctioned for £1,000 per bottle.

Station honours
The following are awards made to the crew of Angle Lifeboat Station


 * RNLI Silver Medal
 * William Field, farmer, former Master Mariner - 1833


 * Thomas Landells, Tide Surveyor, H.M. Customs - 1850


 * John Large, Master Gunner, RA - 1861


 * Maj. Richard William Mirehouse, Honorary Secretary - 1894
 * Edward Ball, crew member - 1894
 * Thomas Rees, crew member - 1894


 * James Watkins, Coxswain - 1944


 * RNLI Bronze Medal
 * James Watkins, Coxswain - 1929


 * James Watkins, Coxswain - 1945 (Second Service award)


 * William John Rees Holmes, Coxswain - 1973


 * William John Rees Holmes, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1979 (Second Service award)


 * Jeremy Richard Rees, Coxswain - 1997


 * Medal Service Certificate
 * Gerald Edwards, Second Coxswain - 1973
 * Michael Eynon, Assistant Mechanic - 1973
 * Anthony Stewart, Crew member - 1973
 * Roger Callaghan, Crew member - 1973
 * William Watkins, Crew member - 1973


 * Gerald Edwards, crew member - 1979
 * Roger O'Callaghan, crew member - 1979
 * Norman Knowles, crew member - 1979
 * Jeffrey Stringer, crew member - 1979
 * Danny Richards, crew member - 1979
 * Stephen O'Leary, crew member - 1979


 * The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
 * Col. Mirehouse, Honorary Secretary - 1893


 * Albert Rees, Mechanic - 1944


 * William John Rees Holmes, Coxswain/Mechanic - 1977


 * Vellum Service Certificates
 * Brian Brown, Second Coxswain - 1977
 * Michael Eynon, Assistant Mechanic - 1977
 * Anthony Stewart, Second Assistant Mechanic - 1977
 * Peter Jones, crew member - 1977
 * Daniel Richards, crew member - 1977


 * A special framed certificate
 * Coxswain and Crew - 1977 (Fastnet Race)


 * A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
 * The crew of The Lady Rank - 1997


 * Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
 * Michael John Eynon - 2000