November 26th marks the 70th anniversary of a dramatic lifesaving rescue in atrocious weather conditions that involved crew from St Davids and Rosslare lifeboat stations.

During the night of November 26, 1954, a ferocious storm hit the UK causing much damage. At Brawdy, a gust of 132mph was recorded.

Ten miles West North West of the Smalls lighthouse the 20,000 ton Liberian tanker ‘World Concord’ was overwhelmed by the ferocity of the waves and broke into two parts.

St Davids lifeboat pictured alongside the tanker evacuating the crew.
St Davids lifeboat pictured alongside the tanker evacuating the crew. (RNLI/St Davids)

At 8.28am on November 27, the St Davids lifeboat ‘Civil Service No 6’ was launched at St Justinians.

With waves of 15-20 feet, the lifeboat had to manoeuvre alongside the ship a remarkable 35 times, evacuating one of the crew on each approach. The evacuation took 50 minutes with the coxswain and mechanics working skilfully throughout to effect the rescue.

Meanwhile the captain and six crew aboard the separated fore section of the ‘World Concord’ drifted further North West.

St Davids coxswain William Watts-Williams decided that given the conditions, and with the lifeboat already full of survivors, he would be unable to attempt to rescue the remaining seven crew. The lifeboat returned to St Justinians at about 3pm with the 35 survivors.

Rosslare Harbour lifeboat launched at 3.50pm reaching the ‘World Concord’ bow about three and a half hours later. It was impossible to attempt a rescue in the darkness so the lifeboat remained close-by throughout the night until 8.30am when the last seven men were rescued and landed at Holyhead.

Lifeboat “Civil Service No. 6” (later renamed “Swn-y-Mor”) launching at St Justinians in calmer weather.
Lifeboat “Civil Service No. 6” (later renamed “Swn-y-Mor”) launching at St Justinians in calmer weather. (RNLI/St Davids)

Following the rescue, in St Davids, coxswain William Watts Williams was awarded the RNLI's Silver medal. Mechanics George Jordan and Gwilym Davies each received the RNLI's Bronze medal.

Second Coxswain David Lewis and crew members William Rowlands, William Morris, Howell Roberts and Richard Chisholm each received the RNLI's Thanks on Vellum.