RNLB Emma Constance (ON 693)

Description

The Emma Constance was a large lifeboat being 61 feet long and 15 feet wide, and was one of only three Barnett class Marks of this size. She had a draught of over 4 feet. These lifeboats were the largest in the RNLI fleet at this time, and over the years has only been surpassed by the 70 foot Clyde-class lifeboats built in the 1960s. The Emma Constance was built in the yards of Saunders Roe of East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and was laid down in 1926. She was driven through the water by means of twin screws with their power coming from twin RNLI DE6 petrol engines with each engine housed in its own separate watertight compartment. These two compartments were two of total of fourteen watertight compartments that made up the boat's hull. The lifeboat was able to carry a fuel load of 500 gallons which was distributed between three separate fuel tanks which were at the rear of the engine compartments. There was also an auxiliary petrol engine installed which powered a generator for the lighting the windlass at the front of the boat and a capstan to the back of the boat. Although the Emma Constance had the most up-to-date technology installed, the designers also covered all eventualities by providing a full set of sails in case of motor power loss. Another feature of this 61 foot Barnett-class was a specially designed jumping net which was supported forward between the two side funnels and two stanchions aft. This net allowed potential rescuees to jump from their ship into the net and then be hauled on to the lifeboat.

The Christening

The Christening of Emma Constance took place on the 19 September 1927 in front of a gathered estimated crowd of 12,000 people. A small temporary jetty was erected for the ceremony and the Bandsman of the 4th Gordon Highlanders provided suitable music. The naming was performed by Lady Maude Carnegie. The proceedings ended with a short cruise for the V.I.P.s on the new lifeboat followed by a lifesaving demonstration. The Emma Constance had in fact already been called out on her first service by the time of her Christening when she was launched on the 21 July to aid a Trawler called Vanetia which had run aground at Girdleness although on arrival at the scene her assistance was not needed. On the 6 September she also launched to the aide of the trawler Ben Tore.

First rescue

The trawler Ben Torc was out of Aberdeen and was returning to port when on the 6 September she ran into a dense fog accompanied by heavy rain. A south-easterly wind then blew up, causing a heavy breaking sea. Just before 10 pm and only 1 mile from the harbour, the breaking seas turned the 188-ton Ben Torc almost 360°. The skipper, George Ross got the trawler positioned pointing seaward, mustered his crew in the wheelhouse and sounded the siren to alert that his vessel was in distress. The seas were now breaking over the forward part of the trawler, but help was on the way. The coastguards, named Davis and Fenn, who were manning the Gregness station had climbed down the Gregg Ness cliffs to the scene and had managed to get a lifeline across to the trawler at great danger to themselves. The trawlermen were nevertheless not prepared to risk the lifeline and asked that the lifeboat should come to their aid. At 10:27 pm the Emma Constance was launched with Coxswain Tom Sinclair at the helm. When she arrived she used her searchlight to illuminate the scene of the casualty. The Ben Torc was now stricken on to the rocky outcrop known as Gregness Point. The area was full of half submerged rocky outcrops and the lifeboat carefully picked its way to position itself alongside the Ben Torc. The trawler's five crew immediately jumped aboard the lifeboat but the skipper, George Ross fell into the raging sea but was hauled aboard by line, his bowler hat still on his head much to the amusement of everyone. With all six crewmen safely aboard the lifeboat returned to the station arriving back at her moorings by midnight. This ended the lifeboat's second service but her first life saving rescue.

Trawler George Stroud

A notable rescue performed by Emma Constance took place on the 25 December 1935, but the rescue was only partly successful, with the loss of three crew men aboard the casualty. The Aberdeen trawler George Stroud was returning to her berth in the harbour when disaster struck. The trawler was struck by an up-swell of sea which washed her starboard of her intended course and flung her against the wall of the north pier. The trawler was then crashed and battered along the pier until she ran aground 200 yards from the seaward side of the pier. The master and crew all took refuge in the trawlers wheelhouse and waited for help. The North Pier Lifesaving Brigade was soon on the scene and lit up the area using the headlights from a motor car. The LSA soon got lifelines to the stricken vessel by means of rocket lines, but the crew of the trawler would not use the lines preferring to wait to be saved by the lifeboat. The Emma Constance was launched and made her way, in a strong south-easterly wind and heavy seas, to the scene of the incident. Coxswain Tom Sinclair took the lifeboat between the pier and the trawler but crew of the trawler did not respond to the lifeboatmen's calls to jump aboard. Eventually one man made a safe transfer to the lifeboat. Following this a heavy sea broke across the lifeboat throwing her against the piers foundation damaging the lifeboat. This swell also smashed away the wheelhouse of the trawler. Coxswain Sinclair then manoeuvred the lifeboat five more times into the narrow space between the pier wall and the wreck, despite the lifeboats starboard propeller being fouled. One crewman was spotted in the sea and although the lifeboat managed to get a line to him he disappeared below and was drowned. The lifeboat continued searching for the remaining crewman of the trawler with floodlights. On the remains of the smashed wheelhouse another crewman was seen desperately holding on to the wreckage. He was saved by the efforts of the LSA operating from the pier. Although the tragedy saw the loss of three of the crew Coxswain Thomas Sinclair was awarded a Bronze Medal for his part in the rescue and his determination and skill in taking the Emma Constance five times into the narrow space between the pier wall and the wreck despite the damage sustained to the lifeboat.

SS Fairy

On Saturday 23 January 1937 the full force of a South-easterly gale was blasting the east coast of Scotland. Fighting its way through the storm was the 249-ton collier Fairy of Kings Lynn bound for Aberdeen from Goole. In the late afternoon of the next day the steamer arrived at the harbour only to find that the raging sea was being driven sideways across the harbour entrance and as a consequence the port was at this time declared shut. On Monday 25 January the Fairy had made little progress and was thirty miles off-shore and the seas were filling the ship. The captain alerted the crew that he was turning back towards the coastline and that they should all start bailing. Nine miles from the coast the Fairy sent a distress signal to a nearby German Trawler Hendrick, which immediately took the Fairy in to tow. By the evening the ships had made slow progress to a point just off Donmouth. Coastguards raised the alarm after flairs were seen. Emma Constance was launched at 4.38pm with Coxswain Tom Sinclair at the wheel. When the lifeboat reached the two vessels she hailed the Fairy and asked if all was well and did they needed further assistance. The Captain of the Fairy, George Croxford indicated that he would like to stay on his ship for as long as safely possible and so the lifeboat stood by. The Fairy and her towing ship made slow progress and some time later in the evening the towline parted. The Hendrick tried in vain to re-connect the towline but was unable to. At 10.pm the Fairy ran aground onto the sand and the seas began to sweep over the ship. The Emma Constance made an approach toward the stricken ship but the violent seas lifted the body of the lifeboat across the rails of the Fairy. A second large surge lifted her back off the ship and she then made another approach and this time successfully rescued the seven crewmen. During the rescue one of the crew fell into the sea between the ship and the lifeboat and at great personal risk life-boatman John Masson grabbed hold of the crewman and hauled him aboard the Emma Constance. With the crew now safe the lifeboat asked the nearby ship Montrose that they radio Aberdeen that the rescue had been a success and all were safe and the lifeboat was returning. At this time the Emma Constance was not equipped with radio equipment. Later back at the North Pier a look out was kept for the returning lifeboat. Conditions were as bad as ever and the waiting parties were very concerned as to the whereabouts of the lifeboat. Coxswain Tom Sinclair had wisely ruled out to risk returning to Aberdeen harbour with conditions as bad as they were. He headed for the calmer waters of the Moray Firth but was unable to pass his intentions on to Aberdeen. Everyone at Aberdeen feared the worse for the Emma Constance and it was with great relief when word arrived of the safe arrival of the badly damaged lifeboat at Macduff in the Moray Firth on Wednesday 27 4.30pm. The lifeboat had been out for three days. For his part in the rescue Coxswain Sinclair received an RNLI Silver Medal. Mechanic Alexander Weir and crew member John Masson were awarded Bronze medals and The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to Second Coxswain George A Flett; Second Assistant Mechanic James Cowper; Assistant Mechanic Robert J B Esson; John M Noble and Alexander S Masson in recognition of their meritorious conduct during this rescue.

Retirement

On the 14 January 1951 Emma Constance performed her last launch. She went to assist the Yawl Glen of Aberdeen which had broken down 1 nautical mile east-north-east of Gregness. The lifeboat took the vessel into tow and returned to Aberdeen. In August 1951 the Emma Constance was retired from Aberdeen. Her replacement was a 52 ft Barnett class lifeboat called RNLB Hilton Briggs (ON 889). Following her retirement the Emma Constance was sold out of the RNLI fleet and was renamed several times becoming first the Southern Cross followed by Achilleus and then Griselda.