RNLB Margaret Russell Fraser (ON 1108)

Procurement

This lifeboat was initially ordered and built to serve in the RNLI’s Relief Fleet of five of the Arun-class lifeboats. Following her build by VT Halmatic in Portsmouth, she was sent to Souter Marine Ltd in Cowes to be fitted out. There she underwent her self-righting trials following which all her electronic equipment was installed and commissioned. For two months beginning in January 1986 she underwent her final sea trials. She was finally handed over to the RNLI in April 1986.

Funding

Much of the cost of the new lifeboat was met from a bequest of Miss Margaret R Fraser of Glasgow. As thanks for this donation the lifeboat the RNLI chose Glasgow for the venue of the naming ceremony. The lifeboat arrived at Yorkhill Basin in the city on the 8 June 1986 with a specially selected crew which included three decorated Scottish lifeboatmen and one Englishman.

Coxswain Alexander Gilchrist of Campbeltown, coxswain Ian Johnson of Troon, crewman Arthur Hill of Largs were all recipients of the RNLI silver medal and coxswain Mike Storey of the Humber lifeboat who had an RNLI bronze medal awarded to him. The naming ceremony was opened by Cdr Cargill Sandeman with the survey ship HMS Hecate providing the backdrop for the ceremony. The executor of Miss Fraser’s estate formally handed the lifeboat to the Institute and the christening was performed by a Mrs Grey.

Icelandic service

In 2004 after 19 years service with the RNLI the Margaret Russell Fraser was sold out of the service. She was purchased by the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue who renamed her Ingibjög. She has been stationed at Höfn on the south east coast of Iceland since 2005.

Relief Fleet Service

The Margaret Russell Fraser first relief fleet posting was at one of the RNLI’s Republic of Ireland stations. She was stationed at Rosslare Harbour and subsequently on to Ballycotton and Valentia. In 1989 she was stationed at Aran Island and in September of that year she was sent back across the Irish Sea to her first service on an English station. She was stationed at Yarmouth Lifeboat Station on the Isle of Wight for two months. Whilst there she performed her most notable service.

Al Kwather 1

On the 28 October 1989 the Margaret Russell Fraser was launched from Yarmouth with Coxswain David Kennett at the helm. The weather in the Solent was poor with a south westerly severe gale force 9 blowing. The RoRo cargo vessel Al Kwather 1 was reported to be in difficulties three and a half miles east of Peveril Point near Swanage. Some of the ship's cargo of cars had broken loose on the deck.

The Swanage Rother-class lifeboat RNLB Horace Clarkson (ON 1047) had been on the scene since 11.30 am and in hurricane-force winds was standing by the vessel. At 3.10 pm the Margaret Russell Fraser arrived on the scene and took up a position astern of the Al Kwather 1 whilst the Swanage lifeboat returned to its station. The Al Kwather 1 appeared to be in no danger and so after an hour the Yarmouth boat also made for Swanage to allow the crew to get some rest and do initiate some minor repairs to the boat. Just after midnight the captain of the Al Kwather 1 reported that his vessel had problems with its engines and requested help. Both lifeboats left Swanage with the Margaret Russell Fraser arriving first to find the ship in complete darkness and listing to port and rolling violently, broadside to the seas.

The lifeboat, using her searchlights, approached the ship from the stern and with great skill, and a great deal of danger, manoeuvred alongside the ship and rescued two of the crew who where hanging on to a cargo net they had clambered down. This proved to be very dangerous and one of the crew men rescued had fallen from the net. His foot had caught in the net and hanging below the deck of the lifeboat, the crew had managed to haul him to safety. News arrived that a helicopter was en route and it was used to rescue the remaining crewman from the ship. The lifeboats then returned to their stations. Coxswain Kennett was awarded a Bronze medal for his part in the service. Assistant Mechanic Brian Miskin and crewman Joseph Lester where presented with framed letters. The Coxswain of the Swanage lifeboat, Christopher Haw was accorded the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum.

Calshot Lifeboat Station

In 2002 the Margaret Russell Fraser was taken out of the relief fleet and placed on her one and only permanent posting on a lifeboat station. She was sent to Calshot in Hampshire where she replaced the Brede-class lifeboat RNLB Safeway (ON 1104). She remained on service at Calshot for just over two years before she was replaced by the Arun-class lifeboat RNLB Mabel Williams (ON 1159).