The Fairy

On Saturday, 23rd January, 1937, the collier Fairy was en route from Goole to Aberdeen with little inkling about the drama that was about to unfold.

As she headed towards Aberdeen, under the command of Captain George Croxford, she had been experiencing a strong South Easterly gale throughout her passage, making conditions rather uncomfortable for the Kings Lynn registered vessel and her crew.

On arriving at Aberdeen, early on Sunday morning, Capt. Croxford found the South Easterly gale had closed off the port to all traffic. He had very little choice now but to try and find some shelter in an effort to ride out the storm and Capt. Croxford took his vessel offshore to spare them from the storm ravaged shores of Aberdeen.

As he headed out to sea, the water started to find its way down into the accommodation, high seas were even causing water to come down her funnel but worse was to come soon.

As the collier sat 30 miles out to sea, the storms ferocity increased. The vessel and her crew battled against the increasing weather but more and more water was being taken on to the small collier but they braved the storm through Monday. On Tuesday, Capt Croxford ordered his crew to begin bailing as he tried to run in towards the coast but her bunkers were now full of water and it was becoming extremely difficult to keep her fires stoked.

Nine miles from Girdleness, at about 10am, the German Trawler 'Hendrick' spotted distress signals from the 'Fairy' and immediately made way to her and passed a line to take the stricken collier in tow. Slow progress was made by both vessels and by 4.30pm daylight faded. Suddenly, a distress flare appeared over the City's coastline and was spotted by the Coastguard Watch at Donmouth, who in turn called out both Aberdeen Lifeboats, Rocket teams from Bridge of Don and Belhelvie, and put the Newburgh Lifeboat on standby.

Aberdeen No.1 Lifeboat, Emma Constance, under the command of Cox'n Tom Sinclair, was launched and came through the harbour piers at 4.38pm. As she crossed the Harbour Bar, the mass of raging white water smashed her windscreen and split a 24" oak beam. Remarkably, she crossed the Bar without injury to her crew and turned Northwards towards the Hendrick and her stricken tow, the Fairy.

Aberdeen No.2 (Beach) Lifeboat, Robert and Ellen Robson, under the command of Cox'n George Walker, was stood ready at the boathouse before making her way to the scene by road, some 2hrs later.

Emma Constance arrived on scene at 5.30pm, about 2 miles off Donmouth, and closed in towards the Fairy. When Cox'n Sinclair was within shouting distance he asked Capt Croxford if all was well, the Fairy's Master replied that he wished to retain his charge and hang on for as long as possible. Emma Constance shadowed the Hendrick and the Fairy as they crept shoreward.

Out of the dark, another set of lights were spotted and a searchlight from this new vessel passed a message saying that she was the 'Montrose' and that she had damaged her steering gear. There was now a very real danger that this Swedish Steamer could drift towards the convoy and foul the tow or worse. Cox'n Sinclair immediately headed towards the Montrose and once it was clear the vessel was no longer in danger, Emma Constance headed back to the Fairy's position where the Lifeboat found the evenings events had deteriorated considerably and the tow from the Hendrick had parted and the Fairy was adrift.

The German skipper gallantly attempted to pass another tow but found it impossible in the conditions and stood clear, it was now up to the Emma Constance and her crew to aid the stricken vessel.

As the ebbing tide carried the Fairy Northwards, her progress being followed onshore by the Rocket crews, Cox'n Sinclair again asked the Master of the Fairy if he and his crew were ready to leave their ship. Understandably, some of her crew wanted off and some wanted to remain with her but the decision was about to be taken out of their hands.

The vessel struck the shore at 10pm and was instantly and constantly deluged with heavy seas along her entire length. Her crew now called for the Lifeboat to come to their rescue and take them from the wreck. As she made her approach a massive wave lifted Emma Constance over the rails of the Fairy and the end looked certain for her but miraculously, a fraction of a second later, another wave lifted her clear and back to relative safety again.

Cox'n Sinclair made a second approach and this time the Fairy's crew made the leap of faith from their storm ravaged collier into the lifeboat, which was still being tossed around like a cork. One crewman slipped as he jumped but without a thought for himself, Lifeboatman John Masson reached out and grabbed him and pulled him aboard the Lifeboat.

With Fairy's crew now safely aboard the Emma Constance, Cox'n Sinclair turned to sea and headed towards the Montrose, which was still standing by offshore. Within hailing distance of the Montrose, the Cox'n passed a message requesting that the Montrose inform the North Pier that all souls were saved and the Lifeboat was returning home. The Montrose sent the message by both wireless and lamp as the Emma Constance was not fitted with a wireless. The No.2 Lifeboat was stood down and made her way back to her boathouse.

The Emma Constance was due past the North Pier at 11.30pm but by 1.00am on the 27th January she had still not been sighted. Vengeful seas were still crashing at the harbour entrance and many were by now fearing the worst.

Onboard the Emma Constance, Cox'n Sinclair, having seen no deterioration in the state of the Bar decided against risking their lives by attempting to enter the port but with no wireless on board he could not pass his intentions ashore. Worsening conditions also meant he could not re-locate the Montrose to inform her of his intentions. Cox'n Sinclair decided that his only option was to run for shelter, with the only location safe from a South Easterly storm being the Moray Firth.

The City of Aberdeen woke up that Tuesday Morning fearing that her No.1 Lifeboat had been lost with all hands.

Meanwhile, Emma Constance had once again headed to sea and limped wearily into Macduff Harbour at 4.30am on Wednesday 28th January, over 24hrs after she was expected back in Aberdeen. Immediately, once alongside, the safe arrival of the Emma Constance was wired to Aberdeen to immense relief of all those waiting for news of her fate.

Emma Constance remained in Macduff while temporary repairs were carried out to enable her to return home.

On 6 April, 1937, The Royal National Lifeboat Institution announced it was to award Cox'n Tom Sinclair with the Silver Medal for Gallantry for the Rescue of the Fairy's Crew. Bronze Medals for Gallantry were to be awarded to Mechanic, Alex Weir and Lifeboatman John Masson for the the same service. Thanks on Vellum were to be presented to the rest of the Emma Constance's Crew.

The awards were presented by HRH the Duke of Kent at a ceremony in London on 9th September 1937.

The RNLI sent a message to Aberdeen which sums up the service:

"The service to 'Fairy' carried out in snow, squalls, darkness and rough seas, was a fine example of determination and courage."