THRILLING WRECK SCENES NEAR BLACK DOG

 Trawler ashore: Two Lives Lost

 Five rescued by naval men from H.M.S. VAMPIRE

Two lives were lost when the Aberdeen trawler Imperial Prince ran ashore on the Belhelvie Sands yesterday. Two of the crew were rescued after clinging to the rigging for six hours and the remaining five were brought ashore after being exposed to the elements for 13 hours.

RESCUE SCENES

TERRIBLE ORDEAL OF SURVIVORS

Scenes, agonising in the repeated failures of attempts to rescue nine men clinging to a mast-head in a raging sea, were witnessed all day yesterday on the Aberdeenshire coast about five miles north of the Bridge of Don, where Imperial Prince, an Aberdeen trawler, ran ashore in a haze in the morning.

While efforts were being made to rescue them, two of the men were drowned before the eyes of a large crowd of onlookers, helpless to do anything. Two were rescued after hanging on for six hours, but the remaining five clung for 13 hours before being taken off by the Newburgh Lifeboat, manned by navy men from H.M.S. Vampire, who affected one of the smartest rescues that have ever taken place on this coast.

TWO DROWNED: SEVEN SAVED

The two men who lost their lives were -

William Bavidge, (24) Deck Hand, 200 Victoria Road, Torrey

Duncan Smith, Deck Hand, 21, Prince Regent Street, Aberdeen

The rescued men, all belonging to Aberdeen are -

Samuel Bavidge, Skipper, 18 Castle Terrace,

William Shaw, Mate, 14 Grampian Road,

C. Simon, Chief Engineer, 27 Ashvale Place,

William Nelson Sharman, Second hand, 55 Gallowgate,

Thomas Cummings, Deck Hand, 18 Craigie Street,

H. Butcher, Deck Hand, 18 Craigie Street,

Fred Smart, Fireman, 13 Loch Street.

FARMER SEES FLARES

The Imperial Prince, which is an inshore vessel, was due in Aberdeen yesterday morning and left the fishing grounds about midnight on Thursday. A heavy sea was running constantly, sweeping the deck, and a thick haze obscured the lights onshore.

It is believed that the vessel grounded before six o'clock in the morning. Flares were instantly lighted and one was seen by Mr. Adam Buchan, farmer, East Hatton, Millden, about 7 o'clock and he sent his 14 year old son, Charles, down to the shore, about half a mile away, to see if the Coastguard were aware of the vessel's plight and were on the scene. On his arrival on the beach the boy found no one there, but could see the masts and part of a funnel of a vessel several hundred yards from the shore. The mist was too heavy, however, for him to see the men clinging to the foremast. On his return he told his father what he had seen and his father remarked, "They must all be drowned". The boy was then sent to Balmedie to inform the Police. On receipt of the news, the constable instantly telephoned the Bridge of Don Coastguard Station, and dispatched motor cars for the men of Belhevie Station.

Life saving apparatus was sent from both these stations with the utmost expedition, but owing to the almost inaccessible part of the coast where the vessel had grounded, it was after 8.30 when the apparatus arrived on the scene, under Commander Way, Inspector of the Board of Trade, and District Officer Morrison.

The sea was a raging fury, and a strong Southeasterly was blowing. The dangerous position of the men clustering together on the mast spurred the Coastguards on and no time was lost n bringing the apparatus into operation. With the stiff breeze to contend with, and with the vessel almost completely submerged, the difficulty of establishing communication was greatly increased. The first rockets were carried out of their course by the wind. several that followed actually went between the masts, but their line was outwith the reach of the men.

LIFEBOAT MEN OVERBOARD

Shortly after 11 o'clock, the "Bon Accord", the Aberdeen Harbour Commissioners' Lifeboat, arrived on the scene, in tow of a tug. The little craft, however, was tossed about like a cork and was practically at the mercy of the breakers, which were continually rolling shoreward, and repeatedly washing over the crew of the trawler.

When the near the vessel, four of the lifeboat crew were swept overboard, and as they were in immediate danger of drowning, the remainder of the lifeboat crew had to concentrate their energies on rescuing their mates, which was accomplished against extraordinary odds, but by the time they had got their men on board, the current had carried the boat about half a mile to the north of the grounded vessel. As it was obviously futile to try to fight against the current, the crew rounded for shore.

The Coastguard made an effort to speak to the men by semaphore, but the reply was sent back by one of the trawler men that they could not read the signals, so affected were their eyes by the salt water. Those on shore did not relax their energies, and several more rockets were fired. The line of one fell close to the mast, and William Bavidge started to climb down the rigging with the object of securing it. he missed his footing and fell into the sea, and almost immediately disappeared. This happened after the men had been hanging on to the mast for almost six hours.

A subsequent rocket passed close to the men, and the line was secured and made fast to the mast. Do fatigued were the men, however, that they could not muster sufficient strength to pull the gear towards them. Their precarious perch on the mast also made any movement extremely dangerous.

THE NEWBURGH LIFEBOAT

With the ebb of the tide, hopes rose higher and shortly after one o'clock the Newburgh Lifeboat arrived. Their attempts to bring the men ashore will provide one of the most heroic stories of rescue work on the Northeast coast.

Coxswain Innes received notification of the wreck about 9 o'clock and quickly mustered the lifeboat crew. The whole village turned out to lend assistance and soon men, women and young boys were dragging the lifeboat along the sands. before they had gone half a mile, however, they were overtaken by a team of horses that had been sent by Mr.G.S.Moir of Knockhall. With the horses the ground was covered quickly, and the five miles were traversed in about three hours.

Although the tide had receded it in n way diminished the task of the Newburgh crew, for the turbulence of the sea was not one whit abated. launching their boat some distance to the south to make allowance for the current, they made good progress at first, but the boat was just driven to the north. They continued to struggle heroically, and, inch by inch, they drew nearer to the vessel; but time and again, when within a few yards, they were beaten back by the breakers. Ultimately they succeeded in casting an anchor on board and making it secure. A life buoy was then attached to the rocket line that had been attached to the mast, and the mate of the trawler pulled it in.

A SADDENING SIGHT

First to venture into the buoy was William Nelson Sharman who, though he was severely buffeted by the waves, was successfully brought on board the lifeboat. Duncan Smith, who followed, did not experience the same good fortune. At the moment he entered the water huge waves broke over the vessel and the crowd on shore were horrified to see him slip from the buoy and disappear when within an ace of being rescued. Carl Simon, the Chief Engineer, was next rescued.

Somehow or another, the line then became detached, and the lifeboat crew, in view of the serious condition of Simon, made for the shore and the two men were removed to a farmhouse where they were given restoratives.

All who witnessed the rescue were loud in their praise of the heroic conduct of the lifeboat crew. Against fearful odds they battled with indomitable pluck for more than an hour. Coxswain Innes and his son then gathered a mixed crew of lifeboat men and volunteers and made an ineffectual attempt to reach the trawler. The futility of further attempts by lifeboats propelled by oars was apparent, and Commander Wey telegraphed about 4 o'clock for the Peterhead motor lifeboat, and the reply came that it would be sent with the utmost dispatch. In the meantime, Captain Crombie sent for reinforcements from the Aberdeen Lifeboat Service, and they arrived by motor charabanc before 5 o'clock.

About this time the mate of the trawler was seen to be signaling, in semaphore, a feat to be accomplished by one of his comrades assisting him to retain his hold. Slowly the words were transmitted - "It is a lot finer now". There was actually less surf, which gave the appearance of an abatement of the storm, but it was really illusory, for the sea was still as rough as before. News of the wreck had spread to the city and large crowds were making their way to the scene, and when the Aberdeen lifeboat was launched for a further attempt, it was sent off with a hearty cheer from those on shore. Gallant as was the attempt, however, the boat was swept past the wreck and came ashore several hundred yards to the north.

NAVY MEN TO THE RESCUE

In response to a request by Commander Wey, Commander R. V. Holt, who was in command of destroyers berthed in Aberdeen harbour, provided a detachment of Navy men. The men were selected from the crew of H.M.S. Vampire and were sent out in taxicabs taking with them a ked anchor. They arrived shortly before 6 o'clock.

Darkness was now setting in, and hampering the movements of the Coastguards and it was thought that additional difficulty would be encountered in locating the position of the trawler. it was discovered, however, that a faint light was glimmering at the mast head. It was the lamp on the foremast, which had kept alight all day, and now clearly marked the position. With that expedition which is characteristic of the Navy, the men from the Vampire got their gear to readiness and selected a crew to man the Newburgh lifeboat. Coxswain Innes, in view of his local geographic knowledge, was placed in charge and was accompanied by his son, as mate, and he Newburgh bowman. In little over a quarter of an hour they rowed ashore with the five remaining men on board.

Puling straight out to sea they had got almost level with the Imperial Prince and drifted with the current towards the trawler. When passing the vessel they dropped their anchor and swung the lifeboat toward the mast, and the men were able to clamber aboard. The men were numb with cold, and were removed with all haste to the St. Andrews motor ambulance and cars waiting nearby, to take them to the farmhouse of Mr. Buchan, for medical treatment at the hands of Dr. Sinclair, 16 Bon Accord Crescent, who had been summoned by the owner of the vessel. Roaring fires awaited the men, and, after warmth had been instilled into their bodies, they were removed to their homes in Aberdeen. Only Butcher and Cumming were in immediate need of medical aid.

Happy scenes were witnessed at the reunion of the men with relatives and friends.

About quarter an hour after the rescue, the Peterhead lifeboat reached the scene, and on receiving signals that the men had been taken off, returned to Peterhead.

CHEERS FOR NAVY MEN

As the Navy men drove off, singing a popular ditty, they were given a lusty cheer by the large crowd of people present, who were full of admiration for the way in which they had carried out the rescue. A meed of praise is also due to the Coastguardsmen from the Bridge of Don and Belhelvie, who spared no effort to rescue the men. An untiring figure on shore, during the whole day, was Captain Lumsden of Balmedie. The lifeboat crew, one and all, behaved throughout in a gallant manner.

IMPERIAL PRINCE STEAM FISHING TRAWLER

Reported by

Mr. George E. Ley Smith of the Aberdeen Press and Journal  20 October 1923

The reporter himself took part in the rescue.

(William Bavidge who died in the tragedy, was the son of William Fenwick Bavidge, born North Shields, 1866 and who lived at 200 Victoria Road, Torry, Aberdeen).

This document is from a copy transcribed by Angela Bavidge of an original copy of the ABERDEEN PRESS&JOURNAL, dated Saturday, 20th. October, 1923.

Note: The crews of two Navy vessels took part in the rescue.

4 crew members of H.M.S. Vendetta and 6 crew members of H.M.S. Vampire.