THE ROCKET BRIGADE

When the RNLI took over control of the Aberdeen Lifeboat in 1925, it also took over the running of the city's two rocket propelled Life Saving Apparatus teams, a unique arrangement as all other Rocket Brigades were run by HM Coastguard.

The team based at Footdee covered Northwards of the coastline from the River Dee and the Torry team covered Southwards.

The equipment was kept in handcarts and pushed to the scene of a stricken vessel from where rockets would then be fired with lines to the casualty and her crew would come ashore.

When the apparatus was closed down in 1962, it had been used seven times and had saved 57 lives for the loss of 3.

ABERDEEN R.N.L.I. LIFE‑SAVING APPARATUS ‑ SERVlCE LIST

NO.         DATE                            NAME OF CASUALTY                                LIVES  LOST      SAVED              UNIT              BRIEF SERVICE DETAILS

001          02/06/1931             '”LOYAL FRIEND" of Lowestoft                      None             11                   N Pier             Stranded N side of Nav Channel. L/Boat service No 016.

002          18/01/1933             “BEN SCREEL" of Aberdeen                            None             10                   Torry              Stranded Girdleness. L/boat service No.021.

003          25/12/1935             "GEORGE STROUD” of Aberdeen                       3                  1                    N Pier             Stranded on N Pier. L/boat service No.035.

004          15/04/1945             "ALBERT VICTOR" of Faeroes                         None              5                    N Pier             Stranded on beach. L/boat service No.087.

005          22/05/1945             MGB 2007                                                       None              1                    Torry              Stranded S side nav'n channel. L/boat service No.089.

006          21/01/1946             "SPUME” of Grimsby                                       None             16                   Torry              Stranded in nav'n channel. L/boat service No.094.

007          23/09/1952             ''LOCH LOMOND” of Aberdeen                       None             13                   N Pier             Stranded on N Pier. L/boat service No.108.