Baltimore's station history

Silver Medals awarded to The Venerable Archdeacon J R H Becher, Honorary Secretary at Baltimore and Lieut. A L Sanderson RNR for a service on 29 December 1916 when the ss Alondra of Liverpool carrying a crew of forty, ran ashore on the Kedge Rocks in dense fog and bad weather.  Sixteen men took to a ship’s boat and were drowned and one man died on board.  The remaining 23 were rescued by means of lines.

Silver Medals awarded to John Daly, Tim Daly, Michael Cadogan and Tim Cadogan for putting off in a small boat and rescuing two of the crew of the ss Nestorian, which ran ashore at Cape Clear Island in a dense fog and a very heavy westerly swell on 2 January 1917.  The life saving apparatus was carried two miles over a mountain to the wreck.

Silver Medal awarded to John Hart and the Bronze Medal to Timothy Murphy and Jeremiah McCarthy for their gallant conduct when they saved five people from the fishing boat Thomas Joseph of Dublin, which was wrecked in a strong north west wind, with a very heavy sea, on Sherkin Island on 10 November 1918.  The boat was on a trial trip with 11 people on board when she struck some rocks and six were drowned.  The rescuers put off in a yawl and rescued, at great personal risk, three men who were clinging to the mast and a man and a girl from the rocks.

The Watson Class lifeboat ON649, Duke of Connaught, (later renamed Shamrock), built at cost of £6,013, was put into service.

The Watson Class lifeboat ON854,Sarah Tilson, built at cost of £17,790, was put into service, replacing the Shamrock.

The Watson Class lifeboat ON955, The Robert, built at cost of £35,500, was put into service, replacing the Sarah Tilson.

A special framed certificate awarded to the coxswain and crew for display at the station in recognition of their services in connection with numerous yachts in difficulties during the Fastnet Race on 13/14 August.

The Oakley Class lifeboat ON1015, Charles Henry, built at cost of £75,306, was put into service, replacing The Robert.

Adaptation work was carried out in order to accommodate the station’s Tyne class lifeboat.

The Tyne class lifeboat ON1137 Hilda Jarrett, built at a cost of £560,000, was put into service, replacing the Charles Henry.

Bronze Medal awarded to Coxswain Kieran Cotter in recognition of his determination, skill and fine seamanship, and Framed Letters of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution to Assistant Mechanic Vincent O’Driscoll and crew members Ronald Carthy, Michael O’Regan, Aidan Bushe and Cairán Sweeney for their support, when the lifeboat The Good Shepherd, on temporary duty at Baltimore, rescued 15 people and saved the Spanish fishing vessel Japonica which had suffered engine failure 20 miles west of the Fastnet Rock in storm force winds on the night of 30/31 October 1991.  As the casualty was driven closer to the rock-bound shore, it was decided to attempt a tow.  This was finally achieved after 70 minutes, and the vessel towed with some difficulty to the safety of Bantry Bay.  On the return passage the lifeboat put into Castletownbere to land an injured crew member and to change a blocked fuel filter.  Whilst waiting for a replacement the lifeboat received information that the yacht Atlantis Adventure was in difficulties south of the Fastnet Rock.  The lifeboat was at sea for a period of 26 hours.  The Maud Smith Award for the bravest act of life saving in 1991 was made to Coxswain Kieran Cotter for this service.

An Atlantic 75 class lifeboat, B-708, Bessie, was placed on service on 27 June for evaluation and subsequently went into service.

The new station lifeboat ON1302 Alan Massey was placed on service on 15 February 2012.  This lifeboat was funded by the generous legacy of Miss Dorothy May Massey in memory of her brother.  The lifeboat ON1137 Hilda Jarrett has been withdrawn to the relief fleet.

The new Atlantic 75 lifeboat B-753 City of Bradford was placed on service 8 October 2012. Lifeboat B-708 Bessie has been withdrawn.

The new station Atlantic 75 B-760 Alice and Charles was placed on service September 2013. Lifeboat B-753 City of Bradford has been withdrawn.