Donaghadee's station history

A lifeboat named William and Laura sailed for her station via the east coast and Forth and Clyde Canal.

In September the inauguration ceremony of the new lifeboat was held and Mr Charles Dunbar Butler, President of the branch and Miss Slade representing the late donor, handed the lifeboat over to the branch and named her.

Coxswain William G Nelson drowned whilst out fishing.

Bronze Medal awarded to Coxswain Samuel Nelson for the rescue of seven of the crew of nine of the ss Coastville wrecked on rocks at Ballymacormick Point on 21 November 1940 and nine of the crew of 43 of the steamer Hope Star which went aground at Ballyholme Bay on 6 December 1940.

Coxswain Andrew White retired after serving for nearly 32 years as coxswain during which time over 80 lives were rescued.

Bronze Medal awarded to Coxswain Hugh Nelson for the courage, skill and initiative shown on the occasion of the wreck of the vehicle/passenger ferry Princess Victoria which sank in a raging gale on 31 January 1953 approximately seven miles east of the entrance to Belfast Lough.  The disaster to the Princess Victoria, with 176 passenger on board, was the greatest suffered by any British merchant vessel in peace time for a quarter of a century.  Coxswain Nelson took 29 survivors from a ships lifeboat, one man from another boat and one from a raft.  The British Empire Medal was awarded to Coxswain Hugh Nelson in recognition of this service.  The Portpatrick lifeboat also attended this service and the coxswain received the same medals.

Lifeboat stood by the motor vessel Douglas of Bergen from 17 to 19 July and was at sea for over 60 hours.

Honorary Secretary DT McKibben awarded the MBE.

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution, the Duke of Atholl, awarded to Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic James Bunting for the rescue of the crew of three and the saving of the yacht Rosita which went aground near the entrance to Copelands Marina in a fresh south westerly breeze and a moderate sea on 21 May.

Waveney class lifeboat withdrawn and replaced by an Arun class lifeboat.

Her Majesty The Queen has honoured ex Coxswain William Lennon in her Birthday Honours List for services to the Institution; the award being the British Empire Medal.

Boathouse extension was completed in February.

Her Majesty The Queen has honoured Mr Thomas ‘Walker’ Simpson, Deputy Coxswain/Mechanic, with a MBE in her Birthday Honours.

The new Trent class lifeboat ON1267 Saxon was placed on service 17 April 2003. This lifeboat was funded by the legacy of Mrs Freda Rivers in memory of her late husband. Lifeboat ON1107 City of Belfast has been withdrawn to the relief fleet.

The Trustees voted the award of a Centenary Vellum to the station on 2010. 

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to Coxswain Philip McNamara in recognition of his courage, leadership, determination and boat handling when the lifeboat under his command saved the lives of three elderly crew members of the yacht Bentim Buoys on 13 September 2009. The yacht, which was also saved, was aground on rocks near to Craigbrain. The service, during the early hours of the morning, was conducted close to a rock strewn lee shore in shoaling waters and poor weather.