Morecambe's station history

D class lifeboat sent to station in May.

Bronze Medal awarded to Helmsman Keith Willacy in recognition of his courage, skill and tenacity when in a strong south-south-westerly wind gusting to gale force and a very rough sea, the D class lifeboat rescued two men stranded on the Clark Wharf Sandbank half a mile north west of Heysham Harbour on 4 August 1973. The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum was accorded to crew member Andrew Jarvis.

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution awarded to Helmsman Keith Willacy in recognition of the determination and excellent seamanship he displayed when the D class lifeboat rescued the crew of two of an inflatable dinghy which was in difficulties near the sea wall and groynes beneath Morecambe Golf Course on 6 June.

Silver Medal awarded to Helmsman Keith Willacy in recognition of his courage, determination, leadership and seamanship when the D class lifeboat rescued a man after he had been persuaded to jump into the sea from a concrete marker pillar onto which he had climbed when he was in difficulties on his sailboard a quarter of a mile north of Heysham Harbour in a south by easterly gale and a rough sea on 17 October 1982. The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum were accorded to crew members Anthony Terence Jolley and Robert Alan Coyle.

Framed Letters of Thanks signed by the Chairman were presented to Helmsman Mark Baxter and crew member David Willacy in recognition of their considerable skill when on 20 August a man was rescued from his sailboard in a south westerly gale and steep confused seas in the vicinity off the Stone Jetty.

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum were accorded to Helmsman Keith Willacy and crew members Steven J Waite and Michael J Mayfield in recognition of their high standard of seamanship and bravery when a Zodiac Mark III inflatable dinghy was launched from the shore and rescued the sole occupant of the yacht Phoenix which was at anchor off Glasson Dock in the River Lune in a north westerly storm, heavy rain and in the darkness of the night of 12 February.  Mr Willacy was the Honorary Secretary at the time and was previously the Morecambe ILB helmsman.

New D class boathouse was completed in October.

Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum accorded to Helmsman Harold Roberts for the rescue of the crew of two and the saving of the yacht Lady Friendship on 12 June. This was a joint service with the Fleetwood all weather lifeboat.

The first RNLI rescue hovercraft H-002 became operational at Morecambe on 23 December 2002. This follows a decision by the Executive Committee for hovercraft to join the Institution’s fleet. It will be formally named The Hurley Flyer at a ceremony in 2003.

Temp facilities for Hovercraft completed at a cost of £64,883.

A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution, Mr Peter Nicholson awarded to Mr John Beaty, LOM, and a second letter addressed to all the crew and shore helpers following a service on the night of 5 February 2004 when on man’s life was saved and a total of 11 bodies were recovered by the D class inshore lifeboat and H002. A large group of Chinese cockle pickers had been cut off and subsequently drowned by the notorious Morecambe Bay tides.

Her Majesty The Queen, in the recent New Years Honours, honoured Mr Harold Roberts, Senior Hovercraft Commander, Morecambe Lifeboat Station, for services to maritime safety. The award was Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE).

A permanent facility for housing the Hovercraft was constructed at a total cost of £935,528.

The new D Class lifeboat D-722 Margaret Mary Timpany entered service in November. Lifeboat D-564 has been withdrawn. The lifeboat was provided by the generous bequest of Dr Margaret Mary Timpany.