Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station
| Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station | |
|---|---|
Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station | |
Trearddur Bay, Anglesey | |
| General information | |
| Type | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Address | Lon Isallt |
| Town or city | Trearddur Bay, Anglesey, LL65 2UP |
| Country | Wales, UK |
| Coordinates | 53°16′50″N 4°37′11″W / 53.28056°N 4.61972°W |
| Opened | May 1967 |
| Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Website | |
| Trearddur Bay RNLI Lifeboat Station | |
Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station is located in Trearddur, a village and seaside resort overlooking Trearddur Bay, just 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Holyhead, but on the opposite south-west corner of Holy Island, off the north-west coast of Anglesey in Wales.
An Inshore lifeboat station was established at Trearddur in 1967 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).[1]
The station currently operates both an Atlantic 85-class Inshore lifeboat, Hereford Endeavour (B-847), on station since 2010, and the smaller D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Clive and Imelda Rawlings II (D-885), on station since 2024.[2]
History
In 1964, in response to an increasing amount of water-based leisure activity, the RNLI placed 25 small fast Inshore lifeboats around the country. These were easily launched with just a few people, ideal to respond quickly to local emergencies.[3]
More stations were opened, and in May 1967, a lifeboat station was established at Trearddur Bay. A D-class (RFD PB16) Inshore lifeboat was placed on station, with her first rescue taking place on 4 June. A boathouse was constructed in 1971.[1]
On 2 September 1971, the Trearddur Bay Inshore Lifeboat was launched to the aid of two men, who were clinging on to their dinghy, which had capsized twice in bad conditions, close to Cod Rocks. Both men were rescued. Helm John Burns and crew member Edmund Williams were each awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal.[4]
A new and larger boathouse was built in 1993, which provided changing room facilities, crew room and galley, a workshop, fuel store and storeroom and a souvenir outlet, which allowed a new Atlantic 21-class lifeboat to be placed on station on 5 December 1996, with the D-class being withdrawn.[1]
On 24 May 2001, the station's Honorary Secretary Mr Jack Abbott MBE was awarded the Royal Humane Society Testimonial Vellum and a Resuscitation Certificate, for his rescue of a man who got into difficulties trying to return to the shore, after swimming after his dinghy which had drifted away from the slipway. Abbott spotted the man face down, 50 m (160 ft) from shore and swam out to him, towed him back to shore and performed CPR.[5]
The same year, a decision was made by the RNLI to reallocate a D-class lifeboat to Trearddur Bay to operate alongside the B-class lifeboat already on station.[1]
On their first official engagement as a couple, on 24 February 2011, Prince William and his fiancée Catherine Middleton were present at the station, to officially name the new B-class (Atlantic 85) lifeboat Hereford Endeavour (B-847).[6][7]
In 2022, Helm Lee Duncan became the first crew member of a B-class lifeboat to be awarded the RNLI Silver Medal for the rescue of a surfer in extreme weather conditions. The three other crew members, Dafydd Griffiths, Leigh McCann and Michael Doran, were each awarded the RNLI bronze medal.[8]
Station honours
The following are awards made at Trearddur Bay.[1][9][4]
- for the rescue of a female surfer during gale force 9 winds on 20 May 2021.
- Lee Duncan, Helm – 2022
- for rescuing two people that were clinging to a capsized dinghy near Cod Rocks.
- John Gilbert Victor Burns, Helm – 1971
- Edmund Michael Owen Williams, crew member – 1971
- for the rescue of a female surfer during gale force 9 winds on 20 May 2021.
- Dafydd Griffiths, crew member – 2022
- Leigh McCann, crew member – 2022
- Michael Doran, crew member – 2022
- Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum
- for the rescue of three people from a capsized speedboat on 8 September 2001
- Christopher Pritchard, Helm – 2002
- The Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Award 2001, (Awarded annually for the most meritorious rescue carried out by an inshore lifeboat crew.)
- for the rescue of three people from a capsized speedboat on 8 September 2001.
- Christopher Pritchard, Helm – 2002
- Royal Humane Society Testimonial Vellum and Resuscitation Certificate
- Jack Abbott, MBE, Hon. Secretary – 2001
- A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
- for his actions during a search for a child who had fallen into the sea at Rhoscolyn.
- Alan Hughes, Helm – 1999
- for his part in saving the lives of two divers.
- Terry Pendlebury, Helm - 2006
- Chief Executives Commendation
- All the team at Trearddur Bay RNLI – 2022
- Chief Executives Letter of Commendation
- Paul Moffett, Lifeboat Operations Manager – 2022
- Letter of Commendation from the Director of Operations
- Mark Smith, Tractor Driver – 2022
- Commendation by the Medical Director of the RNLI
- Lee Duncan, Helm – 2022
- Steve Williams – 2022
- Tom Moffett – 2022
- Matthew Hannaby – 2022
- Mike Doran – 2022
Trearddur Bay lifeboats
D-class
| Op. No.[a] | Name | On Station[10] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-126 | Unnamed | 1967–1977 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-259 | S.M.T.A. Shuttle | 1978–1988 | D-class (RFD PB16) | |
| D-367 | Sea Horse | 1988–1996 | D-class (EA16) | D-class withdrawn on arrival of B-Class in 1996 |
| D-class withdrawn 1996–2001 | ||||
| D-441 | Irish Diver | 2001–2002 | D-class (EA16) | D-class reinstated |
| D-440 | Brenda Reed | 2002–2004 | D-class (EA16) | |
| D-614 | Flo and Dick Smith | 2004–2012 | D-class (IB1) | |
| D-753 | Clive and Imelda Rawlings | 2012–2024 | D-class (IB1) | |
| D-885 | Clive and Imelda Rawlings II | 2024– | D-class (IB1) | |
B-class
| Op. No.[a] | Name | On Station[11] | Class | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-540 | Wolverhampton | 1996 | B-class (Atlantic 21) | |
| B-731 | Dorothy Selina | 1996–2010 | B-class (Atlantic 75) | |
| B-847 | Hereford Endeavour | 2010– | B-class (Atlantic 85) |
Launch and recovery tractors
| Op. No.[a] | Reg. No. | Type | On Station[12] | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TW05 | UJT 151S | Talus MB-764 County | 1996–2002 | |
| TW04 | TEL 705R | Talus MB-764 County | 2002–2010 | |
| TW48 | V281 EUJ | Talus MB-764 County | 2010–2011 | |
| TW01 | XTK 150M | Talus MB-764 County | 2011–2020 | |
| TW44 | S193 RUJ | Talus MB-764 County | 2020– |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Trearddur Bay's Station history". Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station. RNLI. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. p. 130.
- ^ "Inshore Rescue Boats". The Lifeboat. XXXVIII (407): 3. March 1964. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ a b Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. p. 342. ISBN 0907605893.
- ^ "Awards for hero who dived to the rescue". Crewe Chronicle. 3 September 2001. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ "Prince William and Kate Middleton launch lifeboat at Trearddur Bay". Walesonline.co.uk. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ "Royal wedding: William and Kate's Anglesey visit". BBC. 24 February 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
- ^ Rush, Danielle (2 March 2022). "First Silver Medal for an Atlantic 85 rescue awarded to Trearddur Bay RNLI". RNLI. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ^ "Journal". The Lifesaving Awards Research Society (110): 83. August 2024.
- ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 88–100.
- ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 80–84.
- ^ Leonard & Denton 2025, pp. 107–109.