On October 27 1916, the Salcombe lifeboat, William and Emma, was launched to go to the aid of a stricken Plymouth schooner Western Lass that was aground at Lannacombe Bay.
Fifteen men took her out in the teeth of a furious southwesterly gale and managed to cross the notorious Bar at the mouth of Salcombe Harbour. As the lifeboat made its may through the huge breakers on the Bar, a message came to say that the Prawle Rocket Company had been able to save all of the crew and the lifeboat was not needed. Unfortunately there was no way of getting a message to the lifeboat so it plunged on through the stormy sea to the wreck of the Western Lass. The cox’n, Samuel Distin, could see the rocket line hanging off the schooner and in the pale light of dawn realised that there was no one left to save.
All the lifeboats crew were by now soaked right through and freezing cold. There was nothing left but to get safely back. As they approached the Bar with its huge turbulent breakers some must have doubted the wisdom of trying to get through but in the end they streamed a sea anchor from the stern and took in most of the sail. Just as these preparations were complete a massive wave hit the stern of the boat throwing it broadside to the waves. All the crew were thrown in a great heap to the other side of the boat so when the next wave hit, it just turned the boat over and threw all the men into the sea.
Several of the men managed to hang on to the upturned hull of the boat but in the end all but two were swept away. ‘Eddie’ Distin and William Johnson were the only two to still be alive when the wreckage of the lifeboat was washed up under Rickham.
To a small community such as Salcombe such a disaster was a hammer blow, but with the Great War running its brutal course life just had to go on as many a wrecked or torpedoed seamen would still look for help from these small coastal villages. A new lifeboat was found and with it a new crew. But the Cox’n was one of the survivors, ‘Eddie’ Distin.
You should be able to find them second hand.
emma distin says
hi the distins are my relatives who i unfortunatley never got to meed i would like to no some more about them and i wonderd do you have any infomation about the ship wreck.
this web site is very good by the way. :)
emma distin says
THE DISTINS GO ON FOR EVA !!!!
Emma, Roy, Steve, Ryan, Janet, Dawn, Rhiannon,
Roy Distin (my grandad) use to live in salcombe and he use to go out him self on the life boats.
note: my grandads dad roy distin was suppost to go out that day but he was poorley and that is why he wasnt dead on that day as well
Mary Ellen Chope says
Have just found this page by chance, vey sad this story of so many brave men, William Johnson the second survivor was our childrens great great grandfather, Marion his daughter married Henry Chope…
Mary Ellen .
Andrea Hemsley says
My Granddad James Canham , [ my Mothers Dad ] died in the disaster when my Mother was only 4 yrs old . Would love to hear from any relatives .
bob perkins says
b.Plymouth,1945 & raised in Salcombe.Electrical apprenticeship at Devonport Dockyard.Grew up knowing Eddie Distin (‘Gramps’),’Bubbles'(Dad)and (my generation) Eric,Barry and Carol.The Distins as I recall were a rough-and-ready, hard-working family who all fished the local seas.All three generations served as Lifeboatmen.
David Brown says
Despite the 1916 disaster (reputedly the first time Eddie Distin served as coxwain) he was still the cox in the 1950s when I was young. Even then he was a legend and I think everyone who had a connection with the sea wanted to be in his crew.
Roger Johnson says
I am sitting in comfort looking at a horrendous swell breaking over the bar. I think of those brave people, I look at the pictures of the graves, and my heart aches. May they never be forgotten.
Andrew Docherty says
I have today read this story in the Salcombe lifeboat centre and it brought tears to my eyes.
What wonderful men – what outstanding bravery – not only to give their lives in such circumstances, but for people whom they did not know. Extra poignance given by the ultimate futility of the exercise.
God bless them and those like them.
In these days when self first, last and always seems to be the mantra – an example to all.
AD
Submerged Comment says
Submitted on 2013/10/03 at 5:06 pm
Patrick Edgington (deerland@tiscali.co.uk) wrote:
On 27th October 1916 my mother, then aged 6, watched the lifeboat disaster from above it. At the time she lived in Bar Lodge and walked out toward Bolt Head. Her name, before she married my father, was Cicely Brittain (later Edgington).
For many years during the 1950s & 60s my twin brother & I would sail with her around Salcombe in boats from Dormans. She would often talk of the tragedy and the bar was very carefully avoided by us at certain times of wind/tide.
The bravery of these wonderful volunteers cannot be emphasised more. When you look at the model of the open wooden lifeboat that they used it is frightening. I often think of them.
Submerged Comment says
Michael Chalkley (joannelambert14@gmail.com) wrote:
I have recently discovered that Samuel and Albert were my great Uncles but I have no family history on this side of the family.My Great Grandmother was Mary Elizabeth Distin who married John Henry Camp. Mary Distin was sister to Samuel and Albert.
If there is anyone out there who is able to help me in my search for my lost family I would love to hear from you.
lin morrissey says
Thomas Putt is my paternal Grandfather. My father Thomas Henry Putt was born prematurely the day after the disaster. The family is deeply rooted in the South Hams historically, moving around from Chivelstone, East Portlemouth, Salcombe.
Liz Gibbs [nee Cove] says
My daughter has recently spent many hours tracking family trees and James Henry Cove was my grandad’s uncle. My paternal grandparents were William [Bill] and Mabel Annie Cove and the happiest days of my childhood were spent in Salcombe. Mabel Annie was a staunch Lifeboat Lady and brought all her grandchildren up to never pass a lifeboat box without dropping something in. Tom Putt [Jnr] was best man at my father Jim Coves wedding. After my father died, we took him out and sprinkled him around Wolf Rock – we were heading for the Bar but my sister was too seasick to go any further! She always spoilt fishing trips with grandad as well and I well remember saying -do we have to take her? As children when the maroon went up we used to run like mad from Coronation Road to Cliff House to watch the lifeboat go out – and wait until it came safely back again.
Mary Lee says
I am looking at all the family trees of the men of the Salcombe boat. My Grandfather Samuel Ernest Foale always told his kids to value their family. He had lost his cousins Wiliiam Heath Foale and Peter Heath Foale and Uncel Peter of the Salcombe lifeboat disaster of 1916. His son my father Frank said we where related one way or another to all the crew. I have been checking this out and so far my Dad was right! As he always was HMMMMM! He was a lifeboat coxswain in North Wales and the tranferred to the Coastguards. His ashes where scattered at sea from the deck of his lifeboat the Charles Henry Ashley. It was the temporary boat for Penlee after their tragic loss. So it comes full circle. Now he is gone and his children are scattered all over the world, but no matter where we are a tear comes to our eyes whenever we see a lifeboat.
Julie says
My mother-in-laws Grandfather was James Cove and would be very interested to hear from anyone that was related to her Grandfather. She lives in Salcombe and has a few pictures and has told me what she remembers if her mum mentioning about this tragic event in Salcombe.
Lin Morrissey says
please could any family of the Salcombe Lifeboat crew of 1916 get in touch asap as a book is being written in memory for the 100 year anniversary.
regards
Lin Morrissey (granddaughter of Thomas Putt, crew member)
Lin Morrissey says
The contact is the Maritime Museum, Salcombe S.Devon
Kim Donoghue says
Hello
I am the great grand daughter of William Lamble. Its a very sad story about how all the men lost their lives, it is the 100th aniversary this year. I hope to meet some family members of the crew in Salcombe UK.
Kim
Bob Petit says
For some extraordinary reason I only learned the full story of the disaster last week! I had always thought the lifeboat had capsized on the way out, not coming home.
I grew up in Salcombe when Eddie Distin was coxswain, followed by Bubbles. Barry is my age, still a sprightly 70.
Carol was a bit younger and Eric a little older. They were/are a really nice local family.
We lived close to the rocket launching spot and when they were fired on a dark, blowy night I was glad I wasn’t going!!
The best ad the lifeboat ever had was the maroons because you couldn’t miss them and locals and visitors alike would rush out to Cliff House wall to watch it go out.
The 1916 disaster ranks with Penlee as the worst in history.
Kyra Putt says
Hi ,
My name is Kyra Putt and i am married to Thomas Anthony Putt and his Father was Thomas Henry Putt , we live in Dublin, Ireland , wonder if there is any connection?
D. R.Simmons. says
Hi
My mother came from the Canham family, and I obtained the family tree from a John Canham ,which contains some rather strange details. If this is of any interest, please contact me.
D.R. Simmons.
Susan Gay says
As a child spending happiest times at Salcombe during the 60’s and 70’s sailing a junior mirror in the regattas I remember waiting for the ferry and being in awe of the large ferryman with an enormous beard and a preoccupied look whom my father David Gay told me was called Eddie Dustin alias Bubbles who had survived the salcombe life boat disaster. I often wondered what he thought of the holiday makers and always felt slightly enabarrassez that we never understood what he had been through in that night.
Vanessa Seymour says
Hi
I believe my Great Aunt Daisy Lovell was engaged to Albert Edwin Wood when he died in the Salcombe Lifeboat Disaster in October 1916. Can anyone confirm or disprove this for me please. Any information would be much appreciated.
thanks
Vanessa
Harold William Lamble says
I believe that I am related to William Lamble lost in the 1916 lifeboat disaster, I would like to find out about more relatives.
Harold William Lamble says
Many thanks, I look forward to hearing from anyone, best regards Harry Lamble
Roy Canham says
My name is Canham my family originate from East Anglia . Seeing this name in connection with the disaster makes me wonder if this is a west country name as it is quite unusual
Russell moore says
The Foale are a relative of mine
My Father was the son of Mrs L Moore be Foale lived in Paignton Devon .