Caister-on-Sea Norfolk United Kingdom

The 1901 Caister lifeboat disaster occurs on November 13, 1901.

Poor weather conditions on November contribute to the disaster; a gale has reated lashing rain and a heavy sea.

Shortly after 11:00 PM, flares are seen from a vessel on the Barber sands.

The Cockle light-ship fires distress signals to indicate a vessel in trouble.

The crew of the Caister lifeboat Beauchamp are alerted and an attempt is made to launch the lifeboat, but he heavy seas washes the boat off her skids and she is hauled back up the beach for another attempt.

The crew fights until 2:00 AM in the dark and cold with warp and tackle to get the lifeboat afloat.

After the launch, most of the launching crew goes home to change their wet clothing.

James Haylett Sr, who has been the assistant coxwain for many years and is now seventy-eight years old, remains on watch despite being wet through and having no food.

He has two sons, a son-in-law, and two grandsons in the boat.

The coxwain steers towards the stricken vessel but the sea conditions force the boat back towards the beach and she strikes the beach bow first about fifty yards (forty-six meters) from the launch point.

The heavy sea strikes the starboard quarter and capsizes the boat, breaking off the masts and trapping the crew beneath the boat.

Beauchamp is a Norfolk and Suffolk-class non-self-righting boat, thirty-six feet (eleven meters) in length, ten and a half feet (three point two meters) wide and weighing five long tons (five point one tons) without her gear.

When fully crewed and equipped and with ballast tanks full she needs thirty-six men to bring her ashore.

The time is now around 3:00 AM. 

Frederick Henry Haylett returns to the lifeboat house after getting changed and alerts his grandfather James Haylett Sr. to the cries coming from the boat. 

They run to where Beauchamp lies keel up in the surf.

James Haylett manages to pull his son-in-law Charles Knights from the boat.

Frederick Haylett also runs into the surf and pulls John Hubbard clear. 

James Haylett returns to the water to pull his grandson Walter Haylett clear.

These Are the only survivors.

Eight bodies will subsequently be recovered at the scene with another, that of Charles Bonney George, being washed away only to be recovered months later in April of the following year.

The crewmen lost are Aaron Walter Haylett (Coxswain), James Haylett Jr (Late Cox), William Brown (Second Coxswain), Charles Brown, William Wilson, John Smith, George King, Charles George, and Harry Knights.

Asked at the inquest to their deaths why the crew had persisted in the rescue, retired coxswain James Haylett will say, "They would never give up the ship. If they had to keep at it 'til now, they would have sailed about until daylight to help her. Going back is against the rules when we see distress signals like that."

This response will be translated by journalists to become the famous phrase "Caister men never turn back"; "Never Turn Back" is later to become a motto of the RNLI.

Haylett will subsequently be awarded the RNLI Gold Medal in recognition of his gallantry and endurance.

The victims will all be all buried in Caister Cemetery, where a monument financed by public donation will be raised to them in 1903.