Brixham lifeboat hero recalls the unbelievable mission that earned him the RNLI's highest award

Exactly 52 seconds into the last hymn at Westminster Abbey’s service on Monday, March 4, a Brixham maritime hero began his procession down the length of the aisle, carrying the marble and silver replica of the RNLI’s ‘Memorial’ sculpture.

That hero was 76-year-old Kieth Bower, a Torbay RNLI Deputy Coxswain who has lived in Brixham and worked at sea for his entire life.

Almost 50 years ago, Keith was honoured with the RNLI's Gold Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry, making him one of only three living members of the RNLI to receive this highest of awards.

“It was a very emotional and proud day for me,” said Kieth.

“It was one of those occasions that grabbed you. The service was very appropriate and I thought that the Archbishop of Canterbury’s address was very good.”

The service began with Keith at the entrance to the Abbey, greeting visitors as they arrived. He then formed a procession, holding the RNLI Memorial Sculpture, which carries the names of over 600 RNLI volunteers who have died saving the lives of others at sea.

The Memorial was carried by Keith to a ceremonial table in front of the altar before the final blessing, where it could be seen and read by The Duke of Kent.

He explained: “I had to do a slow march down to the altar when the choir began to sing, I had to wait exactly 52 seconds before starting my walk. But before that, it must have been ten minutes or so of holding it in front of me. By the time I got to the altar, my arms were shaking quite a bit.”

Keith was asked to participate in the ceremony as a result of his award, which he received in recognition of his efforts to rescue ten people during a storm in the winter of 1976.

Keith remembered: “I was called out just before 1am on December 6. I was acting coxswain because our usual coxswain was out in the same storm for a job in Plymouth.”

Keith and his crew departed on the Edward Bridges during the height of the storm to help the Lyrma, which was seven and a half miles east-south-east of Start Point. The ship was being desperately captained by the aptly named Captain Codd.

Keith said: “We knew we were in for a test and because as we went around Berry Head, the conditions were just horrendous. The crew played a gallant part because they were just as at as much risk as me really, in fact, more so probably. “

The wind was reaching Force 10 with gusts up to 11. The waves were as high as 12 metres, – enough to cause the RNLI’s most hardened crew members to suffer seasickness and claustrophobia.

“We hit one wave and more or less submerged,” Keith recalled.

“There was a trawler running to shelter in Brixham who radioed the coast guard to see if we were okay.”

With gales running into a spring tide, lifting the waves, Keith ordered everyone except the navigator into the wheelhouse and all hatches closed. They were the worst conditions experienced by any of the crew aboard.

When Keith and the crew arrived at the Lyrma, they found her listing dangerously to starboard. The rolling cargo of filled oil drums and chipboards had broken free, putting her at risk of capsizing. Uncontrollably running in circles, the ship’s rudder had jammed. Waves exceeding 40 feet from trough to crest accentuated her list, pitching and rolling her back and forth. Each time she came beam to wind, there was a looming threat of capsizing completely.

Keith managed to establish contact with the Lyrma's skipper via radio. With waves already washing across her well deck, the skipper feared that a further shift in his cargo would lead to her capsizing and requested for everyone to be taken off. However, conditions were so precarious that Keith requested a Sea King helicopter.

Meanwhile, conditions continued to deteriorate as the wind veered slightly, adding to the already troubled sea conditions. Aboard the Lyrma, there was similar confusion since only the skipper could speak English. Despite lowering a life raft, nobody seemed willing to get into it.

The Coastguard informed that no Sea King helicopter was available, but the RFA Engadine was en route from Plymouth with a Wessex helicopter aboard. Arriving at 3:15am, the helicopter took off within 15 minutes. A winchman was lowered, but he became tangled in the davits of the Lyrma, putting the helicopter and himself in danger. Within seconds of being cut loose, he managed to free himself and get back up into his aircraft.

That ended any further air rescue attempts.

Keith said:  “I knew what we had to do, but I wasn’t that keen on doing it. There was such a risk. But I knew that I had an amazing crew and one of the best boats in the world underneath my feet, so we got to work.”

Keith made the decision to attempt a boat-to-boat transfer, using 20-second breaks between sequential waves to approach, employing manoeuvres that deviated from standard protocol. The skipper of the Lyrma was convinced to gather his crew on the starboard side aft, and two RNLI crew members bravely volunteered to go forward with fenders to aid in the transfers.

Twelve runs were then executed by the crew to rescue all those on board. Some runs were successful in persuading the terrified crew to come voluntarily, while others required the RNLI crew members at the front to step over the guardrails to grab and pull them onto the boat.

Keith said that in these moments of intensity, his mind is put at a strange ease.
“Everything seems to take place in slow-motion in those moments,” he said, “in my mind, we were out to do a rescue.”

After rescuing everyone on board and a further two crew members from the life raft, Keith headed back to Brixham, having saved everyone.

He said: “The best bit of the night was getting the Lyrma crew back safely onto dry land off our jetty, and then getting ourselves into the boat house for a cup of hot pea and ham soup at 5:15am. We were then back at our day jobs at 9:00!”

While Keith received a Gold Medal for his bravery, the other six volunteers aboard the Edward Bridges, including Keith’s brother Stephen J Bower, were all awarded Bronze Medals.

Later, Keith received a letter from the pilot of the helicopter deployed. It read: "Dear Coxswain, I was very pleased to hear on the news that you are about to be presented with a gold award for your part in the Lyrma rescue. Congratulations to you and your crew on a fine piece of seamanship and also a very brave act.

“In case you are wondering who I am, I was a crewman who was lowered from the helicopter to attempt a rescue. After our failure, it was with great relief and admiration that I watched you get the crew off. I must admit that for a time I thought that you too would need rescuing. You and your crew deserve the highest praise.”
Keith said: “That piece of writing is one of the most valuable things I possess.”

Continuing the family tradition, Keith’s nephew’s and Stephen’s sons, Ray and Will Bower, both currently serve on RNLI Torbay’s crew.