How Brixham fishermen rescued 70 after U-boat attack

This feature is dedicated to William Pillar - Captain of a fishing smack out of Brixham who, with three crew and two boys, saved seventy Naval personnel from a watery grave in the First World War after their Battleship sank.

It was on New Year’s Day 1915 at 2am that the battleship HMS Formidable was patrolling in Start Bay on the Devon coast when a German U-boat spotted her and, having fired two torpedoes, ensured the Formidable then sank. With the watertight doors closed, most of the crew luckily assembled on deck while scrambling for the lifeboats. Some noted their commander - Captain Noel Loxley was remaining aloft with Bruce his dog on the Bridge yet smoking as his ship went down.

There had been 790 sailors aboard the Battleship but only 201 would survive and of these 71 would be rescued by Provident, a fishing smack out of Brixham under the command of Pillar and a small crew. The lucky sailors had been adrift for 12 hours when the "smack", returning to Brixham, spotted their small Navy cutter.  Captain Pillar knew of the dangers he now faced, yet on his fourth attempt he successfully had a line aboard the cutter despite huge seas and the dangers to all men.

Through good seamanship, the Naval men were brought back into Brixham where the rescue was hailed as “one of the bravest deeds yet performed in the War”. Later, the official account stated, "Success was only attained at great risk to the Provident by gybing in the severe gale and heavy sea”. Captain Pillar and first mates William Carter and John Clarke also had on aboard a teenage apprentice Dan Taylor and an unofficial fifth, a boy on holiday from school - nine-year-old Leonard Pillar. He had persuaded his Uncle Bill to let him board the fishing smack and took his part in the dramatic rescue. Later the story made all the National newspapers and the Daily Mirror front page reported " A wonderful piece of work" - continuing “Seventy lives depended on them. A mistake meant death to all but the Captain showed superb seamanship to take the men off their launch and bring them safely to port.”

The crew were feted for their actions at an award ceremony in London when Albert Medals were presented at Buckingham Palace by King George. Each man also received a Gold Medal from the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Benevolent Society and a cash award from the Admiralty (£250 to Skipper Pillar and £250 each to each crewman and the apprentice Dan £50). On January 30th, 1915 the Devonshire Association then presented an illuminated address to William Pillar again in London, at “a huge event”, when many dignitaries travelled up from Brixham. The official presentation was made by George Lambert MP - Civil Lord of the Admiralty.

Later in his career, William became Second Coxswain of the Torbay Lifeboat which again brought him honour in his home town Brixham, as the authority named several local roads after him—Pillar Avenue, Pillar Close and Pillar Crescent, all quite near the local cricket ground. Dan Taylor had shared in the early honours and was then featured in a book called “Child Heroes of World War One”, although the youngster Leonard was always ignored. Eventually, one grandmother of HM Formidable's sailors referred to his bravery by writing to the youth  - “My own, dear, brave little cabin boy. My heart goes out to you in grateful thanks for your kindness to our dear ones in their time of need.”

Our Blue Plaque honouring these heroes and the "smack Provident" was formally unveiled by the Society in partnership with Brixham Town Council at the Fishermans Mission,  Overgang on January 2nd, 2010. In attendance - Brixham  Officials of the Town Council plus, Mr John Anderson (Seamans Mission) and a large number of the crew's descendants plus our members.