125th anniversary of the Aldeburgh lifeboat disaster

During a full east south-easterly gale and extremely violent seas, the lifeboat went to the assistance of a vessel aground on Shipwash Sands. Due to illness Bowman Ward was acting coxswain and when crossing the Inner Shoal the lifeboat was struck broadside on by two huge waves and capsized trapping six of her crew underneath. As soon as the lifeboat came ashore efforts were made to get out the trapped men, a hole was chopped in the upturned hull but to no avail. Bowman Ward was one of the first men washed ashore and repeatedly went back into the heavy sea to help his comrades. A seventh man died three months later (24 March 1900) from his injuries. Those lost were John Butcher, Thomas Morris, Herbert Downing, Charles Crisp, Walter Ward, James Miller Ward and Alan Easter.