The West Wales Maritime Heritage Society in Front Street Pembroke Dock has had a visit from Kerry O’Rourke from Gravesend in Kent. Kerry is passionate about maritime history and especially the Charterhouse Lifeboat that is being restored.

He has given the society one of the silver pocket watches presented by the Royal Family in Holland which were given to the rowers for their bravery in dangerous rescues at sea.

On December 3, 1921 the crew members had been presented with gold and silver watches from the Queen and Government of the Netherlands as “a token of high appreciation of the rescue.” In his presentation speech Captain K.F. Sluys said:

“Several of the members of this crew, and also Mr Morgan, are husbands of wives, fathers of children, supporters of families. What are the motives of these men in the performance of their acts of heroism? Certainly not the craving for material profit… it is the call of humanity, and more especially that mysterious call of the brotherhood of the sea, to which these men respond when they go out to risk their lives for the sake of their fellow men at sea who are in peril, regardless of their nationality, race or colour. It is the call which strongly appeals to sailors all over the World, but especially to British sailors, so strong that during the war they even saved the lives of enemies whenever it could be done without prejudice to the military situation, and sometimes regardless even of that.

Kerry was made very welcome and given a tour of the whole site including the Boatyard and Museum and is now a member of the Society. It is hoped that he will come again next year and join in one of the society’s boating events.