The day Elsie's husband
never came home
It is 40 years since Seaham's
lifeboat disaster - but to Elsie Gippert the
memories are as clear as ever
When the George Elmy, Seaham's
lifeboat, was capsized by huge waves on its way back
from a rescue, her 49-year-old husband, Fred, was
one of the victims.
She said: "He swam and swam right to Easington when
the boat went over. He was a hell of a swimmer, he
really was.
"He managed to get ashore at Easington beach, but
somehow hit his head on a rock. Two doctors worked
on him for hours to try to bring him round, but they
couldn't do it."
It was about 4pm on November 17, 1962, that the crew
of the fishing boat Economy sent up distress flares
after gale-force winds left them floundering off
Dawdon Colliery.
Fred Gippert, second coxon of the George Elmy, was
one of five lifeboat men called out, and by 4.15pm
they had managed to get the Economy crew safely on
board - but then disaster struck.
Just 30 yards from the South Pier the George Elmy
was capsized by two huge waves, throwing all those
aboard - nine men and one young boy - into the icy
water.
Miner Donald Burrell was the only survivor. His
nine-year-old son, David, was among those who
perished.
A memorial service was held at St Hild and St
Helen's Church in Dawdon on Saturday to mark the
40th anniversary of the disaster - and Mrs Gippert,
the last surviving lifeboat man widow, was among
those paying their respects.
She told of the last time she saw her husband: "I
remember Fred dashing to get his wellingtons when
the rockets went up. He kept saying 'I'll not be
long, I'll be back before 5pm', but he never came
back alive. I got him back in a coffin."
Seaham Youth Theatre Group and Seaham Music Academy
performed at the service, as did Durham Constabulary
Male Voice Choir - which has strong links with the
disaster.
Policeman Ronnie Bell, a tenor with the police
choir, was on the beach when the disaster occurred,
and watched helplessly as the boat overturned.
Another member, Cleveland police officer, Harrison
Mullen, was called to the beaches to watch for
potential survivors being washed ashore.
Elizabeth Armes, who helped organise the service,
said: "It was a wonderful evening and some of the
lifeboat and coastguard crews from Sunderland and
Seaham attended, which was lovely.
"Everyone in Seaham was affected by the disaster, we
all lost friends or relations that night and will
never forget what happened. The wound is still quite
raw all these years later."
An estimated £600 was raised, to be split between
the Royal National Lifeboat Institute and the Royal
British Legion's Poppy Appeal
Sunderland Echo
