The Penlee Lifeboat Disaster Poem by ANDREW BLAKEMORE

December nineteen eighty one
Upon the nineteenth day,
The Union Star had floundered in
The stormy south west sea,
Now power to drive the vessel from
The jagged rocky shore,
The Falmouth coastguard called to launch
The lifeboat from Penlee.

The Solomen Browne's eight crewmen were
All Mousehole village men,
Who braved the mighty seas that night
Through winds of dreadful force,
And headed to Boscawan Cove
To where the ship did lie,
And fought with all their strength and skill
To keep their boat on course.

With disregard to danger they
Pulled four from off the deck,
Yet four remained in peril as
The winds and ocean roared,
As they returned a massive wave
Engulfed the Union Star,
Which then capsized the lifeboat lost
With all those hands on board.

When morning came a sense of grief
Did spread through village hearts,
When they awoke to hear the news
They didn't want to hear,
The splinters of the lifeboat lay
All washed upon the shore,
The search went on but futile with
No words to bring them cheer.

The Penlee shed lies empty now
Its doors stay firmly closed,
A tribute to those many souls
Who now are sadly gone,
The gallant crew that fought the seas
And braved the bitter storm,
Who gave their lives in service yet
Their memory shall live on.

A tribute to the brave 8 lifeboat men and 8 Union Star crew members who lost their lives on 19/12/81