Henry Thomas Davies
Encyclopedia
Henry "Shrimp" Thomas Davies BEM
(1914– 2002) was a famous lifeboat
man from Cromer
on the north coast of Norfolk
, England
. “Shrimp” Davies, as he was affectionately known was one of Cromer Lifeboat's longest serving coxswain. He retired as coxswain in February 1976. He had joined the crew of the Cromer
Lifeboat H.F. Bailey in 1931 and became coxswain in 1947 taking over from Henry Blogg
. Shrimp was coxswain of lifeboats, Henry Blogg and Ruby and Arthur Reed. Henry got his nickname from his uncle, Henry Blogg, who gave his nephew the nickname "Shrimp" after seeing him as a tiny baby.
on the 26 October 1941. At 8.15 am on that day the Cromer
Lifeboat
was launched and was asked to aid the stricken ship. H. F. Bailey
was crewed by twelve men including crewman Shrimp Davies and coxswain Henry Blogg
. By 11.35 that morning the lifeboat, H F Bailey had reached the site, the Hammond Knoll sandbank. Unfortunately by this time three of the English Trader's crew had been swept off the foundering ship to their death. By the time the H F Bailey reached the ship the gale was at full force and things looked bleak. The remaining 44 crew of the stricken ship had taken refuge in the chart room, the highest and safest point on the ship. The Cromer lifeboat made two attempts to get a line to the English Trader with out any success. A further attempt at rescue resulted in a near disaster for the H F Bailey and in the death of one of her crew. Coxswain Henry Blogg had attempted to approach the stricken vessel and a wall of water hit the lifeboat on her port side which washed five of the lifeboat men including Shrimp Davies and coxswain Blogg, overboard into the raging sea. The five men were hauled back on to the lifeboat but the signalman, Edward "Boy Primo" W Allen after being in the water for 25 minutes fell unconscious and died a short time later. Despite these traumas, H F Bailey was able go on and rescue the crew of 44 from the English Trader, taking them to the safety of Great Yarmouth
.
of the Cromer Lifeboat from his uncle, Henry Blogg. Shrimp’s first significant mission as coxswain took place in July 1947. The Henry Blogg
lifeboat, so named after Shrimp’s uncle was launched into storm to help a leaking French collier Francois Tixier off Sheringham
. The Lifeboat men hauled a dozen crewmen to safety with a breeches buoy
. Another four were pulled from the water when the collier capsized. For this Henry was awarded the Maritime Medal, France's highest award for lifesaving at sea. In 1970 Henry Davies was awarded the British Empire Medal for "maintaining the highest traditions of the lifeboat service".
surprised Shrimp Davies with his “Big Red Book”. Henry Thomas Davies was made the subject of the ITV programme “This is Your Life”
on the night before Shrimp retired as coxswain. After retiring from the lifeboat in 1976, ‘Shrimp’ continued to run the family deckchair business on Cromer's east beach where he was a familiar and talkative figure. Henry Davies died in the summer of 2002 at the age of 88. Lifeboatmen from across the country attended his funeral to commemorate a man whose career saw some of the most daring and dramatic rescues in lifeboat history. In his 45 years of service he took part in more than 500 rescues.
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
(1914– 2002) was a famous lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
man from Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
on the north coast of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. “Shrimp” Davies, as he was affectionately known was one of Cromer Lifeboat's longest serving coxswain. He retired as coxswain in February 1976. He had joined the crew of the Cromer
Cromer lifeboat station
Cromer Lifeboat Station is an RNLI station located in the town of Cromer in the English county of Norfolk. The station operates two lifeboats - one for inshore work and the other for offshore work....
Lifeboat H.F. Bailey in 1931 and became coxswain in 1947 taking over from Henry Blogg
Henry Blogg
Henry George Blogg GC BEM was a famous lifeboatman from Cromer on the north coast of Norfolk, England.Henry Blogg of Cromer is referred to as "the greatest of the lifeboatmen"...
. Shrimp was coxswain of lifeboats, Henry Blogg and Ruby and Arthur Reed. Henry got his nickname from his uncle, Henry Blogg, who gave his nephew the nickname "Shrimp" after seeing him as a tiny baby.
English Trader
Shrimp Davies had a near fatal involvement in the famous rescue of the Motor Vessel English TraderSS English Trader
The SS English Trader was a merchant ship which was wrecked in 1941 off the coast of Norfolk, England on the Hammond's Knoll sandbank. Several epic rescue attempts by lifeboats failed, but a further attempt, the following day, by the Cromer lifeboat rescued the surviving 44 men on board.The ship...
on the 26 October 1941. At 8.15 am on that day the Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
Lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
was launched and was asked to aid the stricken ship. H. F. Bailey
Cromer Lifeboat H F Bailey III
H F Bailey III is the most famous Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboat to have served from Cromer, because she was used by Coxswain Henry Blogg to perform many of his most famous lifesaving exploits. The lifeboat was on station for the ten years between 1935 and 1945...
was crewed by twelve men including crewman Shrimp Davies and coxswain Henry Blogg
Henry Blogg
Henry George Blogg GC BEM was a famous lifeboatman from Cromer on the north coast of Norfolk, England.Henry Blogg of Cromer is referred to as "the greatest of the lifeboatmen"...
. By 11.35 that morning the lifeboat, H F Bailey had reached the site, the Hammond Knoll sandbank. Unfortunately by this time three of the English Trader's crew had been swept off the foundering ship to their death. By the time the H F Bailey reached the ship the gale was at full force and things looked bleak. The remaining 44 crew of the stricken ship had taken refuge in the chart room, the highest and safest point on the ship. The Cromer lifeboat made two attempts to get a line to the English Trader with out any success. A further attempt at rescue resulted in a near disaster for the H F Bailey and in the death of one of her crew. Coxswain Henry Blogg had attempted to approach the stricken vessel and a wall of water hit the lifeboat on her port side which washed five of the lifeboat men including Shrimp Davies and coxswain Blogg, overboard into the raging sea. The five men were hauled back on to the lifeboat but the signalman, Edward "Boy Primo" W Allen after being in the water for 25 minutes fell unconscious and died a short time later. Despite these traumas, H F Bailey was able go on and rescue the crew of 44 from the English Trader, taking them to the safety of Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
.
Coxswain
In 1947 Henry Davies took over as coxswainCoxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
of the Cromer Lifeboat from his uncle, Henry Blogg. Shrimp’s first significant mission as coxswain took place in July 1947. The Henry Blogg
Cromer Lifeboat Henry Blogg ON 840
HenryBlogg ON 840 was the eighteenth lifeboat to be stationed at Cromer in the county of Norfolk.ON 840 was stationed at Cromer from 1945 until 1966.-History:...
lifeboat, so named after Shrimp’s uncle was launched into storm to help a leaking French collier Francois Tixier off Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
. The Lifeboat men hauled a dozen crewmen to safety with a breeches buoy
Breeches buoy
A breeches buoy is a crude rope-based rescue device used to extract people from wrecked vessels, or to transfer people from one location to another in situations of danger. The device resembles a round emergency personal flotation device with a leg harness attached...
. Another four were pulled from the water when the collier capsized. For this Henry was awarded the Maritime Medal, France's highest award for lifesaving at sea. In 1970 Henry Davies was awarded the British Empire Medal for "maintaining the highest traditions of the lifeboat service".
This is Your Life
On the 18th of February 1976 Eamonn AndrewsEamonn Andrews
Eamonn Andrews, CBE , was an Irish television presenter based in the United Kingdom.-Life and career:...
surprised Shrimp Davies with his “Big Red Book”. Henry Thomas Davies was made the subject of the ITV programme “This is Your Life”
This Is Your Life (UK TV series)
This Is Your Life is a British biographical television documentary, based on the 1952 American show of the same name. It was hosted by Eamonn Andrews from 1955 until 1964, and then from 1969 until his death in 1987 aged 64...
on the night before Shrimp retired as coxswain. After retiring from the lifeboat in 1976, ‘Shrimp’ continued to run the family deckchair business on Cromer's east beach where he was a familiar and talkative figure. Henry Davies died in the summer of 2002 at the age of 88. Lifeboatmen from across the country attended his funeral to commemorate a man whose career saw some of the most daring and dramatic rescues in lifeboat history. In his 45 years of service he took part in more than 500 rescues.