# RNLB Emma Constance (ON 693)

RNLB Emma Constance (ON 693) was a Barnett-class lifeboat stationed at Aberdeen Lifeboat Station, in the Scottish city of Aberdeen from 1927 until August 1951. The lifeboat was designed by James R. Barnett who was a consulting naval architect to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

## Description

At 61 feet long and 15 feet wide, the Emma Constance was a large lifeboat, and was one of only four Barnett-class lifeboats at this size. She had a draught of over 4 feet. When built, the Emma Constance and her sisters-in-class were the largest lifeboats in the RNLI fleet; only the 70-foot Clyde-class lifeboats built in the 1960s have been larger.
The Emma Constance was laid down in 1926 in the yards of Saunders Roe of East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. A total of fourteen watertight compartments made up the boat's hull. She was propelled by twin screws powered by twin RNLI DE6 petrol engines, each of which was housed in its own watertight compartment. Three separate fuel tanks at the rear of the engine compartments carried a fuel load of up to 500 gallons altogether. An auxiliary petrol engine powered a generator for the windlass at the front of the boat and a capstan at the back of the boat.
The Emma Constance carried a full set of sails in case of power loss, and a jumping net that could be set up to allow rescuees to jump down from their own ship and be hauled up to the lifeboat.

## History
### Pre-christening rescues

The Emma Constance was first called out for service first service on 21 July 1927 to aid a trawler called Venetia which had run aground at Girdleness, although on arrival her assistance was not needed.
On 6 September that year she launched to her second service, in aid of the trawler Ben Torc, which had run into rough seas and dense fog off of Gregness Point near Aberdeen harbour. By 10 pm, heavy waves were battering the ship, and the skipper sounded the distress sirens. Coastguards manning Gregness station had climbed down the cliffs to the scene and managed, with great difficulty, to get a lifeline across to the trawler, but the trawler's crew preferred to wait for a lifeboat than risk the climb. At 10:27 pm the Emma Constance launched, and by the time of her arrival the Ben Torc was aground on a rocky outcrop called Gregness Point. The lifeboat carefully threaded the rocky waters to pull up to the Ben Torc. Five of the six crew jumped aboard, but the skipper fell into the sea and had to be hauled aboard by line. Fortunately, he was uninjured, and to the amusement of all present, his bowler hat had remained firmly on his head despite his misadventure. By midnight, Emma Constance had brought all six crewmen back to Aberdeen.
The Emma Constance was formally christened on 19 September 1927 in front of a crowd of 10,000–12,000 people. The bandsmen of the 4th Gordon Highlanders provided music, and Maud Carnegie, Countess of Southesk, performed the naming ceremony.

### Trawler George Stroud

In the evening of 25 December 1935, Emma Constance launched to assist Aberdeen trawler George Stroud, who had been struck by an up-swell that knocked her against the wall of the North Pier at Aberdeen harbour, then battered further until she ran aground 200 yards from the seaward side of the pier. Members of the Royal Life Saving Society on the shore used rockets to attach lifelines to the George Stroud, but her crew of five men, sheltering in the wheelhouse, refused to attempt the climb and called for a lifeboat rescue. On arrival, the Emma Constance was positioned between the pier and the trawler. Only one crewman managed to get to the lifeboat before heavy waves dashed the lifeboat against the pier, damaging her and destroying the trawler's wheelhouse. One crewman was spotted in the sea but drowned before he could be rescued, while the Lifesavers working on shore managed to save another. Ultimately only two of the five crewmen were saved. The Emma Constance coxswain was awarded an RNLI Bronze Medal for his part in the rescue.

### SS Fairy

From the 23rd to the 27th of January 1937, Scotland's east coast was battered by a forceful gale. The Fairy, a 249-ton collier (coal-bearing cargo ship), arrived at Aberdeen harbour on 24 January, only to discover the port closed due to the extremely rough waves. By the 25th, the Fairy had been driven 30 miles offshore and was filling with seawater. The captain declared an emergency and directed the crew to bail. He managed to take the ship to within nine miles of shore, where he signalled German trawler Hendrick for a tow. The pair made it to a point just off Donmouth by 4:30 pm, where they launched flares. Emma Constance launched to assist, but the captain of the Fairy wished to continue the tow rather than abandon his ship, so the Emma Constance stood by. After several hours of slow progress, the towline snapped and could not be reattached. At 10 pm the Fairy ran aground and was swamped by waves, as was the Emma Constance when she tried to approach. On a second approach, the lifeboat managed to rescue all seven of the Fairy's crewmen, but due to the rough seas were forced to make for Moray Firth rather than returning to Aberdeen. Badly damaged, they arrived at Moray Firth on 27 January at 4:30 pm. Crew members were awarded RNLI Medals in Silver and Bronze.

### Retirement

On 14 January 1951 Emma Constance performed her last launch. She went to assist the yawl Glen of Aberdeen which had broken down 1 nautical mile east-north-east of Gregness. The lifeboat took the vessel into tow and returned to Aberdeen. In August 1951 the Emma Constance was retired from Aberdeen. Her replacement was a 52 ft Barnett-class lifeboat called RNLB Hilton Briggs (ON 889). Following her retirement the Emma Constance was sold out of the RNLI fleet and was renamed several times becoming first the Southern Cross followed by Achilleus and then Griselda.

## Record of service and rescues

RNLB Emma Constance (ON 693) :
| Date | Casualty | Wind/weather | Lives lost | Lives saved | Details |
| 1927 ||||||
| 27 July | Venetia | Heavy seas, moderate gale | | | Stood down when vessel towed to port by tug |
| 6 September | Ben Torc | Moderate south-easterly breeze, moderate seas | | 6 | Casualty stranded off Gregness, took off six men |
| 1928 ||||||
| 26/27 February | Isle of White | Medium south-south-west breeze, moderate seas | | | Casualty stranded off Belhelvie Beach, rescued by Newburgh lifeboat |
| 18 March | Agnes H Weatherly | South-south-west breeze | | | Casualty stranded 1 mile from Donmouth, no assistance required |
| 6 June | Regain | Strong south-westerly breeze, rough seas | | 8 | Casualty stranded 1 mile off Belhelvie CG station, towed to safety |
| 25 October | HM Drifter Lunar Bow | South westerly fresh breeze, moderate sea | | | Stood by, towed to safety by tug |
| 25 October | HM Drifter Lunar Bow | South westerly fresh breeze, moderate sea | | 2 | Rescued 1 injured naval rating and 1 midshipman |
| 1929 ||||||
| 10 January | Shetland | South-easterly breeze, rough seas | | | 15 ft of water in vessel's hold, flooding taken under control |
| 29 November | Wild Rose | South-easterly strong breeze, rough seas | | | Vessel stranded on rocks, nine rescued from beach |
| 1930|- ||||| |
| 22 January | John G Watson | South westerly strong breeze, rough seas | | | Stranded 6½ miles north of Aberdeen, stood by, rescue achieved by No. 2 lifeboat |
| 1931 ||||||
| 7 January | St Merryn | Westerly light breeze, smooth seas | | | Stranded and re-floated without the aid of lifeboat |
| 9 April | Rightway | South westerly moderate breeze, moderate seas | | | Vessel stranded off Collieston CG station, crew rescued by LSA |
| 2 June | Loyal Friend | Northerly moderate breeze, moderate seas | | | Lifeboat stood by following vessel's collision with North Pier |
| 3 December | Nairn | South easterly whole gale, very heavy seas | | | Lifeboat recalled, not required |
| 1932 ||||||
| 14 August | Whitehills lifeboat | Smooth sea | | | Towed broken down lifeboat back to port |
| 1933 ||||||
| 1 January | Trawler Venetia | Southerly strong gale, very heavy seas | 9 | | Vessel stranded 3 miles north of Stonehaven, vessel total loss with all hands |
| 18 January | Ben Screel | Variable light breeze, heavy seas | | | Vessel stranded off Girdleness, lifeboat stood by, crew rescued from shore |
| 19 January | General Birdwood | Northerly moderate breeze, moderate seas | | | Escorted Vessel |
| 4 April | Lifeboat launched to false alarm | | | | Lifeboat recalled after launch |
| 3 July | Cretan of Glasgow | Calm and smooth seas | | | Lifeboat not required, vessel towed by pilot tug |
| 20/21 October | Fair Isle | South-easterly fresh breeze, rough seas | | | Vessel with broken rudder, towed by other vessel. lifeboat escorted vessel back to Aberdeen |
| 23/24 October | Granero of Drammen | North-easterly moderate gale, rough seas | | 7 | Vessel stranded at Cawton Ness, crew saved by lifeboat and the LSA |
| 29 December | Strathleven of Aberdeen | South-easterly moderate breeze, very heavy seas | | | Damaged steering gear, towed in by lifeboat, stood by to other vessels |
| 1934 ||||||
| 1 January | Fishing vessels of Gourdon & Stonehaven | | | | Lifeboat on stand-by |
| 20 December | Unknown trawler | Variable light wind, smooth seas | | | Search for vessel, nothing found |
| 1935 ||||||
| 14 February | Local fishing boats | Northerly moderate gale | | | Search of vessels caught in gale, all safe |
| 2 February | Eldorado | South-south-easterly gale, heavy seas | | | Stood by, LSA safely landed crew north of Donmouth |
| 24 June | Balmoral Castle of Aberdeen | Northerly moderate (fog), moderate seas | | | Vessel stranded, refloated on high tide |
| 9 September | Ebor Abbey of Aberdeen | West-south-westerly moderate breeze, moderate seas | | | Lifeboat recalled, rescue by others |
| 5 November | fishing vessels Procure & Quest of Banff | South-south-easterly moderate breeze, heavy seas | | | Escorted back to port |
| 25 December | George Stroud of Aberdeen | South-easterly strong breeze, heavy seas | 3 | 1 | Grounded against North Pier, 1 taken off vessel by lifeboat, 1 taken off by LSA |
| 31 December | Strathairlie of Aberdeen | Light variable winds, slight swell | | | Vessel with broken rudder, lifeboat stood by |
| 1936 ||||||
| 17 January | WM Porter Aberdeen pilot cutter | East-north-easterly fresh breeze, rough seas | | 3 | Pilots fouled rudder on the wreck of George Stroud. Three taken off by lifeboat |
| 21 January | Local fishing boats | East-south-easterly moderate gale, rough seas | | | Stood by until vessels safely in port |
| 6 February | Pretoria of Aberdeen | South-westerly moderate gale, rough seas | | | vessel involved in collision, lifeboat assistance not required |
| 23 February | Ocean Gift of Banff | East-south-easterly strong gale, very heavy seas | | | Adrift in harbour, lifeboat crew mustered but no launch |
| 16 December | Margaret & Frances of Cockenzie | South-south-westerly strong gale, very heavy seas | 2 | | Vessel stranded off Belhelvie CG station, vessel found but a total loss |
| 1937 ||||||
| 21/22 January | Strathebrie of Aberdeen | South-easterly strong gale, very heavy seas | | | Vessel taken into tow |
| 23 January | Utility of Aberdeen | South-easterly strong gale, strong flood | | | vessel hung on stern moorings, vessel towed to fishmarket |
| 26 January | Fairy of Kings Lynn | South-easterly gale, very heavy seas | | 7 | See description Service and rescues section |
| 16 April | Paul Rykens of Aberdeen | Calm, dense fog | | | Vessel stranded, re-floated under own power |
| RNLB J & W (ON 722), Relief (Watson-class) ||||||
| 30 December | Calvinia of Aberdeen | North-north-westerly moderate breeze | | | vessel lost prop, search aborted after vessel was towed into Aberdeen by others |
| 1938 ||||||
| 25 August | Carry On | Variable fog banks, slight swell | | | Vessel aground, towed off by lifeboat |
| 4 December | Branch of Montrose | Southerly moderate gale, rough seas | | | Reported in difficulties, search carried out, vessel towed to port by others |
| 1939 ||||||
| 22 January | Unknown vessel reported capsized | East-south-easterly slight breeze, slight seas | | | Search carried out but nothing found |
| World War II ||||||
| 15 September | Vessel reported torpedoed | North easterly moderate breeze | | | Launched to scene, recalled, not required |
| 10 October | Solstad of Oslo | South-easterly storm. heavy seas | | | Search carried out, vessel towed to port by others |
| 31 October | Cairnmona of Newcastle upon Tyne | Easterly light to moderate breeze, rough seas | | | Vessel torpedoed off Rattray Head by U-13, survivors landed by others |
| 12 December | Cimbria of Copenhagen | | | | Crew mustered only, no launch |
| 18 December | Trinity NB of Aberdeen | West-south-westerly, moderate seas | 3 | | Vessel reported bombed, search carried out, no trace found, survivors picked up by Danish schooner Start |
| 1940 ||||||
| 9 January | Gowrie of Dundee | | | | vessel sunk by enemy aircraft four miles east of Stonehaven, crew rescued by others, search carried out for wreckage but nothing found |
| 9 January | Feddy of Copenhagen | South-south-westerly fresh breeze | | 2 | Vessel bombed and on fire, crew members taken off, escorted vessel. |
| 9 January | Ivan Kondrup of Copenhagen | South-south-westerly fresh breeze | 1 | | Vessel bombed. reached port under own steam, one crewman missing |
| 10 January | Feddy of Copenhagen | South-south-westerly light breeze | | | vessel towed into Aberdeen |
| 9 February | Lily of Aberdeen | South-westerly wind, moderate swell | | 3 | Vessel disabled, found by lifeboat and taken into tow |
| 3 March | Unknown bombed vessel reported | North-westerly moderate breeze, slight seas | | | Search carried out but nothing found |
| 18 July | Shipping convoys attacked off Aberdeen on 17 July | | | | Lifeboat and crew on standby at the station |
| 20 October | Conakrain of Freetown | East-south-easterly breeze, rough seas | | | Torpedo damaged in air attack of Girdleness, taken into tow by tug, escorted by lifeboat |
| 21 October | Conakrain of Freetown | | | 2 | Two taken off vessel in Aberdeen bay in heavy weather |
| 23 October | Conakrain of Freetown | Easterly moderate gale, moderate seas | | 23 | Crewmen taken off vessel at request of the Royal Navy |
| 1941 ||||||
| 3 April | Cairnie | East-south-easterly force 7 to 8, very heavy seas | | 7 | Vessel bombed and in distress, Aberdeen harbour entrance, steering damaged and grounded |
| 24 July | Unknown vessel | Calm, smooth seas | | | search carried out, nothing found |
| 8 August | Unknown vessel | | | | lifeboat on stand-by only |
| 2 October | RAF aircraft | Westerly force 4, moderate seas | | | ditched pilot rescued by others, lifeboat recalled |
| 1942 ||||||
| 13 March | Unknown vessel | South-south-westerly force 6, heavy seas | | | No record kept of launch |
| 3 March | HMS Hyderabad and the tug Bruno | Southerly force 3 to 4, smooth seas | | | Both vessels grounded, lifeboat towed of tug, corvette refloated herself |
| 4 April | Bon Accord of Aberdeen | | | | No record kept of the launch |
| 1943 ||||||
| 2 April | Unknown vessel | | | | No record kept of the launch |
| 7 April | Schooner Else of Thisted, Denmark | North force 6 to 9, very rough seas | | | Vessel towed into port with lifeboat escorting |
| 29 November | Trevorian of St Ives | Smooth seas | | | No record kept of the launch |
| 1944 ||||||
| 23 October | Keilehaven of Rotterdam | South-easterly breeze force 3 to 4, growing swells | | 40 | Crew abandoned ship to US ship, but some returned to vessel by lifeboat |
| 1945 ||||||
| 10/11 April | Albert Victor of Vága | Easterly breeze force 3 to 4, breaking surf | | 9 | run aground, lifeboat took off crew and pilot |
| 13 April | Maria of IJmuiden | Light easterly breeze | | | Lifeboat stood by |
| RNLB John Russel (ON 699) Relief (Watson-class) ||||||
| 30 July | May Lily of Peterhead | Slight seas | | | Vessel with engine failure, lifeboat made search, vessel made port under own power |
| 19 October | HM Motor Fishing Vessel 1172 | South-south-easterly breeze force 3 to 5, moderate to rough seas | | 5 | Vessel disabled, towed into Aberdeen by lifeboat |
| 19 December | T L Devlin of Granton | Southerly breeze force 5 to 7 | | | Escorted vessel to port |
| 21 December | Sparkling Star of Peterhead | Light southerly wind, smooth seas | | | Fouled prop, self-cleared, lifeboat stood down |
| 1946 ||||||
| 20 January | Spurs of Grimsby | | | | vessel aground in navigation channel, lifeboat damaged whilst standing by |
| 7 August | Harmonious II of Aberdeen | South-westerly breeze force 2 to 3, light to moderate seas | | 6 | Broken down vessel, towed into port |
| 1947 ||||||
| 20 October | Harvest Gleaner of Buckie | South-south-westerly breeze force 5, moderate seas | | | Towed into port by others, lifeboat stood down |
| 1948 ||||||
| 5 February | Northman of Aberdeen | Southerly breeze force 4 to 6 | | | Both vessel and lifeboat grounded, pulled off by tug |
| 1949 ||||||
| 13 January | Welbeckof Grimsby | South-westerly breeze force 2, smooth to slight seas | | | Lifeboat then tug towed vessel off |
| 23 September | Alirmay of Aberdeen | South-easterly breeze force 3 to 4 | | | Lifeboat recalled, not required |
| 24 September | Brightside | Easterly breeze force 1 to 2, slight seas | | | Stranded vessel, crew landed by others, lifeboat recalled |
| 1950 ||||||
| 19 September | Saga of Aberdeen | South-south-easterly force 8 to 9, very high seas | | | Vessel with engine failure, Aberdeen lifeboat recalled |
| 19 September | Saga of Aberdeen | South-south-easterly force 8 to 9, very high seas | | | Second launch to vessel towed by Peterhead lifeboat, Aberdeen lifeboat escorted |
| 26 September | Lyndburn of Aberdeen | North-easterly force 4, rough seas | | 1 | Vessel grounded, lifeboat takes off 1 |
| 1951 ||||||
| 14 February | Yawl Glen of Aberdeen | South-easterly force 3 to 4, slight seas | | 2 | Vessel broken down, towed into port by lifeboat |