# Aith Lifeboat Station

Aith Lifeboat Station is located at the village of Aith, on the island of Shetland, and is the most northerly of the 238 Royal National Lifeboat Institution Lifeboat Stations. A lifeboat was first stationed here by the RNLI in 1933.
Since 1998, the station has operated a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat, 17-14 Charles Lidbury (ON 1232), only the fifth lifeboat to have served at Aith.

## History

Despite valiant attempts by Lerwick Life-Saving Company, and even the Stromness lifeboat stationed 120 miles away, wrecks such as that of the Aberdeen fishing trawler Ben Doran in March 1930, with the loss of all 9 crew, prompted the RNLI to station a lifeboat in Lerwick, and to look for a location to station a second lifeboat on the west of Shetland.
It was decided to station a boat at Aith, as the village could provide sufficient crew, and because Aith Voe was one of the most sheltered mooring locations on the west coast. James Tait, DSM, was appointed Coxswain, another James Tait appointed Second Coxswain, and William Tait appointed Bowman. Charles Mowat, Assistant Mechanic at Lerwick, was appointed to be Aith Mechanic.
The first boat on station in January 1933, and was a 45ft 6in Watson-class lifeboat, built in 1926 by S. E. Saunders of Cowes, with an 80 h.p. engine delivering a speed of 8kts. She had previously served for seven years at Longhope, and was named K. T. J. S. (ON 698), in reference to her benefactors, Mr King, Mr Turnball, Mr Jesset and Mrs Sandford.
After a year, the RNLI announced that the Aith station was permanent, and a house was constructed for the Mechanic. A new boat was provided to Aith in 1935, a 51-foot Barnett-class lifeboat, constructed at Groves and Guttridge, of Cowes, and costing just over £9000. She was the gift of Miss Maggie Rankin, made in memory of her brothers, both Marine Engineers from Greenock, and was named The Rankin (ON 776) on 12 May 1935. In 25 years of service, she was launched 52 times, and saved 61 lives.

## Notable rescues

Just before 6:00am on the morning of 19 February 1967, the James and Frances Macfarlane (ON 956) was launched to the aid of the Aberdeen trawler Juniper, which had run aground in Lyra Sound, between Lyra Skerry and the west side of Papa Stour. Considerable skill, navigation and seamanship in force 8 conditions was required to bring the lifeboat to the side of Juniper, and to effect the rescue of the 12 crew. The lifeboat, crew and survivors landed in Aith at 9:35am. For this service, Coxswain John R. Nicholson was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal, the rest of the crew being awarded "The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum". Coxswain Nicholson would later receive the 1967 Maud Smith Award.

## Station honours

The following are awards made at Aith
* RNLI Silver Medal
       John R Nicholson, Coxswain - 1967
* The Maud Smith Award 1967 (for the bravest act of lifesaving during the year by a member of a lifeboat crew)
       John R Nicholson, Coxswain - 1968
* The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       Andrew Smith, Acting Second Coxswain - 1968
       James Mason, Acting Bowman - 1968
       Frank Johnston, Motor Mechanic - 1968
       Wilbert Clark, Acting Assistant Mechanic - 1968
       William Anderson, crew member - 1968
       Kenneth Henry, crew member - 1968
       A. James Tait, crew member - 1968
       Hylton Henry, Coxswain - 1996
* Vellum Service Certificates
       Ian Anderson, Deputy Second Coxswain - 1996
       Kevin Henry, Mechanic - 1996
       George Johnston, crew member - 1996
       Ivor Moffat, crew member - 1996
       Angus Ridland, crew member - 1996
       Andrew Tait, crew member - 1996
* A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
       Hylton Henry, Coxswain - 1996
* Special Commendation from the RNLI Chief Executive
       John Robertson, Coxswain - 2021
       Robbie Abernethy, Mechanic - 2021
       Lewis Fraser, crew member - 2021
       Luke Bullough, crew member - 2021
       Nick McCaffrey, crew member - 2021
       Ivor Moffat, crew member - 2021
* British Empire Medal
       Kenneth Hylton Henry - 1991

## Aith lifeboats
### All-weather lifeboats

| ON | Op.No. | Name | In service | Class |
| 698 | − | K. T. J. S. | 1933−1935 | 45ft 6in Watson |
| 776 | − | The Rankin | 1935−1961 | 51ft Barnett |
| 956 | − | John and Frances Macfarlane | 1961−1986 | 52ft Barnett |
| 1100 | 52-030 | Snolda | 1986−1998 | Arun |
| 1232 | 17-14 | Charles Lidbury | 1998− | Severn |
* ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
* ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.