The Princess Royal Civil Service No7

The Princess Royal Civil Service No7 seen in Hartlepool Marina, North east England on 17th February 2010.

Information courtesy of Historic Hartlepool @
http://www.destinati...+Royal+Lifeboat

The Princess Royal Civil Service No7 arrived in Hartlepool on the 19th October 1939 and was the first of the new R.N.L.I. Lifeboats to be delivered at the start of World War 2.

The Princess Royal assisted in the rescue of the first Spitfire Pilot shot down in action by the Germans. Flt. Lt. W. Ryder was on patrol off Redcar when he spotted and opened fire on a Heinkel 111 twin engined bomber. He hit the port engine and the Heinkel ditched, however not before it damaged the Spitfire's engine, which was also forced to ditch nearby. Flt. Lt. Ryder was awarded the D.F.C. and continued his service throughout the war, and retired as Group Captain in 1960.

On 20th January 1941, The Princess Royal Lifeboat rescued 5 crew from the forward section of the S.S. Hawkwood, which broke in half in very rough seas off Hartlepool. The Lifeboat was awarded the R.N.L.I. Gold Medal (equivalent to the V.C. One of only 39 Lifeboats to receive this distinction) for courage, bravery and determination during three rescues. Also the Coxwain received his Gold Medal and the rest of the crew the Bronze Medals.

During her career as a working lifeboat, The Princess Royal saved a total of 122 lives (94 off Hartlepool).

After leaving Hartlepool in 1968, The Princess Royal became a reserve lifeboat and served at Humber, Lerwick, Kirkall, Stromness, St Peter Port, Falmouth, Weymouth, Dunbar, Torbay and Exmouth, ending her career in the Orkneys before de-commissioning in Plymouth in 1976.

She was sold into private ownership to a Mr McCarthy of Cardiff, who then sold her to a Mr K. Osbourne who kept her for 20 years. Following Mr Osbourne's death in 1998 his wife Christine and family donated the boat back to the people of Hartlepool.

The Princess Royal returned to Hartlepool from Barry Island, South Wales in Easter 2000 for restoration. On the 2nd of February 2001 she was entered onto the National Register of Historic Vessels of the United Kingdom.