Henry Thomas Davies

Infobox Person
name = Henry Thomas Davies


image_size = 200px
caption = "Henry “Shrimp” Davies"
birth_date = 1914
birth_place = Cromer, Norfolk, England
death_date = 2002
death_place = Cromer
education =
occupation =Crab Fisherman and Coxswain of the Cromer lifeboat
spouse =
parents = Father: William Thomas Davies
children =

Henry "Shrimp" Thomas Davies BEM (1914– 2002) was a famous lifeboatman from Cromer on the north coast of Norfolk, England. “Shrimp” Davies, as he was affectionately known was one of Cromer Lifeboats longest serving coxswain. He retired as coxswain in February 1976. He had joined the crew of the Cromer Lifeboat crew of H.F. Bailey in 1931 and became coxswain in 1947 taking over from Henry Blogg. [Henry Blogg, the Greatest of the Lifeboatmen", Jolly, C., Pub: Poppyland Publishing, new edition 2002, ISBN 0-946148-59-7] Shrimp was coxswain of lifeboats, Henry Blogg and Ruby and Arthur Reed. [Cromer Lifeboats 1804-2004, Leach, Nicholas & Russell, Paul, Pub: Tempus Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0-7524-3197-8,]

English Trader

Shrimp Davies had a near fatal involvement in the famous rescue of the Motor Vessel "English Trader" on the 26 October 1941. [Jolly, Cyril (1981): "The Loss of the English Trader" Acorn Editions. ISBN 0-906554-06-3 ] 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 floundering 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.

Coxswain

In 1947 Henry Davies took over as coxswain of the Cromer Lifeboat from his uncle, Henry Blogg. Shrimp’s first significant mission as coxswain took place in July 1948. The Henry Blogg lifeboat, so named after Shrimp’s uncle was launched into storm to help a leaking French collier off Sheringham. The Lifeboat men hauled nearly 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".

This is Your Life

On the 18th of February 1976 Eamonn Andrews 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 passed away 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.

Gallery

References