Christmas Day anniversary of Redcar RNLI volunteer lost at sea
The Christmas celebrations held this year by the Redcar RNLI crew will be tinged with sadness as they commemorated the 175th anniversary of the death of the town’s only lifeboat crew member to have given their life trying to save others.

On Christmas Day 1836, 41-year-old William Guy was lost overboard from the Zetland lifeboat during an attempt to rescue the crew of the stricken Danish ship Caroline. The Caroline was sailing from the Tyne, carrying coal. A terrific storm struck the vessel whilst in Coatham Bay, and its crew of ten took to the ship’s boats in attempt to escape before the ship sank.

The Zetland lifeboat was launched with a crew of 22 volunteers from the town and, after battling against mountainous seas, the volunteers were able to row the lifeboat close to one of the ships boats. William Guy, who was acting as Bowman that day, attempted to throw a line to the stranded crew, but he was struck by a huge wave, and lost overboard.

Dave Cocks, from Redcar RNLI, said: ‘William Guy made the ultimate sacrifice that Christmas Day. Contemporary reports suggest that at the time the lifeboat crew were summonsed, he was celebrating Christmas in the local Methodist’s chapel.

‘There is even a story that, on his way out of the church, he handed over his favourite pocket watch for safe-keeping until his return.’

Guy’s body was found seventeen days later, near Staithes, about 12 miles south east of Redcar. It was identified by a Redcar woman who had gone to live at the village when she was married.

Mike Picknett, senior helmsman for the Redcar RNLI lifeboat, said: ‘The equipment and training modern RNLI volunteers have available to them would be unrecognisable to the crew in the Zetland that day. ‘But the one thing that has been constant in the RNLI from the time of William Guy to today is the courage and sacrifice the charity’s volunteers make, day in, day out. Even on Christmas Day, if the call comes, they will leave everything behind to launch the lifeboat.’

In May 2011 a plaque was unveiled in Saint Peter’s church in Redcar to commemorate the death of William Guy, and a new grave marker laid in the churchyard to show Guy’s final resting place.