A MOVING new film capturing the emotional reunion between a fisherman and the lifeboat which saved him and his 14 crewmates nearly 60 years ago is now on show at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine.
The 20-minute film follows 83-year-old Dennis Avery as he touches the RNLI lifeboat TGB one final time and pays tribute to the crew who came to the rescue of the Grimsby trawler Ross Puma in April 1968.
The dramatic rescue was TGB’s final mission before the lifeboat and all eight crew members were lost in the Longhope Lifeboat Disaster less than a year later.
Dennis’ visit was made possible through a new partnership between the Scottish Maritime Museum and the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre.
Dennis now works at the centre as a tour guide on the Ross Tiger, Ross Puma’s sister ship and the UK’s oldest surviving diesel side-trawler.
In the film, Dennis, now the last surviving member of the Ross Puma crew, recalls the terrifying night when the boat, heading home laden with fish, was struck by a violent snowstorm in the Pentland Firth, one of the world’s most treacherous sea passages.
With radar down, visibility near zero and battered by 30 foot waves, the trawler ran aground on the jagged North Rackwick Shoals off Hoy, Orkney.
Dennis, then 26 years old and the ship’s mate, remembers being “half thrown out, half jumping out” of his bunk at 2.30am as he heard the ship “tearing itself apart on the rocks” and believing he was about to die.
Reaching the deck, barefoot in the snow, he recalls rallying the crew to prepare for rescue and, when one young crew member feared drowning, reassuring him saying: “we can’t possibly drown, we’re on the rocks”.
At 2:56am, TGB launched from Longhope Lifeboat Station on Hoy under Coxswain Daniel Kirkpatrick.
Dennis recollects his relief on seeing TGB round the headland and the “brilliant seamanship” of Coxswain Kirkpatrick as he positioned the lifeboat, “dropping his anchor and backing in as close to reef as he could”. He believes TGB may have even briefly grounded on the approach.
Despite the rough seas, the lifeboat crew managed to secure a line and ferry all 15 men to safety in the sole remaining life raft before the Ross Puma broke up.
Once safely aboard TGB, Dennis recalls being handed “a big tot of really thick rum - like treacle it was”.
The film was directed by museum volunteer Amber-Louise Thornborrow, whose great-grandfather was related to Coxswain Kirkpatrick.
It also honours Coxswain Kirkpatrick’s legacy as the most decorated lifeboatman of his time.
The documentary can now be viewed in front of TGB alongside an exhibition also produced by Amber.
After the visit Dennis said: “It was very, very emotional. Without this lifeboat and crew, my grandchildren wouldn’t have known me.
"They’d have seen a photo and been told ‘that’s your grandad who was lost on the Ross Puma so I owe a lot to this lifeboat and the brave men in it. ”
Claire Jones, Learning, Engagement and Volunteer Manager at the museum, said: “We’ve been honoured to work with the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre to make Dennis’ visit possible and we look forward to future initiatives together.
“Dennis’ story gives a deeply human voice to TGB’s incredible service and reminds us of the bravery behind every lifeboat mission and commercial fishing trip.
“We’re also very grateful to Amber, whose personal connection to TGB played a key role in shaping the film and exhibition.
“It has been a pleasure to watch Amber’s involvement flourish – from the blog she wrote during her MLitt in Creative Writing research placement with us to her decision to stay on as a volunteer when the opportunity arose for Dennis to visit TGB.
"She generously devoted her time and passion to producing the short film in collaboration with our Museum team, Dennis, Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre and Ayrshire Film Company and curating the TGB exhibition.”
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