Shelley the Lifeboat Labrador (10 page)

After the game it was time for a wash – minus me (looking around I could see no showers). It appears the wash was in a nearby stream which Shelley had found earlier.  It was a case of skinny dipping whilst having a swim in the stream and leaving the clothes on the river bank.  Shelley thought she would like to help out so collected some of the clothes taking them in the stream to their owners whilst the rest just got covered in her muddy paws.  This was the final straw and before I knew it I was in the stream fully clothed having been pushed in by more players who came up behind me.  To put it bluntly it was a total disaster all caused by one small Labrador who just wanted to enjoy herself for the afternoon.  Those who could drove home to collect more clothes and before long all had calmed down and the day returned to some form of normality – with some dry clothes kindly lent by Gezz for me.                                                                                                                                                           

The rest of the evening was just one disaster after another with so much going on.  As soon as we got into one pub we were off to another or asked to politely leave – we finished up (or should I say those that could) finished up back at Grahams house ready for a swim and barbecue by the pool.  Then the singing started followed by more pool activity – Shelley included.  As the evening went on she began to get more admirers once they saw her crisp packet trick.

I think we got to bed about 4am (I know it was light). Graham was last seen going off with a ladder to try and climb up to Piers Motts bedroom to join him in bed. That failed when an old television set appeared the window. Oh yes Piers was a character too!

Next day I was somewhat surprised to see that some were already drinking at 11am.  Shelly was in more trouble for using Sally’s new sofa as his bed and likewise I also was in trouble for allowing it. “Where was Graham” I asked?  “Gone off to find Bob McGowan’ said Sally.

Bob had a nice country house and was doing very well as a journalist.  I really admired what he did and over the next few years Bob and I became very good friends.  He helped me no end and encouraged me to write. Had it not been for this I am sure I would not be doing what I am doing now?

The sad tale to this chapter is that Graham died suddenly a couple of years later after mowing the lawn one day – to us he always seemed such a fit person.  He was due to go to France for Easter on a Rugby Tour that afternoon.  It was Bob who phoned me within hours of it happening.  Apparently Graham had had a massive heart attack. I recall Graham saying to me one day when met for lunch at Maidstone, “If anything happens to me make sure you see that Sally and the children are fine please?”   It was as though he had a premonition that something was going to happen – he was only 41 and lived life to the full.                                                                                                                                                                                                       

I did go back before Graham passed away several times and also to Bob’s 50
th
Birthday bash (more later)  Deep down inside I also think Shelley had a soft spot for the area due to the affection she was shown knowing that she could get away with perhaps just being a little naughtier than she was normally. There was a lot more fun to be had before Graham left us!

I did forget to add one thing and that each time we went up to Bodiam I was always given some money for the Lifeboat at Shoreham.  Shelley had really appealed to all and sundry and to show their fondness they often had collections which they saved up for me. A very nice thought from a wonderful group of people that were just that little bit different and had a link to ‘Mad Dog’s’.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

End Chapter Thirteen

LIFEBOATS AND THE RED ARROWS – CHAPTER 14

Living in Shoreham was very enjoyable and as a town it had a nice cross section of people.  The Adur River divided the town into two sections – Shoreham Beach and the town itself.  They were linked by a footbridge over the river or one could drive over via the A259 coast road.  The beach was steeped in history and many years ago became a hive of activity for the film industry that made many silent films there.  These days the properties were a mixture of the old and new which went up to the harbour entrance where there was the coastguard lookout.  Then the port was a lot more active with a large coal fired power station and custom sheds. In those days fishing played an important part with several of the fishermen being on the lifeboat crew.

The town itself had St Mary’s Church in the centre which was surrounded by some nice streets with rows of cottages hidden behind the small but busy shopping centre.  There were over 14 pubs of some character which the community used and the Sussex Yacht Club on the waters edge hence it had a nautical theme.  Shelley loved it and seemed to know her way around.  Every one seemed to know each other so walking to the town was a stop and start scenario which she enjoyed knowing she would always get a friendly pat.

Living at Molly’s was fun and she was a wonderful character. I recall one evening coming in and hearing her dulcet tones saying can anyone please help me!   Shelley ran upstairs first into the bathroom only to find Molly wedged sideways in the bath which was empty.  She had this habit of sitting on the side of the bath when she put her make up on and this time she slipped down into it unable to pull herself out – apparently she had been there for a couple of hours.  She was laughing, Shelley was barking and I, although concerned could see the funny side of it.  I helped her out and a couple of drinks later all was back to normal.                                                                                                                             

Shelley slept at the end of my bed and the bedroom overlooked a nice small garden where she often sat out with Molly. She loved dogs and this was a real bonus for me as I had a purpose built dog minder on the premises.  Sometimes she would take Shelley out with her around the town, however; this at times caused a slight problem as Shelley wanted to take her into the Kings Head or Marlipins Pub for a drink.  I wonder why!

The Lifeboat was going well and I had now become a part of the Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) Crew so had set roster weeks when I was on duty.  This meant I had to be around Shoreham and spend the weekends in the summer sitting down at the boathouse each afternoon waiting for calls and going out on exercise.  This was fun and gave us time to chat, clean the ILB and our own cars and show visitors around.  Shelley loved it as well and when I was on duty became part of the team.  There was a beach area also which often used to get busy as it was ideal place for children to swim. The rowing club was opposite so club members used to be out practicing most weekends and evenings.  Shelley was always keen to help them put their boats into the water and often ended up in a splashing game with the crews and became part of their weekend fun.  I could also trust her knowing she would not run off and every now and then she used to pop her head around the crew room door to see if I was still there.

On one occasion I recall a keen sea angler fishing off the rocks who had a small bag by his side.  Unknown to him Shelley decided to investigate the bag and removed another carrier bag which contained his food.  Before anyone knew it she had taken it away devouring the contents under the boathouse steps.  He must have gone home wondering what had happened. As it was too late for me to do anything about it so we both put it down to experience.  It was part of her character and had happened before, her retriever instinct never left her for one moment!

The ‘shouts’ as we called them were mostly dinghy related with the ILB towing them back to the relevant sailing club. Of course there were more serious   situations with lost children and the odd strong wind which took rubber dinghies out to sea with the occupant still in them.                                   

One Saturday ‘The Red Arrows’ were displaying off Brighton and John Condell a crew member who had his own boat took three of us down to watch the display from the end of the pier.  I left Shelley in the boathouse with a couple of helpers which she was used to.

It was a day that was to change my life!  The display started and the beaches and piers were packed to capacity. There were also a lot of private boats moored near us to watch the display.  It was about half way through the eighteen minute display that the two singleton Hawk aircraft did their cross over; always a highlight.  Unknown to us and those watching a yacht sailed into the flight path resulting in one of the aircraft clipping the top of the mast. 

This caused the aircraft to loose control after part of its wing tip broke off.

The pilot had no option than to eject and the aircraft by a miracle went over the pier crashing into the sea the other side. It all happened in a split second and I am glad to say no one was hurt.  Had the aircraft gone into the pier or the promenade the result would have been totally different.  John was a first class lifeboat man and within minutes had radioed the coastguard as we with full power on went to the pilot’s aid.

There were no injuries reported so we pulled him on board with his chute attached.  His name was Steve Johnson and apart from a small cut to his head he was fine. We took him ashore and he was taken to hospital.  He returned to flying with the team a few days later.

We were asked to stay over the wreckage of the aircraft until the Navy Divers arrived which turned out to be about 8pm at night.  It became very cold and we only had our summer gear on.  A further incident happened when a member of the public from the beach swam out in his diving gear and removed part of the rear ejector seat pin as a souvenir. He surfaced alongside our boat and was arrested by a policeman who had been taken out by the Brighton Lifeboat.  We found out later that it could have been very nasty. Once removed the pin may have fired the rear seat and as we were right over this wreckage it would have come through the bottom of our boat!                                                                                 

I was concerned about Shelley so John radioed the Coastguard.  They touched base with the stations ‘Hon Sec’ who told them she had been taken home by one of the crew to Molly’s.

We got back to Shoreham Harbour about 9-30 pm in the dark, only to find the National media wanted to speak to us.  The next day we were in all the newspapers and this was followed by calls from the RAF and Air Accident Board.

A couple of weeks later we each received a very nice print signed by the Team and a personal thank you letter from Steve Johnson. His wife even washed the hanky I lent him for his cut head ironing it and returning it with his letter.

A postscript to this was that I went to visit the team at RAF Kemble and was given a great day out along with Shelley.  The friendship has remained until this day and Shelley was mentioned in dispatches several times by the Team Manager Ray Tilthorpe.

They returned to Brighton to do a display the following year and I met Ray again when he had to do the commentary on the seafront.  He was collected and flown by John Haffenden who was the manager of Shoreham Airport from RAF Manston where they had based. Being a little late we had a police escort into Brighton. What an experience for Shelley sitting in the back of a Land Rover with one of The Red Arrows being driven at high speed into Brighton. Sadly to no avail as a sea mist had set in and they could not display.                                         

It has remained one of the highlights of my life and set me back on the path to returning to photography as a hobby which was later to become my new found career.  For the next few years Shelley and I were able to visit some of the RAF Bases seeing things that many others would not see.  Dogs have always held a significant part in relationships with RAF personnel so she was always assured of that extra little bit of attention.

As a thank-you I arranged the following year to take The Red Arrows on the Ramsgate Lifeboat for a trip out to the Goodwin Sands and to visit the Lightship. Ramsgate’s Coxswain Ron Cannon agreed to this with the help of a John Ray who was on the Shoreham Crew whose parents lived in Broadstairs.  We all met at the harbour and made our way to the lifeboat moored by the jetty where I had left Shelley in the car by the boathouse. One of the helpers had the car keys so if we were delayed she could be given a walk.

The steps to the boat were covered in seaweed and my yellow wellies decided to go one way and I the other!  I hit my head fairly hard but was fine.  We had a great trip out meeting up with pilot cutter and then went on board the Goodwin Lightship for a tour.  Arriving back at Ramsgate we then all went to the Yacht Club where the Red Arrows presented them with a signed print and the same to the Lifeboat Crew.