Sunday the 17th October 2010 saw early morning river fog roll up the Severn estuary almost in serine remembrance to similar conditions some fifty years ago the night 25th October 1960 the night the river burned to snatch five lives and alter the course of Gloucestershire history forever.

Fifty years on, Lydney Docks saw early Autumn sun soon melt the last fingers of mist to unveil a sombre gathering of some 200 family members, old friends, former neighbours, and invited guests, all who had come together to remember 10 local men who left loved ones to work on the river that night, some never to return.

The event, orchestrated by the Friends of Purton, was the first of several tributes to mark the 50 years since the partial destruction of the Severn and Wye Railway bridge by the fully laden John Harker tankers Arkendale H and the Wastdale H, which came together in a ball of flames killing five of the eight man crew.

During an emotional ceremony, a two ton block of recovered bridge stone was unveiled to reveal poignant images of the 21 span bridge, the vessels and the eight men’s names, all of whom have now passed away.

Following a reading of the crew men’s names by Friends patron David Drew, the gathered observed a minutes silence accompanied by the faint chiming of distant church bells which were to rung out the entire length of the river to remember the dead.

This was then followed by a slow procession the short distance by road to the Dean Heritage Centre at Soudly, where the official exhibition was formally opened by the Family of the late Thomas Carter in recognition of his and Charlie Henderson gallant rescue attempt to pull the eight family men from the burning waters. During this quiet time of reflection, the families of rescued man Jack Cooper and Mr Carters daughter, who until that day had never meet, were allowed time to share one common grief.

Time and tide against them the gathering moved off as one to travel the 40 mile through the sunlight streets of Gloucester after first crossing the mighty river at Over, to arrive at its final destination in the quiet hamlet of Purton within sight and overlooking the twisted remains of their men folk’ stranded tankers.

Patiently waiting and in attendance were several local dignitaries, with Stroud MP Neil Carmichael presiding to unveil an identical stone memorial, placed on a diagonal tangent to the adjacent Lydney docks effectively intersecting the tanker remains.

Following the unveiling Neil said ‘I have been working with the Friends of Purton to have the largest ships graveyard recognised and for them to have organised this memorial to those who lost their lives is a testament to their commitment to the hulks and the history of the river’

Standing shoulder to shoulder, the party assembled silenced in grief and with the sun high above, witnessed the tankers slowly slip below the black waters of the Severn. Gripped with their own memories of loved ones lost but now at last recognised for the sacrifice each made.

Then around the backdrop of Sharpness point, came the distinct silhouette of two solitary historic R.N.L.I. life boats, once more fiercely punching the rushing waters to arrive at the crash site, only this time the precious cargo was one of the combined sadness of nine family members intent on paying their last respects in person with flowers, trinkets and tears.

Nearby excitement rippled through the those on the shore as they watched with further poignancy of what might have been, as in attendance followed two fast inshore rescue boats of the now Sharpness based Severn Area Rescue Association,

Once positioned atop the site of the former bridge pier 17, instructions were issued for the crews of Nellie & Charlie and the aptly named Always Ready to haul too, the silence was broken via ship to shore radio by Robina Bayliss daughter of the Arkendale H survivor in order to address the assembled party, her voice trembling and her pain clear for all to hear.

Wreath cast, and heading north on the current, past the waiting families, the flotilla turned south to leave the scene accompanied by the haunting sound of Capt Bevis Musk’ remark ‘lifeboat Nellie & Charlie to lifeboat The Always Ready, lets take them home Craig’.

The Arkendale H
Capt. George Horace Thompson
Percy Alexander Simmonds
George (Jack) William Cooper
Robert John Nibblett

The Wastdale H
Capt. James Dew
Hubert Jack Dudfield
Alex Albert Bullock
Malcolm Hart

Capt. Thomas Carter of the Shell Traveller
Charlie Freeland Henderson

To sail is to sea
To try is to be