LLANDUDNO Lifeboat have been remembering a "quiet hero of the station" who saved more than 60 lives.  

In 1953, Mr Trevor Davies, seventh Coxswain in the station’s history, retired after almost 14 years in the role and about 40 years on the crew.

Thanks to his grand-daughter Jan, who has presented Llandudno RNLI with a few family items, including Trevor’s Coxswain’s cap, the station now knows a little more about Trevor than just his photograph.

Born locally in 1893, Trevor went to sea aboard a three masted topsail schooner Mary B Mitchell and served aboard her for a few years as a boy seaman rising to Able Seaman. At that time, this graceful little ship then traded mostly in slate although was briefly converted into a yacht by Lord Penrhyn and used by him mostly in the Mediterranean. In 1913, Trevor went ‘deep sea’ aboard the much larger sailing ship Boedicea, on a voyage to Australia and back including a very rough and dangerous passage around the notorious Cape Horn at the tip of South America.

North Wales Pioneer: Llandudno’s first motor lifeboat ‘Thomas and Annie Wade Richards’ in June 1939Llandudno’s first motor lifeboat ‘Thomas and Annie Wade Richards’ in June 1939 (Image: Llandudno RNLI)

Returning to Llandudno in 1914, Trevor joined the Royal Field and Horse Artillery, serving throughout the First World War.

Returning home in 1919 and already a member of the lifeboat crew, then operating the pulling and sailing lifeboat Theodore Price, Trevor worked locally on trip boats and on Llandudno pier for the remaining of his working life supplementing his income during the winter months with other jobs.

A spokesperson from Llandudno Lifeboat said: "Trevor was second Coxswain aboard Llandudno’s first motor lifeboat ‘Thomas and Annie Wade Richards’ in June 1939 when the submarine Thetis failed to surface during a test dive. The lifeboat took the station’s Honorary Medical Advisor out to the scene but unfortunately there were only four survivors. The incident made an impression on Trevor especially when the lifeboat returned a few days’ later to lay wreaths.

RELATED STORIES

"During the Second World War, Llandudno Lifeboat was involved not only in its normal range of service calls but also searching for crashed aircraft.

"In January 1944, Trevor was Coxswain during a severe south westerly gale when the lifeboat was asked to take emergency supplies to a light vessel 15 miles north of Llandudno."

When Trevor retired, he had served on three pulling and sailing lifeboats and two motor lifeboats.

The spokesperson added: "He was directly involved in saving over 60 lives.

"A quiet hero of the station."