The 71-year-old great grandson of a tragic Arbroath fisherman says he may cut the RNLI from his will in protest over the charity’s “shameful” treatment of the town crew.
Retired Angus teacher Dale Smith is a descendant of fisherman William Smith (The Rover), one of three crewmen lost in June 1921.
They died when a freak wave swamped the Laddies Ain within sight of hundreds of horrified townsfolk on the harbour wall.
Last year, the Smith family erected a plaque at Arbroath marina honouring the crew.
Dale says the downgrading of the 220-year-old station has shattered his respect for the lifesaving charity.
He retired as a teacher in Kirriemuir eight years ago.
But the former Red Lichtie keeps a close interest in anything to do with Arbroath and has followed the furore which erupted in April with increasing anger.
The RNLI U-turned on a promise to equip the town with a £2.5 million Shannon-class all-weather boat and instead allocated an Atlantic 85 inshore rigid inflatable to the local station.
‘Anger and bewilderment’ at Arbroath RNLI situation
“Recent events around the lifeboat have left many folk bewildered and very angry,” said Dale.
“As children in the 1950s, when the maroon sounded we regularly all ran out of school at the top of Dishlandtown Street, down to the harbour to be there to see the lifeboat off.
“Sometimes there were hundreds there, mostly from the Fit O’ the Toon.
“Many were anxious, some just curious visitors.
“We waved and cheered when the lifeboat came back.
“It’s a memory that will never leave me.”
He added: “My grandad, Hugh Smith, spent a lifetime at sea.
“He was a well-known character in Arbroath and I was very proud of him and still am.
“Unfortunately, I never met my great granddad, William Smith, an experienced fisherman.
“He was lost at sea on the Laddies Ain in the tragedy of 1921.
“It was within sight of the fisher families who gathered during a terrible storm to await the safe return of the fishing fleet.”
It was a poignant moment for Dale and his brother, Tony, when the memorial plaque was unveiled a year ago.
Former Arbroath RNLI operations manager Alex Smith – who was axed by the charity last month over the Atlantic row – took part.
Storm force experience
Dale said: “Laddies Ain and the ridiculous rigid inflatable which the RNLI propose to downgrade Arbroath lifeboat station with have something in common.
“They are both open-topped and offer no shelter for the crew and no safe space for those they have rescued.
“I’m not a seafarer myself but I’d love to be a fly on the wall to witness some of the remote RNLI officials on a rescue in an open-topped boat when the sea is wild around them.
“In 2021, my Dad and I were walking along from Danger Point past Mackay’s boatbuilding yard when a monster wave came over the wall about fifteen feet above us.
“It slammed us both to the ground and we were both severely winded and shocked.
“We lived to tell the tale because we were on ‘dry’ land but I try not to imagine or remember what these waves can do.”
“The RNLI penny-pinching exercise of berthing an inflatable at Arbroath when a Shannon-class state of the art boat has been long promised is shameful.
“Also shameful is the way Alex Smith, the crew and (Lifeboat Guild president) Mo Morrison have been treated.
“There is still time for the RNLI to realise that they have made a mistake.
“They should start by assigning a Shannon to change the mood amongst all interested in Arbroath lifeboat.
“An apology and re-instatement of all crew and an apology to Mo Morrison should follow.”
He added: “I sent two small cheques to Arbroath RNLI this week – they may be my last .
“I am re-considering a four-figure bequest in my will.
“When the RNLI starts to listen and respond positively, I and many others will also respond positively.”
Safety concerns ‘misleading’, says RNLI
An RNLI spokesperson said: “Concerns raised over the safety of our crew on an Atlantic 85 are misleading without context.”
The twin-engined Atlantic is one of the RNLI’s fastest boats and the charity refutes suggestions Arbroath is being downgraded.
“As the charity that saves lives at sea, the safety of our crews and those we rescue will always be our priority,” it said.
“No change would be made that compromised safety.
“The RNLI operates the Atlantic 85 safely at 106 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland – 27 of which are on the North Sea coastline.”
