This Is Your Life: Brian Bevan

Brian BEVAN (1946-)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Brian Bevan, lifeboat coxswain, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the Kodak Gallery in London, where he was a guest of honour at an exhibition of photographs depicting life at sea.

Brian, who was born in Oxwich Bay, south Wales, but grew up in Flamborough Head in Yorkshire, began his career as a fisherman after leaving school, and became a regular member of the RNLI's Humber Lifeboat crew at Spurn Point, near Hull, from the age of 18.

After moving to Scarborough, where he worked as a fisherman and volunteered with the local lifeboat, Brian returned to Spurn Point as coxswain of the Humber lifeboat in 1972. Brian is the only crew member in the RNLI's long history to be awarded the Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals for Gallantry in a record space of time, presented to him at the same awards ceremony.

"Dear oh dear oh dear, I'm actually lost for words!"

programme details...

Edition No: 540
Subject No: 537
Broadcast date: Wed 2 Apr 1980
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 12 Mar 1980
Venue: New London Theatre
Series: 20
Edition: 19
Code name: Ernie

on the guest list...

Dennis Bailey
Joyce Bailey
Dennis Bailey Jr
Lyn Bailey
Syd Rollinson
Anne Rollinson
Ron Sayers
Ellen Sayers
Mike Storey
Dawn Storey
Pete Jordan
Anette Jordan
Bill Sayers
Pauline Sayers
Anne - wife
Jarrod - son
Capt Korver
Frank - father
David - brother
Marian - sister-in-law
Mandy - niece
David - nephew
Fred Walkington
George - uncle
Ivy - aunt
John King
Bengt Ullfors
Anne Coverdale - live link
Robin Coverdale - live link
Pat Stevenson - live link
Capt Wally Patch
Udo Blank
Sonia Korver

production team...

Researcher: Cathy Parnall
Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Directors: Paul Stewart Laing, Terry Yarwood
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

related pages...

Life Savers

heroes of the emergency services

Magic Book That Opens New Chapters Of Life

TV Times feature on 'The Unsung Heroes'

Screenshots of Brian Bevan This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

Hanging on a wall in the Life office is a framed certificate from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution which states: 'The Committee of Management Desire to Record their Warm Thanks to This Is Your Life for helping the Lifeboat Service in the field of Public Relations.'

From the youngest, then only twenty-four-years old, Brian Bevan, to the oldest, seventy-nine-year-old 'Skipper' Jack Woodhouse, the pleasure has been all ours in saluting the courage and daring of Britain's lifeboat crews.

When we surprised Brian Bevan on 12 March 1980, he had already won a clutch of awards never before equalled in the service which has recorded so many distinguished acts of bravery. The young cox of Humberside's Spurn Point had won the RNLI's bronze, silver and gold medals for gallantry at sea.

A relief crew stood in that night so he could be joined in London by his own much-decorated crew.

We heard how he earned his gold medal by racing the lifeboat into a trough between two waves in storm-lashed seas so that a ship's skipper could make a desperate last leap for life before his coaster rolled over and sank. The secret of Brian's earrings also came out – there is an old belief among fishermen that having your ears pierced results in better eyesight.

rnli.org unknown date

1979: Bronze, Silver and Gold

Former Humber Coxswain, Brian Bevan MBE, is the only crew member to receive Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals for Gallantry at the same awards ceremony.

Brian Bevan MBE, former Coxswain at Humber Lifeboat Station, is the only crew member in the RNLI's long history to be presented with Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals for Gallantry at the same awards ceremony.

Coxswain Bevan and his crew launched to three medal rescues in just 7 weeks. Looking back at this extraordinary Winter on its 30th anniversary, Brian recalled:

'Spurn Point can seem bleak at the best of times but we had the worst weather I've ever seen – we seemed to have weeks on end of strong easterly and north-easterly winds and snow.'

'You don't often have to chip thick ice off a lifeboat and you could see waves coming at you like the side of a house. I've not experienced anything like that since.'

Silver Medal rescue

Coxswain Bevan's first award was received for his part in rescuing six people from the Dutch coaster Diana V, 74 miles east of Spurn Point, on the night of 30-31 December 1978.

In storm force winds and temperatures of -4°C, sea water was freezing on the deck of the lifeboat. The Arun class lifeboat, City of Bradford IV, made three runs in, being thrown against the heavily listing coaster before the crew rescued a 12-year-old girl, a woman and four men. The lifeboat escorted the damaged vessel into the River Humber and by the time she returned to her moorings had been at sea for 13 hours.

Valentine's Day rescue

The Gold Medal was awarded for Coxswain Bevan's outstanding courage when rescuing the crew of a Panamanian motor vessel Revi in the early hours of 14 February 1979. The Revi was in danger of sinking 30 miles north of Spurn Point.

When the lifeboat arrived she was being completely swamped by heavy seas in storm force 10 conditions. After several attempts, two crew were rescued, leaving the captain and mate onboard. After a dozen more attempts, the lifeboat was brought alongside and the mate managed to jump 2m onto the lifeboat.

The captain was left hanging onto the Revi's stern rails waiting to jump. After several more approaches by the lifeboat, the Revi was swamped and her captain feared lost.

Second rescue in 24 hours

Just 24 hours after his last rescue, Coxswain Bevan and his crew launched again, to spend over 17 hours at sea in storm force winds and blizzards.

They joined Wells lifeboat crew on a service to the Romanian cargo ship Savinesti with 28 people onboard. The ship had suffered engine failure 37 miles from Spurn Point and was in danger of running aground.

The snow meant visibility was very poor and there was a thick layer of ice on the lifeboat. Wells lifeboat, a smaller, open Oakley class, stood by in violent seas for 2 hours until the Humber lifeboat arrived to escort the Savinesti to the safety of the Humber River.

For this service, Coxswain Bevan received a Bronze Medal and Wells' Coxswain David Cox received a Silver Medal.

Surprise celebrity status

Becoming one of the most decorated lifeboat crew members in history brought unexpected fame.

As well as giving interviews, Brian was asked to open the London Boat Show, was the subject of the programme This Is Your Life and had lunch with the Queen.

'All of which was much more harrowing than any of the rescues I was involved in,' confessed Brian.

Series 20 subjects