The Amazing Life Of Richard Evans

October 06, 2018

The Amazing Life Of Richard Evans

I am quite ashamed that it has taken me so long to post on my blog, especially since I've had so many things I've wanted to share on here. Since arriving in England, I've found myself falling deeply and madly in love with this country and Wales.

My first week here I got to spend with my Dad which was an absolutely fantastic experience for the both of us. We got to truly bond, and he was able to show me some of our family history in England and Wales as well as introducing me to some family I had never met before. It was incredible.

While we were in Wales, I learned that I have a relative named Richard Evans, more commonly known as Dic Evans, who lived an extraordinary life. During his 50 years as a lifeboatsman, he saved 281 lives and is one of the only five men to be awarded two RNLI gold medals, which is the equivalent of the Victoria Cross for bravery at sea. Not only that, but he had also been awarded the Queen's Silver Medal for gallantry at sea and the British Empire Medal.

My Dad and I were lucky enough to be able to travel to Anglesey, Wales to visit his monument as well as visit the museum they have built in his honor. I learned so much about his life and the immense danger he went through in order to save those 281 lives throughout his career. From all the accounts I have heard and read he never showed fear, even when the going was tough. He was dedicated and seemed to know that he would come out alright and be successful in his rescue missions.

One of the most incredible accounts of his life that I've read about was the mission that gained him his first RNLI gold medal. This happened in 1959, just several years after Dic succeeded his uncle as coxswain. He ventured out in hurricane gusts of more than 100mph to save a small boat called the SS Hindlea and its crew, while he himself didn't even have a full crew because telephone wires had been down and no one could be reached.

When he was finally able to reach the Hindlea, he found the boat to be rocking 90 degrees side to side, and its starboard anchor's cable had been whipping about, making it dangerous to approach the ship. Dic made ten runs to save the 8 man crew shortly before the vessel was swept away and broken in half on rocks.

Amazingly the only injury sustained during this perilous rescue was a broken leg to one of the crew members. It is absolutely incredible that Dic Evans was able to save the whole crew and make it back to shore safely.

It is safe to say he deserved the RNLI gold medal he was awarded for this rescue mission. I was absolutely blown away that I am related to this man and that he consistently put himself at risk to save the lives of others. I'm eternally grateful that I was able to visit his monument and learn about his amazing life and all the lives he saved.