Taken from “The Story of the Dover Lifeboats” by Jeff Morris available from the Fundraising Branch's shop.

At the height of one of the worst storms for many years, the 'South Goodwin' Lightvessel began to drag her anchors, in the early hours of November 27th 1954, and the Ramsgate and Dover Lifeboats were called out to search for her. In violent storms and a near hurrucane, the lifeboat-men searched in vain for the missing lightvessel. She was eventually spotted at day-break, on her side in the breakers on the Goodwin Sands. The Walmer Lifeboat was launched and joined in the search for survivors, but none of the lifeboats could get closer than 200 yards from the wreck, because of the mountainous seas breaking all around her. Only one man, out of the 8 who had been on board the Lightvessel, survived. He was plucked to safety by a helicopter from the United States Air-Rescue Squadron, a rescue for which the Pilot, Capt. Parkins, was awarded a Silver Medal by the RNLI.