On the 22nd of January 1860, the schooner _Ann Mitchell_ went ashore
near Fleetwood. A new lifeboat, not long before placed there by the
National Lifeboat Institution, was immediately launched, when Captain
Wasey, Inspecting Commander of the Coast Guard, to encourage the men,
went off in her. A strong tide was running in, and a hard gale blowing
from the west-north-west. It was night. Stronger and stronger blew the
gale, the sea breaking terrifically on the shore and over the hapless
vessel. A small steamer was got ready, and took the lifeboat in tow.
Even thus but slow way was made in the teeth of the gale, the tide, and
the raging sea. Still the steamer persevered. Slowly she gained
ground, and at length, having got to windward of the wreck, the tow-rope
was cast off, and the boat proceeded alone on her work of mercy. She
got within a few yards of the wreck, when a tremendous sea rushing in,
struck her and filled her, breaking some of her oars. At that moment it
seemed as if the lifeboat herself was doomed to destruction. She was
but small, pulling only six oars, and scarcely fitted for the arduous
work in which she was engaged. Captain Wasey now anchored, and
attempted to veer her down to the wreck, but the strong tide running
defeated his intention. The anchor being then weighed, another attempt
was made to board the vessel to leeward; but a heavy sea striking her,
she was thrown over altogether, her masts falling within a few feet of
the lifeboat, whose brave crew thus narrowly escaped destruction.
Again, therefore, Captain Wasey determined to anchor to windward, and
once more to veer down. This time success attended the efforts of the
lifeboat's crew, lines being thrown on board of the wreck and secured.
One of the people from the schooner then threw himself into the sea, and
was hauled into the boat; but unhappily the others appeared to be either
fearful or unable to follow his example; and, from the pitchy darkness
and the noise of the sea and wind, it was impossible to communicate
intelligibly with them. Captain Wasey learned from the man saved, that
three persons remained; one--the master--had his back hurt, and
another--a boy--his leg broken. While endeavouring to carry out their
humane purpose, a heavy sea broke over both vessel and boat, carrying
away the lines, and sweeping the boat some 300 yards to leeward. Many
seamen might have despaired of regaining the wreck, but the men of the
lifeboat, encouraged by their gallant leader, pulled up once more, in
the hopes of saving the poor fellows on the wreck. Great was their
disappointment, however, on again getting alongside, to discover that
the last heavy sea had washed them all off. Captain Wasey and his
gallant followers having done all that men could do, had at length to
return to the shore with one only out of the four people who had formed
the crew of the _Ann Mitchell_. They had been thus occupied for nearly
nine hours of a dark winter's night, with untiring exertion and
exposure. The lifeboat had been launched at six p.m. on the 22nd, and
did not return to the shore till forty minutes past two a.m. on the
23rd.
Their labours in the cause of humanity were, however, not over for that
day. Soon after daylight broke, it was reported to Captain Wasey that
another vessel had apparently sunk on the shoals which surround and
extend to a long distance from the port of Fleetwood. Rising without a
moment's hesitation, he summoned John Fox, chief boatman of the Coast
Guard, and coxswain of the lifeboat, with some other men, and two of his
former crew, James Turner and John Aspingal, fishermen. The lifeboat
was once more afloat, and, towed for two hours against a strong tide and
heavy sea by the steam-tug, she at length reached the wreck, which
proved to be the schooner _Jane Roper_, of Ulverstone. Her crew,
consisting of six men, were in the rigging, crying out for aid. Captain
Wasey and his men happily succeeded in getting them all on board, and in
landing them safely at Fleetwood.
On the 19th of February, while it was blowing a heavy gale from the
north-north-west, with squalls, the schooner _Catherine_, of Newry, went
on shore, when again Captain Wasey went off in the lifeboat, and
succeeded in saving all the crew.
On 20th October 1861, the same brave officer, taking command of the
lifeboat, was instrumental in saving the lives of 16 persons from the
barque _Vermont_, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, wrecked on Barnett's Bank,
three miles from Fleetwood. For these and various other similar
services he has received several medals and clasps from the Royal
National Lifeboat Institution.