RNLB ''Margaret Russell Fraser'' was an lifeboatLifeboats – An illustrated history of the RNLI Arun lifeboats 1971 – 2009. Author: Leach, Nicholas. Publisher: Kelsey Publishing Ltd. 2011. work: Page 104, Margaret Russell Fraser. which served in the

Royal National Lifeboat Institution The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways. It i ...

(RNLI) Relief Fleet for 16 years before being placed on station at the Calshot Lifeboat Station in Calshot, Hampshire, United Kingdom.OS Explorer Map, New Forest, Author: Ordnance Survey. Publisher: Ordnance Survey B4 edition (2013).

Procurement

''Margaret Russell Fraser'' was built VT Halmatic in Portsmouth to serve in the RNLI’s Relief Fleet of five of the ''Arun''-class lifeboats. She was fitted out and tested trials at Souter Marine in

Cowes Cowes () is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...

before being handed over to the RNLI in April 1986. Much of the cost for the lifeboat was met with a bequest from Margaret R. Fraser, for whom the lifeboat was named at a ceremony in her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in June 1986.Lifeboat Gallantry - RNLI Medals and how they were won. Author: Cox, Barry. Published by: Spink & Son Ltd. Work: Page 374 - GILCHRIST Alexander, Coxswain/mechanic, Campbeltown Lifeboat.

Royal National Lifeboat Institution service

Relief fleet

The ''Margaret Russell Fraser'' was first posted to the Republic of Ireland, where she spent the next three years stationed at Rosslare Harbour, Ballycotton,

Valentia Valentia may refer to: Places *Valentia Island, off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland *Valentia (Roman Britain), a province of Roman Britain *Valence, Drôme, France, known in Roman times as Valentia *Nuragus, Sardinia, Italy, known in Roman time ...

, and finally Aran Island. In September 1989 she was sent across the Irish Sea to Yarmouth Lifeboat Station on the Isle of Wight, her first English station posting. While at Yarmouth she was involved in the October 1989 rescue of the RoRo cargo vessel ''Al Kwather 1''. The ''Margaret Russell Fraser'' launched into gale force 9 winds to assist the

Swanage Swanage () is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck and one of its two towns, approximately south of Poole and east of Dorchester. In the 2011 census the civil ...

lifeboat , which had been on the scene since 11.30 am. The ''Margaret Russell Fraser'' arrived on the scene at 3.10 pm, but both vessels soon departed as the ''Al Kwather 1'' appeared to be in no immediate danger.For Those In Peril – The Lifeboat Service of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, Station by Station. Author: Leach, Nicholas. Publisher: Silver Link Publishing Ltd, First Issue 1999. Work:Part 2, South Coast of England – Eastbourne to Weston-super-Mare, Page 79, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. Just after midnight, the captain of the ''Al Kwather 1'' requested assistance again following engine trouble. When the two lifeboats returned, the ship was in complete darkness, listing to port and rolling violently. The ''Margaret Russell Fraser'' approached from the stern and rescued one of pair of crewmen hanging on to a cargo net. The coxswain of the ''Margaret Russell Fraser'' was awarded an RNLI Bronze Medal for his part in the service.Lifeboat Gallantry: RNLI Medals and how they were won. Author: Cox, Barry. Publisher:Spink & son Ltd and the RNLI, 1998. Work: KENNETT David George, Coxswain, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, Lifeboat: Page 390/391.

Calshot Lifeboat Station

In 2002 the ''Margaret Russell Fraser'' was taken out of the relief fleet and placed on her sole permanent posting at Calshot Lifeboat Station in Hampshire, where she replaced the lifeboat . She remained on service at Calshot for just over two years before she was replaced by the Arun-class lifeboat .

Icelandic service

In 2004 after 19 years service with the RNLI the ''Margaret Russell Fraser'' was sold out of the service. She was purchased by the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue who renamed her ''Ingibjörg''. She has been stationed at Höfn on the south east coast of Iceland since 2005.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Margaret Russell Fraser Arun-class lifeboats 1985 ships Calshot lifeboats Yarmouth lifeboats