A special medal repatriation ceremony took place recently thanks to HM Coastguard Tenby.

Explained deputy station officer Mike Tebbutt: “During a station clean out a few years ago, we found a long service medal which we believe was possibly presented to a Tommy Howells some time in the 1930-1940s. On speaking to retired sector manager, Dave ‘Dusty’ Miller, he was able to tell me that the medal had been handed into the coastguard station many years previously.

“I must admit that the medal seems to have been in our station for many years, so talking to the station officer, I decided to do a little digging to see if I could find some more information on Tommy.

“One of our older ex-members came up with a nickname for Tommy. Apparently, he was known locally as ‘Dowie.’ Knowing this nickname proved fortuitous. Once I started to ask around the harbour community about Dowie, I found out that he had left the coastguard team sometime prior to 1953 and joined the RNLI in Tenby.

“In September 1953, it was recorded that Dowie, as part of the crew of the RNLI lifeboat, the John R. Webb, took part in a lifeboat rescue where the crew battled a west-south-west storm with extremely rough seas to make their way to a lightship at St. Govans which was in danger of sinking. This service saved seven lives. As a result, the coxswain was awarded a silver medal and bronze medals went to the bowman and the mechanic and I believe the crew would have received vellums.”

Continued Mike: “After gaining the nickname, I turned to good old social media and put an appeal for information on a local site.

“Two days later, I was talking to Lyn, who turned out to be the daughter of Dowie’s niece!”

As a result of inquiries, Jean Roberts (Dowie’s niece) actually came to Tenby recently when members of the coastguard unit were able to meet up with her to present the medal.

“The medal is actually titled the Pocket Apparatus Volunteer Medal, but unfortunately doesn’t show any date,” added Mike.