Luke Berry, of Port Stanley, Recalls Lake Erie Rescues

PORT STANLEY, Nov. 11.—Believed to be the only living member of the once famous Life Saving Crew of Port Stanley, Luke Berry, a life-long resident of the village, recalls clearly a rescue of Nov. 11th, 1897, for which he was decorated with a gold medal presented by President McKinley, of the United States.

Mr. Berry was the youngest member at the time of the crew of seven under the direction of his father, Capt. William Berry, and during a very heavy southwest gale lasting for three days the schooner Groton and the schooner St. Lawrence ran into grief. The two schooners, loaded with coal, were racing from Cleveland to Port Stanley and the Groton, still nine miles off the harbor, sprang a leak and sank. The six sailors, cook and the captain took to a small yawl and, by pouring oil on the high seas, were able to make eight miles to harbor, but due to exposure and exhaustion were floating helplessly a mile off the harbor. They were flying a flag of distress, which was noticed by fishermen on the pier, when Capt. Berry and the crew in the open life saving boat reached them.

After bringing the crew in to shore and safety, word was received that the St. Lawrence was also in difficulties and riding at anchor. Capt. Berry enlisted the air of Capt. Denning and the fishing tug, Crawford, and on reaching the stricken boat found that over one hundred tons of coal, which had been stored on the decks had been washed overboard. The sails were torn to ribbons, but the hull was not leaking. However the crew, despite the wind and waves, decided to ride out the storm and on the third day the Crawford again sailed out and towed the St. Lawrence safely to harbor.

Two years later, again in the fall of the year, another vessel, the Cleveland, flew a distress flag while off Morpeth, twenty-eight miles from Port Stanley. Farmers noticing her plight telephoned the Life Saving Crew at Port Stanley and the tug Snow Storm, under Capt. Alex Brown, towing the open life saving boat and the crew, raced to the scene. The exhausted crew, which had been manning the pumps, were taken off and brought to Port Stanley while the Life Saving Crew resumed work on the pumps. For twenty hours they worked in relays and managed to keep the vessel afloat until the Snow Storm returned and towed her safely to port.

At a ceremony held in the old town hall on Main Street, the crew of the Life Saving Station were presented with the gold medals presented by President McKinley. Present for the ceremony was the Reform Member of Parliament, Dr. Wilson, whose wife pinned on the medals. The life saving equipment has long since been abandoned and there has not been for many years an organized Life Saving Crew, but in the early history of the village the various members of this crew played a colorful and interesting part of village life.

From an undated newspaper clipping, printed some years after the event.