13 Facts About Henry Blogg

Henry George Blogg GC BEM was a lifeboatman from Cromer on the north coast of Norfolk, England, and the most decorated in Royal National Lifeboat Institution history.

Henry Blogg first went to sea as a lifeboatman in 1894 in the rowing lifeboat Benjamin Bond Cabbell and then served in the Louisa Heartwell as second coxswain under Jimmy 'Buttons' Harrison.

When coxswain Harrison retired in 1909 due to ill health, Henry Blogg won the vote to take on the leadership role.

Away from lifeboat duties, Henry Blogg was foremost a crab fisherman but Cromer being a popular holiday resort, he ran a deckchair and beach hut hire business.

Henry Blogg had led his men for nearly 24 hours of heroic effort.

In 1924 Henry Blogg was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal by the King.

In 1927, Henry Blogg was awarded a gold watch and his crew a silver watch each after a rescue on the Haisborough Sands.

Henry Blogg received a Silver Medal from the RNLI in 1932 for rescuing 30 men and a dog from the steamer Monte Nevoso aground on the Haisborough Sands.

Henry Blogg turned the lifeboat from the English Trader and headed for the nearest harbour at Great Yarmouth.

At 3 am the next morning, Henry Blogg awoke his crew, ready to try again.

Henry Blogg was given the RNLI Silver medal for that rescue, the rest of the crew receiving Bronzes, Walter Allen posthumously.

When Henry Blogg retired in 1947, after 53 years service and at age 71,11 years past the usual retiring date, the new lifeboat at Cromer was named after him.

Henry Blogg had been coxswain for 38 years of his service during which he had launched 387 times and rescued 873 people.