AN “incredible” account of a daring Second World War rescue by the most decorated lifeboatman in RNLI history has been uncovered.

Andrew Gould, of The Green, Mistley, is hoping to trace the family of Stan Taylor, a Royal Navy veteran who served on HMS St Mellons.

The veteran was a friend of Mr Gould’s father, Fred, who spent four years in North Africa during the war with the RAF.

Fred and Stan became close when they returned home from the bitter fighting, living in the same street in Lushington Road, Manningtree.

Mr Gould, 79, said both men rarely talked of their experiences during the war.

However, when Mr Gould began sifting through his father’s belongings following his death at the age of 79, he made a fascinating discovery.

His father had kept a detailed account, written by Stan, outlining the heroic rescue of more than 100 men in 1941.

Now Mr Gould is hoping to find living relatives of Stan to share his remarkable story.

The account, written in 1991 just a few years before his death, details a mission undertaken by the crew of the famous HF Bailey, a lifeboat skippered by Coxswain Henry Blogg, the most decorated lifeboatmen in history.

In January1941, Stan watched on from the deck of his naval rescue tug, HMS St Mellons, as the lifeboat braved shocking conditions and German bombs to rescue the crew of the SS Meriones, which had become stranded off the coast of Yarmouth.

More than 100 men and two race horses were left helpless on board.

“Bombs were dropped, but this ship was only slightly damaged, but strayed off course and ran aground on the deadly Smiths Knoll sandbank,” writes Stan.

“Our ship and another were detailed to stay with the ship and give all assistance possible, with a view to easing the victim off the sandbank.

“Unfortunately we tried all in our means for five days without any success.

“The problem was that during this time the weather was deteriorating badly, with the sky getting blacker and the seas getting bigger and the Germans were making visits and dropping bombs.

“Fortunately our gunfire kept the planes high and there were a lot of near misses.

“The Meriones started to break up and as she sank lower in the sand, so it built up round her sides, making it impossible for us to get alongside.

“The number one priority was to evacuate the 100 or so men off the ship – the two race horses were shot.

“The Cromer lifeboat was asked to come out and give assistance and the famous HF Bailey and gallant crew arrived on the scene.

“We were to witness seamanship of the highest order.

“These brave men ferried about 100 men to our ship, made all the harder due to the fact that surrounding our ship we had a steel rubbing band.

“This band was a foot wide and a foot thick and should the lifeboat come up underneath it, it would have been a disaster.

“It seemed as if one second the Bailey was under our keel and the next level with our deck, and to see those brave and skilful men going about their job with only a few square inches to stand on – it was almost beyond belief.”

He adds: “The fear also lurked at the back of our minds that German planes might at any time come over and spoil it all, but they saved it up for later.

“When the job was successfully completed and we had left the scene, on looking back we saw that Meriones was burning badly.

“She had been hit by several bombs.

“When we reached Yarmouth we had to lay outside for several hours, as did the HF Bailey – I believe owing to the very bad weather.

“All this happened 50 years ago, but I have never forgotten the incident.

“Henry Blogg and his brave crew did a wonderful job against all the odds – like a legend from a bygone age.”

Mr Gould knows little about Stan, but recalls seeing him when he would visit his father and mother Doris, in Manningtree.

“He was an Ipswich Town supporter and it was a Boxing Day when he went to see them play Arsenal,” said Mr Gould “Unfortunately after the match he went to get on the coach, lost his footing and fell over.

“They took him to Ipswich Hospital, but he died shortly later – I remember he was in his 70s.”

He added: “I remember myself and my brother found this account together. We were stunned – it is incredible.

“Our father never told us about it, he never liked to speak much about the war.

“It would be interesting to hear from some of Stan’s relatives who might be interested in seeing and reading this remarkable story.”

n Mr Gould can be contacted on 01206 394403.