News
HRH unveils a memorial statue of Dic Evans, a heroic lifeboatman, during a visit to Wales
23rd November 2004
The Prince of Wales visited Wales to unveil a memorial statue of a hero of the seas.
The Prince arrived at Bangor station in Gwynedd, North Wales and was greeted at the station by dignitaries and 200 local schoolchildren.
His Royal Highness spent nearly 15 minutes talking to the children, who waved Union flags and Welsh flags, and encouraged them to work hard at their reading at school.
The Prince's next stop was Moelfre, Anglesey, to unveil a memorial sculpture of lifeboatman Dic Evans, who died in 2001.
Upon arrival, The Prince chatted to members of the local council before attending a memorial service at Carmel Chapel for Dic Evans who was the coxswain of the town‘s lifeboat.
Mr Evans, born in Moelfre, became a lifeboat crew member in 1921 when he was just 16 and took over as coxswain from his uncle, John Matthews, in 1954.
He earned his first RNLI gold medal five years later during a rescue in which he saved a crew from hurricane winds.
Mr Evans‘s second gold medal came in December 1966 after he helped to save 10 men from the Greek ship Nafsiporos, which broke down off Point Lynas.
He retired in 1970 but continued to promote the RNLI until he died at the age of 96.
The crowd outside the tiny chapel joined in with the service which was spoken in Welsh and English and broadcast on speakers.
After the service, The Prince spoke to residents and schoolchildren and walked down one of the town‘s narrow streets to Moelfre‘s Sea Watch Centre.
His Royal Highness met the current lifeboat crew and representatives from other Anglesey lifeboat stations before officially unveiling the Dic Evans Memorial Sculpture.
The bronze sculpture of Mr Evans is 7ft tall and weighs 400 kilograms.
The Prince said: “I really am so pleased to be with you today to commemorate the life of a truly great Welshman.
“This statue represents the value of service, duty and self-sacrifice, and Dic Evans remains, even after his death, an example to us all.
“It will serve as a lasting memory, not only to Dic Evans, but the spirit, duty, courage and service of lifeboatmen.”
Kent-based artist, Samantha Holland, whose grandfather was a friend of Mr Evans, designed the sculpture.
She said: “I haven‘t slept for about a week. There‘s so much pressure with Dic Evans having been such a famous lifeboat man here, but I‘m so relieved that people think it looks like him.”
Afterwards, The Prince went to visit Dolbedyr House, a restoration project managed by The Landmark Trust, and the Welsh College of Horticulture.