THE REMARKABLE story of brave lifeboat volunteers who risked their lives to save 144 passengers of a First World War hospital ship has been commemorated in Whitby.

The centenary of the dramatic three-day rescue of the Rohilla, a First World War ship heading to Dunkirk to pick up wounded soldiers which ran aground on October 30, 1914, near Whitby, was marked this weekend by a fleet of Royal National Lifeboat Institute boats.

The 1914 rescue saw the lifeboat charity’s volunteer crews stretched to their limits of endurance while the people of Whitby flocked to the scene to try and help – but of the 229 people on board the Rohilla, 85 died.

On Saturday (November 1) a flotilla of 15 boats, led by the Whitby RNLI all-weather lifeboat George and Mary Webb, sailed to the site of the wreck at Saltwick Nab to allow RNLI volunteers and descendants of those who perished to lay wreaths.

There was a short service of remembrance on board the lifeboat, transmitted by loud speaker to the other boats, before the wreaths were lowered into the sea above the wreck.

Also in the flotilla was the restored rowing lifeboat William Riley, which 100 years ago was lowered down a cliff on ropes in an attempt to reach the Rohilla.

On Saturday afternoon a plaque marking the anniversary was unveiled on West Pier before an evening performance of a new folk opera, Spirit of Whitby, which told the Rohilla story.

Today (Sunday, November 2) there was a service of remembrance at St Mary’s Church, Whitby, led by the Bishop of Whitby, the Right Reverend Paul Ferguson.

Steven Kirk travelled with his wife Lorraine from Australia to pay his respects to his great-grandfather George Kirk, a general hand on board the Rohilla who died in the disaster.

Mr Kirk said: “It’s a great privilege to be here to share in this very special occasion.

“Even though I never knew George and his incredible story wasn’t one I learned about until fairly recently, I felt it was important to be here to pay my respects to him and all the other people who died on the Rohilla.”

Whitby RNLI volunteer museum curator Peter Thomson MBE, who was this weekend’s coxswain of the William Riley, said: “I’m proud that we have been able to pay a fitting tribute to both those who died and to those who struggled against all the odds to rescue the survivors.

“It was very moving to be able to go out to the site of the Rohilla wreck and to remember just what it must have been like for the poor souls on board the stricken vessel.”