In the early hours of an autumn day in 1947, a truck laden with German prisoners-of-war and their English guards approached a level crossing in a sleepy Yorkshire village. At the same moment, an express train was thundering towards the crossing. For some inexplicable reason, with the train just yards away, the soldier behind the wheel of the truck did not stop. Instead he pressed the accelerator pedal...The scene was set for a terrible tragedy - one which was largely forgotten, until author Richard M Jones began to investigate the story 60 years later.

On 10th February 1871 a storm of fatal severity swept into the calm coastal port of Bridlington Bay. With it rode dozens of helpless ships and it fell to local lifeboat crews to brave the implacable sea in attempts to save the floundering crews. Many of those heroic souls never returned to shore. In his detailed examination of the events of The Great Gale of 1871, Richard M Jones shows the horror of the disaster alongside the selfless heroism of those rescuers. Among the individual stories of the storm is that of the Harbinger lifeboat and its crews' ultimate sacrifice for their fellow sailors. The Great Gale of 1871 presents the events and the legacy of that fateful day.

Is any disaster really forgotten? It is never forgotten by the survivors who lived through the trauma. It is never forgotten by the emergency services who tried to save the day. It is never forgotten by the relatives of those who never came home. Britain's Lost Tragedies Uncovered is a look at the tragedies and disasters that may not have stayed in public memory, but are no less terrible than their more famous counterparts. From a late-nineteenth-century family massacre in London to two separate fatal crashes at Dibbles Bridge in Yorkshire, and the worst-ever aviation show crash in post-war Farnborough to the horrifying Barnsley Public Hall disaster - here are twenty-three accounts of true devastation and stunning bravery. They are tales that deserve to be remembered.

When you think of something being lost at sea, you imagine a ship sinking gracefully, the survivors being rescued or a tragedy being caught on camera. But what if a ship is lost at sea without trace? What if an aircraft takes off on a routine flight and is never seen again? This book details over fifty of the most mysterious vanishings, ships that have made headlines but have never been found, both famous and forgotten cases that have left an outward ripple of tragedy and mystique. Most people have heard of the Mary Celeste crew vanishing, but how many knew that this was not the last case of an entire crew going missing? What about the three Scottish lighthouse keepers who were never seen again? Or the world famous aviation pioneers who took flight to never return? This book will tell you that MH370 was not the first airliner to disappear over the sea, nor was the Bermuda Triangle actually the cause of so many disappearing ships. How could six airplanes disappear in one day? Why did a ship with over 300 people on board not send a single distress call? Which ships vanished and then later messages in a bottle suddenly turn up, not just once but two separate shipwrecks? Lost at Sea in Mysterious Circumstances will cover all these and more as we reveal the stories of some of the most fascinating incidents above and below the waves.

The stretch of water between the Isle of Wight and the ports of Southampton and Portsmouth has been one of the busiest shipping areas around the British Isles since antiquity. It is no surprise that the Solent has claimed so many ships in its time. The Royal Navy has been based in Portsmouth for centuries and the ocean liners have been regularly sailing from Southampton since the nineteenth century, and this waterway has endured war, storms and accidents throughout its history as well as witnessing numerous maritime celebrations and everyday passage of boats and ships. Among the shipping disasters on the Solent have been the unexpected sinking of the Mary Rose in 1545, the mystery of the Flag Theofano missing from her anchorage in 1990 and the fight to save the disabled car carrier Höegh Osaka in 2016. The world’s worst hovercraft disaster in 1972 and the celebrations as the Mary Rose was raised ten years later show that the Solent is, and always has been, a place for history and drama. In Shipwrecks of the Solent author Richard M. Jones reveals the stories behind the shipping disasters in the Solent. Illustrated throughout, It will appeal to all those with an interest in shipping and shipwrecks as well as those interested in the history of this part of the South Coast of England.

The East Yorkshire town of Bridlington has over 1000 years of history. Starting off as two smaller settlements, built around the mediaeval priory and the harbour, it was developed as a fashionable resort in the 19th century and had merged into one town by the early 1900s. Bridlington has seen its fair share of tragedies, triumphs, special events and Royal visitors as well as been home to some unique stories and characters, from the award of the very first George Cross, the work of Lawrence of Arabia between the wars and bombing raids of the Second World War, to the Great Gale of 1871, the burning of the Royal Victoria Rooms in 1933, a visit by Queen Henrietta Maria and a lifeboat that goes back over 200 years. In A-Z of Bridlington author Richard M. Jones reveals the history behind Bridlington, its streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, tucked away places and unique events that are less well-known. It is fully illustrated with photography and will appeal to all those with an interest in this coastal Yorkshire town.

Most people have learned about the tragic story of the luxury liner Titanic, but how many could list the links the ship has to the small town of Bridlington in East Yorkshire? Years of Titanic research has led to the author compiling these links into one book which answers questions such as: * Which Titanic survivor was shipwrecked in Bridlington Bay? * What was thought lost for almost 100 years until going up for auction? * How many people in Bridlington have spent their lives researching Titanic? * Which Titanic victim had a plaque dedicated to them due to their time spent in Bridlington? Compiled with original research and photographs this is a small book but packed with information on Bridlington's connection to the world's most famous ship.

On 12th December 1939, a collision in the Irish Sea led to the loss of the warship HMS Duchess and most of her crew. Only three months after the outbreak of the Second World War this disaster was immediately overshadowed by other wartime events, leaving this ship's fate lost to history. Now for the first time the life and voyages of this proud ship and the tragedy of her loss are told in full and those forgotten voices are lost no more.

From 1847 to 1933 a building complex known as the Victoria Rooms stood overlooking Bridlington harbour in East Yorkshire. In the 86 years it stood tall it was used for both entertainment, leisure and as the Town Hall, being given royal status in 1888 after a visit from the Duke of Clarence. But it was the drama of the building's final demise in September 1933 that made this grand building hit the headlines. A huge fire and some heroic deeds by the local residents meant that no lives were lost that eventful night. Now for the first time in the history of the Royal Victoria Rooms a book tells the story of the life and times of this iconic structure. Richard M. Jones is a historian who has put up six plaques to forgotten disasters around the UK and followed them up with books telling those stories. A serving member of the Royal Navy, he divides his time between Bridlington and Hampshire.

On 4th March 1972 a hovercraft capsized in stormy weather on a voyage from the Isle of Wight to Southsea. Five passengers were killed, but in a dramatic rescue operation involving air and sea units from miles around, the twenty-two others on board were rescued. This book tells the forgotten story of the capsizing of SRN6-012, the heroes who rose that day to save the survivors and the investigation that followed. Richard M. Jones has dedicated his life to researching disasters of historical significance that have been forgotten and has placed five memorials to such events around the UK. This is his fifth book.

On 26th July 1986 a train derailed after striking a van at an open level crossing in a remote East Yorkshire village. The resulting carnage killed nine people, injured 42 and left dozens of survivors and families reeling from the shock for the rest of their lives. Now for the first time the full story of that tragedy can be told by the people who were there. The horror of the survivors, the bravery of the rescuers and the heartache for the people left behind. From one disaster came a campaign to have open crossings banned and to make sure a disaster like Lockington will never happen again. Richard M Jones is a researcher who has made it his life's ambition to record forgotten disasters and events lost to history. His achievements include writing the first book about the Great Gale of 1871 and placing a memorial for the Lockington victims. A serving member of the Royal Navy, he lives in Bridlington.