A BRIEF HISTORY OF HM COASTGUARD

1809 - Formation of the Preventative Water Guard. Staffed by former Royal Navy sailors, the force patrolled coastal waters tackling smugglers who had evaded the revenue cruisers working further out. In addition to revenue work, the Guard was detailed to assist in life-saving after a shipwreck and as such, was clearly the forerunner of the Coastguard.

1822 - A re-organisation saw the 'Riding Officers', cruisers and Preventative Water Guard brought together under one name. This was the birth of the Coast Guard, a term which lasted nearly a century before the two words became one.

1829 - "When a wreck takes place…. every individual is to use his utmost exertion to save the lives of the persons on board". First Coast Guard instructions.

People involved in smuggling were by no means outcasts and Coastguards had a life-threatening and thankless task. Which was not helped when in ..

1831 - The Coast Blockade (a Navy shore patrol force), which had built up a reputation as an uncompromising and ruthless anti-smuggling outfit was absorbed into the Coast Guard.

1854 - Under the Merchant Shipping Act 1854 The Coast Guard was given direct responsibility for Life Saving. Life Saving Apparatus was issued and Volunteer Life Brigades were formed. By the end of the 19th century many coastguards served as volunteers in lifeboats.

The mid 19th century saw steps taken towards the Coast Guard becoming a reserve force for the Royal Navy.

1856 - Admiralty took control of the service from the Board of Customs via the 1856 Coast Guard Service act. This laid down the duty of the Coast Guard as:

1. Defence of coasts.

2. More ready manning of HM ships in war or emergency.

3. Protection of the revenue.

However, such duties as assisting vessels in danger, taking charge of wrecks, operating life-saving equipment and participating in lifeboat rescues were continued.

1914 - Many Coastguards serving at sea lost their lives. Perhaps the most tragic occurrence being the torpedoing of the old cruisers Aboukir, Crecy and Hogue when 1400 coastguards perished.

Due to the coastal defences being only partially filled by the army the service returned to shore duty. Tasks included lookout for spies and saboteurs, early warning of attack and disposing of beached mines.

Communications expertise was becoming, and remains, vital and Coastguards developed into expert signallers

1925 - Under the Coastguard Act 1925 the Coastguard was replaced by:

" A Navy signalling force.

" A coast watching force administered by the Board of Trade with duties of saving lives and salvaging wrecks.

" A coast protection force for revenue protection under the Board of Customs and Excise.

1939 - All coastguard stations were put on constant watch which required the recruitment of reinforcements in the shape of Auxiliary Coastguards under the National Service scheme. All coastguards were issued with weapons and Khaki battledress.

At the end of World War II the coastguard reverted to civilian status with personnel attaining full civil servant status in 1948.

In 1983 the administration of the Coastguard was transferred from the Board of Trade to the Marine Directorate of the Department of Transport, now known as the Department for Transport Local Government and the Regions (DTLR).

From then until now the Coastguard has undergone massive modernisation and reorganisation culminating in the combining of the Marine Safety Agency and The Coastguard Agency into the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on April the 1st 1998.