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In the early hours of 30 October 1914, the hospital ship SS Rohilla struck rocks just off the coast of Whitby. A blackout was in force at the time and vessels would have struggled to navigate. What happened next was one of the most challenging rescue operations in history.

Whitby鈥檚 lifeboat could not be launched from the harbour, so it was carried by hand over an eight-foot seawall and across rocks so that it could be launched from the beach nearest the ship.

Six lifeboats became involved in the rescue over 50 hours. Eight-five lives were lost but 229 people were rescued. One person who survived was Mary Kezia Roberts, she had survived the sinking of RMS Titanic just two years earlier in 1912.

Location: Saltwick Nab, Whitby YO22 4JX
Image: The Rohilla, courtesy of IWM