This memorial is situated next to the wet dock of the harbour in the Scottish town of Arbroath on the North Sea coast.
The memorial consists of a red sandstone base upon which stands a black iron anchor. Plaques adorn three of the four sides of the base, each in remembrance of the loss of local men at sea.
The oldest tragedy reads:
'In memory of those Arbroath fishermen who died at sea in the Great Storm of 31st March 1887
James Muir Swankie
Thomas Carrie
David Carrie
John Shepherd
David Cargill
Charles Swankie
John Small Wyllie
Peter Anderson'
The men were onboard the Betsy and Ellen when it capsized during the storm, whilst fishing some ten miles off the Northumbrian coast.
The second plaque concerns the Arbroath Lifeboat Crew:
'In Memory of the Lifeboat Crews of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION who have lost their lives saving others
In particular Arbroath Lifeboat Crew Members
Bowman Peter Swankie
Died 24 September 1911
Coxswain David Bruce
Mechanic Harry Swankie
Bowman Thomas Adams
Assistant Mechanic William Swankie, Jnr
Lifeboatman Charles Cargill
Lifeboatman David Cargill
Who all died on 27 October 1953'
The first tragedy occurred when Peter Swankie, aged 64, fell beneath the carriage when the lifeboat was being taken to the slipway to be launched on service and was killed. The 1953 tragedy happened when the RNLB Robert Lindsay was returning after a launching to reported flares, when a twenty foot wave caused the lifeboat to capsize as it crossed the harbour bar. The sole survivor was Archibald Smith who clung on to the rescue rope.
The final plaque reads:
'In Remembrance of the Crew
MFV WESTHAVEN AH190
Lost at Sea 10th March 1997
George Pattison (Skipper)
Mark Hannah
Alan Cunningham
Christopher Prouse'
The fishing vessel capsized 100 miles north-east of Aberdeen, while attempting to pull clear of a seabed obstruction, found to have been a pipeline. To add to the confusion, the distress call was believed to have come from the Westhaven FR375 which was coincidently fishing in the area also and crews were sent back on seeing this vessel still afloat.