THE STORY of a team coastguards who performed acts of heroism during a wartime disaster off Chesil Beach are to go on display to inspire their modern day successors.

Two coastguards died along with nine Royal Navy sailors when a landing craft ran into difficulties on October 13, 1944.

Watch assistant at Weymouth’s coastguard station Philip Chappell, has been delving into the history of the vessel, LCT(A) 2454, and, out of the blue, was contacted by the sons of one of the coastguards who lost their lives, Robert Henry Treadwell.

Mr Chappell said: “At first I didn’t realise who their father was because their surname was Morris – then I found out who it was and it just happened that I had been researching the incident.”

Mr Treadwell, a member of the Wyke Regis coastguard team, was 35 at the time of the incident and was posthumously awarded a Sea Gallantry Medal for his efforts, along with Commander John Alan Pennington Legh, who also died, aged 56.

Portland fireman Cyril George Leonard Brown, as well as coastguard captain William Charles Rowsell, Victor Francis Stephens and Albert Oldfield were also recognised for their bravery.

Mr Treadwell’s sons Raymond and Neil Morris will now come to the coastguard station to meet the local team and be present at the unveiling of a special display board commemorating the efforts of their father and telling the story of that tragic night.

Mr Chappell said: “We are having a display framed with a picture of him and the story of heroism of those involved.

“We will give Mr Treadwell’s sons a good afternoon out with the coastguards and take them round to where the wreck was.”

Mr Chappell said he hoped his research into the story of the LCT(A) 2454 and the sacrifice of those involved would inspire other members of the coastguard.

He said: “I started it out of interest for the station to have in the public area downstairs. It’s something for modern coastguards to relate to as we still have teams at Wyke Regis and Portland.”