A HOLYHEAD lifeboat crewman who once battled waves as big houses in one of the RNLI’s most notorious rescues has been named in the Queen's New Year’s Honours List.

David Graham Drinkwater, who is 71, is an RNLI lifeboat station volunteer. He has been appointed with an MBE.

Known locally as Graham, he has been honoured for his services to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and charity.

During his time with the RNLI, Graham, of Fair View, Holyhead, has shown "exceptional courage and professionalism" and is respected and admired by those he has worked with and rescued.

He has volunteered for the RNLI for 55 years in various roles at the station, since 1963.

Graham was one of the RNLI crew members who braved the storms to rescue the stricken Nafsiporos Greek cargo ship crew on December 2, in 1966.

The ship’s engine had failed, and the vessel had drifted dangerously towards the rocks of north Anglesey. Graham was just 19-years-old at the time, and on his very first shout.

He would later become Lifeboat Operations Manager at Holyhead. In the winter storms that struck the North Wales coast in January 2018, he played a vital role in safeguarding and protecting the lifeboat by moving her to safer moorings when the storm struck.

In recent times he set up a drop in clinic at the lifeboat station offering free safety advice to people going out to sea from the Anglesey coastline.

His voluntary contribution to the local community is also recognised in other spheres. He is the president and a director of the Holyhead Sailing club, which is committed to fostering sailing and has an active cadet programme to which he contributes a great deal of his time.

He still volunteers his time for the station and will be remembered by those who sailed with him and those who have come to know him on land, as a "consummate, safe unflappable man who truly personifies the finest traditions of the RNLI."

Graham, who stepped down from 16 years of running the operations at Holyhead Lifeboat Station, earlier in 2018, said: “It was a very nice surprise to hear I’d got the award. I haven’t quite got used to the idea yet!”

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said: “These honours recognise and celebrate the hard-work and achievements of incredible people who go above and beyond to put others before themselves.

“I am proud to see people from all walks of Welsh life being recognised for their commitment to their cause.”