THE LIFE-BOATTHE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION

VOL. XXXIX JUNE 1964 No. 408

CONTENTS

PORTRAIT OF A COXSWAIN 2NOTES OF THE QUARTER 3NEW COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT MEMBERS 5LADIES' LIFE-BOAT GUILD 5R.N.L.I. DELEGATION IN UNITED STATES 6NEW U.S. STEEL LIFE-BOAT 9LETTER TO THE EDITOR IIAN UNUSUAL GOBLET 12ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 13ORKNEY COXSWAIN'S SECOND SILVER MEDAL . . . . . . 23BRAVEST ACT OF LIFE-SAVING 25AWARD TO TWO COXSWAINS 25TEESMOUTH MEN WASHED OVERBOARD . . . . . . . . 26INSHORE RESCUE BOAT SERVICES 27BEST WRECK SERVICE OF THE YEAR . . . . . . . . . . 28THE GUNNERS' ISLAND 29FRENCH LIFE-BOATS 29BOGUS DISTRESS SIGNALS 29LIFE-BOAT WEDDING 30BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG 31SAN REMO REQUESTS . . . . . . . . . . 31LIFE-BOAT FLEET 3!AWARDS TO HONORARY WORKERS 32OBITUARY 33LIFE-BOAT SERVICES ROUND THE COASTS . . . . . . . . 34ANNUAL ACCOUNTS . . 52

42, Grosvenor Gardens, London S.W.1

Portrait of a Coxswain

THE photograph shows Coxswain William Coull, of Girvan, Ayrshire. He wasappointed coxswain on 5th May, 1960. Previously, after nearly six months asbowman, he served from September, 1956, as second coxswain. Since he joinedthe crew in 1956 the Girvan life-boat has been launched on service 23 timesand has rescued two lives.

NOTES OF THE QUARTEREARL HOWE, the former chairmanof the Committee of Management, hasbeen appointed honorary chairmanfor life of the Institution. This appoint-ment brings to an end an active periodof work on behalf of the life-boatservice extending over 45 years.

LORD HOWE'S SERVICE

It was in 1956 that Lord Howe wasappointed chairman of the Committeeof Management. He had served on allof the Institution's sub-committees,had been deputy chairman for 10years, deputy treasurer for 16 yearsand chairman of the general purposesand publicity committee from 1932to 1956. So deep has been his interestin every aspect of the service, partic-ularly the operational side, that hemanaged to visit every single life-boat station. It was an appropriatetribute that the Committee of Manage-ment formally asked him to accept atitle of honour "as a token of theiraffection and esteem and in recog-nition of his many and valuable yearsof service to the cause".

THE NEW CHAIRMAN

The new chairman of the Commit-tee of Management is Captain theHon. V. M. Wyndham-Quin, R.N.who joined the Committee in 1937 andhas been deputy chairman since 1956.Captain Wyndham-Quin makes a reg-ular practice of taking passage in newlife-boats when they are sent to theirstations in order to acquaint himselfin detail with the qualities of the newboats. He served as a regular officerof the Royal Navy in both world warsand after the last war was naval attachein Buenos Aires. He has crossed theAtlantic three times under sail.

Two deputy chairmen have beenappointed. They are Air Vice-MarshalSir Geoffrey R. Bromet, who joinedthe Committee of Management in1952, and Commander F. R. H.Swann, who joined a year later. Afterholding a number of important com-mands in the last world war, SirGeoffrey Bromet was Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man from1945 to 1952. Commander Swann is astockbroker by profession and in thelast world war commanded a numberof ships including an aircraft carrier.He has had many years' experienceof small boats and is Rear Commodoreof the Royal Cruising Club. He ischairman of both the Institution'sboat and construction and helicoptercommittees.

THE NEW UNITED STATESLIFE-BOAT

Following a visit of a small delega-tion from the Institution to the UnitedStates a decision has been taken toacquire a 44-foot steel life-boat of thekind now in the service of the UnitedStates Coast Guard. This type of life-boat is described in detail on page 9.Intensive trials of the life-boat will becarried out in order to discoverwhether boats of this type are suitablefor service around the coasts of GreatBritain and Ireland. In deciding to tryout an American life-boat the Com-mittee of Management were promptedby a number of considerations. Thechief of these was that it is the In-stitution's duty to provide the verybest boats and equipment whichmoney can produce or skill can devise.Such are the qualities of the 44-footlife-boat that clearly it could not beneglected. The United States Coast

Guard spent som'e £100,000 in de-veloping the boat, and by takingadvantage of their generosity in placingall their knowledge at the Institution'sdisposal the R.N.L.I. has in fact beensaved from expending a comparablesum on development. There also hasbeen the saving of some zj years,which would have been needed toconstruct a new boat in this countrystarting from scratch.

Until the trials have been completedit is impossible to state whether life-boats of this kind will be accepted forservice by the R.N.L.I., but if theyare all the boats will, of course, withoutexception be built in yards in eitherGreat Britain or Ireland.

A BUSY WINTERFigures for launches on service

and of lives rescued by life-boats showremarkable increases during the winterof 1963-4. In every one of the sixmonths from October to March in-

clusive there were more launches onservice than in the correspondingmonths of 1962-3, and in eachof these months except Novembermore lives were rescued. The totalnumber of winter launches in 1962-3was 208, and 76 lives were rescued.In 1963-4 there were 322 winterlaunches and 119 lives were saved.When it is remembered that in mostparts of the country the winter of1962-3 was the most severe in livingmemory these figures tell their ownstory.

FATHER AND SON DECORATEDAt the annual general meeting, a

full report of which appears on page13, Coxswain Hubert Petit of St.Peter Port and his son John were bothpresent. The coxswain had alreadyreceived the gold medal for gallantryat the international life-boat conferencein Edinburgh, and at the annualgeneral meeting his son received a

By courtesy of]Coxswain Petit and his son

[Sport and General Press Agency

G=>

bronze medal. Coxswain Petit repre-sents the ninth successive generationof seafaring men in his family, and hisson, who is himself a master marinerand holds a pilot's licence, has beenappointed to succeed him as coxswain.

John Petit has himself been largelyresponsible for the construction of anew type of fishing boat. The boat wasbuilt in 13 months by himself, his

brother and a friend and has been usedsuccessfully for stern trawling. Sterntrawling has, of course, been carriedout with considerable success in boatswith a fairly large deck space, but thePetits' boat is less than 28 feet inlength and has a displacement of onlynine tons. She has been used effec-tively for all-purpose fishing with acrew of only two men.

New Committee of Management Members

THE Committee of Management of theInstitution welcomes five new mem-bers.

Rear-Admiral K. St. B. Collins,C.B., O.B.E., D.S.C., R.N. (Retd.),was Hydrographer of the Navy from1955 to 1960, when he retired from theRoyal Navy. From 1960 to 1963 hewas consultant to the survey and map-ping branch of the Department ofMines and Technical Surveys inOttawa.

Commander M. Cunningham,A.R.I.N.A., R.N. (Retd.), is overseassales director of Vickers Armstrong(Shipbuilders) Ltd.

Sir Knowles Edge, Bt., J.P., ischairman and managing director ofWilliam Edge and Sons Ltd., indus-trial chemists. He is chairman of theLytham-St. Anne's branch of theInstitution, chairman of the British

Federation of Music Festivals, and amember of the Royal Mersey YachtClub. From 1931 to 1958 he was amember of Bolton Town Council.

Mr. J. Houston-Jackson is manag-ing director of B.P. Tanker Co. Ltd.

Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Robson,K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O., D.S.C., wasLieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Guernsey from 1958 to1963. His previous appointmentsincluded President of the AdmiraltyInterview Board 1950-1, Flag Officer,Scotland, 1952-6, and Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic 1956-8.

To Major General Ralph H. Farrant,C.B., whose election to the Committeeof Management was reported in theMarch issue, apologies are expressedfor stating that he had been awardedthe K.B. in the New Year HonoursList.

Ladies' Life-boat Guild

LADY EGREMONT, daughter of Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham-Quin, chair-man of the Institution, has been appointed as the new president of the Ladies'Life-boat Guild.

R.N.L.I. Delegation's Visit to theUnited States

THE Institution's decision to acquire a44-foot life-boat of the kind nowoperated by the United States CoastGuard was a direct consequence of theinternational life-boat conference heldin Edinburgh in June, 1963. At theconference the United States CoastGuard delegation led by Vice-AdmiralDonald McG. Morrison, the assistantcommandant, presented two paperson this type of life-boat and showed afilm and a model. An extract from oneof these papers is reproduced on page 9.

All the delegates at the conferencewere deeply impressed by the descrip-tion of the new American life-boat, andafter careful consideration by the In-stitution's boat and constructioncommittee, the Committee of Man-agement decided in 1963 that a delega-tion should be sent to examine theCoast Guard life-boat and that itshould have authority to acquire onefor trial purposes if it considered thisdesirable.

FIVE MEMBERSThe delegation was led by the

present chairman of the Institution,Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham-Quin, who was then deputy chairmanand also chairman of the operationscommittee. The other members of thedelegation were Commander F. R. H.Swann, chairman of the boat andconstruction committee and now adeputy chairman, Mr. Peter Guinnessand Mr. N. Warington Smyth, bothmembers of the boat and constructioncommittee and Lieut.-CommanderW. L. G. Button, chief inspector oflife-boats.

After preliminary discussions inWashington the delegation visited theUnited States Coast Guard yard atCurtis Bay, Baltimore, during theweek beginning igth January. Theysaw a number of vessels under con-struction including a line of 44-footlife-boats on which building was justbeginning. Construction facilities insteel, wood and fibre glass were allinspected, as were the extensive mach-ine shops and rigging lofts.

FLEW TO NEW JERSEYThe party were then flown to the

Coast Guard receiving centre at CapeMay, New Jersey. This is the eastcoast depot to which all new entriesare sent when they first join the CoastGuard service. Captain Wyndham-Quin and Lieut.-Commander Button,who had gone ahead as an advanceparty, had already visited Cape May,where they had undertaken a short seatrial of a 44-foot life-boat.

The delegation found the livingquarters, recreation facilities, traininghalls and parade ground at the receiv-ing centre most impressive. Opportuni-ties were provided for taking variouslife-boats to sea for trials, and one daywas spent at sea in a buoy tender, theU.S.C.G. Sassafras. Various life-boatsas well as amphibious aircraft andhelicopters carried out exercises for thebenefit of the delegation. In anotherexercise which was arranged a 44-footlife-boat took the 1,300-ton Sassafrasin tow. Using a nylon line the life-boatmaintained a speed of nearly six knots.

The next visit was to Newark wherethe Institution's delegation were given

The 44-foot steel life-boat

a very impressive demonstration of theso-called Ratan system, which hasrecently been introduced on an experi-mental basis. The word Ratan is anabbreviation of Radar and TelevisionAid to Navigation. The equipmentuses a picture provided by a shorebased radar which is then transmittedby television for reception aboard ves-sels in the area. One important advan-tage of this to small boat sailors is thatthey require only a low priced televisionas opposed to an expensive radarequipment and no special training isrequired for them to benefit from thepicture transmitted.

SAW SMALL CRAFTThe delegation then embarked in an

82-foot Coast Guard cutter which hasa speed of 22 knots, and reached BaseManhattan, where they were greetedby Rear-Admiral Ross, the comman-der of the Eastern District. Here they

inspected various types of small craft,spent some time at the Search andRescue Co-ordination Centre andvisited the AMVER Headquarters.

MORE LIFE-BOAT TRIALSThe Atlantic Merchant Vessel Re-

port system (AMVER) is operated bythe United States Coast Guard. It is amaritime mutual assistance schemewhich provides help in developing andco-ordinating search and rescue effortsin the off-shore areas in the NorthAtlantic and other waters around thecoast of the American continent.

After a visit to the New York boatshow the delegation visited the life-boat station at Eatons Neck on LongIsland, from which further trials of a44-foot life-boat were carried out. Asat Cape May opportunities were affor-ded for frank discussions with thegroup commander and the crews op-erating boats of this type. Discussions

with the enlisted men, who havecarried out many courageous and diffi-cult services, were extremely valuable;the instructions given by Vice-AdmiralMorrison that every facility shouldbe given to the R.N.L.I. delegationwere carried out to the full, and thecrews were frank in their criticisms.The delegation were most impressedby the way in which the Coast Guardservice took detailed note of the men'sobservations which arose from theiroperational experiences.

TRIBUTE TO LATE PRESIDENT

Before beginning their detailed ex-amination of the work of the U.S.Coast Guard the delegation attended anumber of other functions. On Sunday,I9th January, Captain Wyndham-Quin and Commander Swann, accom-panied by Captain R. R. Smith andCommander J. D. McCann of theUnited States Coast Guard and Lieut.-Commander Dutton, laid a wreath onthe grave of the late President Ken-nedy at Arlington National Cemetery.On the same day they visited the tombof the Unknown Warrior. On the Sun-day evening Vice-Admiral Morrisonheld a reception at his home for theR.N.L.I. delegation. The arrange-ments made for the delegation's visitwere flawless throughout. They re-ceived much generous hospitality andand during the whole of their visitCommander McCann, the administra-tive aide to Admiral E. J. Roland,the commandant of the United StatesCoast Guard, was assigned to helpthem.

ADMIRAL INVITED

In the course of the visit CaptainWyndham-Quin invited Vice-AdmiralMorrison to be the guest speaker at theInstitution's annual general meeting.

Admiral Morrison accepted the invita-tion but was unfortunately preventedby illness from fulfilling it. Rear-Admiral William Shields thereforedeputized for him.

COMMITTEE DECIDED

On returning to London the delega-tion reported to the Committee ofManagement, which then decided thata 44-foot United States life-boatshould be acquired for evaluation pur-poses. Lieut.-Commander Dutton laterreturned to the United States forfurther trials of the boat, and arrange-ments were made to ship her to theUnited Kingdom in May.

For many years there has been closeand friendly co-operation between theR.N.L.I. and the U.S.C.G. In 1928,for instance, the R.N.L.I, providedU.S. Coast Guard with a Watson cabinlife-boat which a Coast Guard dele-gation considered the most suitablefor their purpose of any Europeanlife-boat they had seen.

The United States Coast Guard wascreated in 1790 soon after the Ameri-can nation was born.

HOW SERVICE DEVELOPED

The first United States Congressaccepted 12 lighthouses along theAtlantic sea border and authorized 10light, fast 50-foot, two-masted schoon-ers to enforce customs and revenuelaws. Although both the revenuecutter service and the lighthouse es-tablishment operated independentlyunder the Secretary to the Treasuryfor over a century, they became partof the Coast Guard in 1915 and 1919respectively.

In 1852, with the advent of thesteam engine, the marine inspectionservice was established in the TreasuryDepartment with authority to licenseengineers and pilots and to inspect

hulls, boilers, life-boats, signal linesand fire fighting equipment. This wasfollowed some years later by the creationof the Bureau of Navigation to admin-ister the nation's marine laws. This,like the marine inspection service, waseventually transferred to the CoastGuard.

SEARCH AND RESCUE DUTIESThe Coast Guard is a military ser-

vice at all times and constitutes abranch of the armed forces of theUnited States. It operates under the

Secretary of the Treasury during peacetime and under the navy in time ofwar. Some of its more importantduties are: law enforcement, searchand rescue, aids to navigation, marineinspection, oceanography, weatherocean stations, international ice patrol,merchant marine safety, ice breakingand reserve personnel training.

This is, indeed, a comprehensiveservice, of which search and rescue in-cludes the operation of 138 life-boatstations and nine air stations with 14air detachments.

The New U.S. 44-foot Steel Life-boatThe following extract was taken from a paper presented to the ninth international life-boatconference in Edinburgh, 1963, by Lieut.-Commander Robert W. Witter, Chief, Boat

Section, Naval Engineering Division, United States Coast Guard.

THE ability to operate satisfactorilyin coastal waters under unusually severeadverse weather and sea conditionswas a major consideration for the new44-foot life-boat built by the UnitedStates Coast Guard. Features intendedto provide excellent seaworthiness char-acteristics were given high priority inthe development of the preliminarydesign. In the forward sections of thehull, emphasis was placed on linesfavourable to easy driving with a mini-mum of pounding in a seaway. Thisnew boat followed the important sea-worthiness requirement of a smallmoderately fast Coast Guard craft inits ability to proceed into head seas ata maximum speed consistent with dueconsideration for damage to the boat'sstructure and equipment and a mini-mum of physical punishment to thecrew. The adequacy of these designconsiderations was confirmed in evalu-ation trials following construction ofthe full-scale boat.

In the determinations of hull scant-lings emphasis was placed on higheststrength obtainable in the least practic-able weight considering the mostsevere service conditions of rescue atsea, possible grounding, working in ice,heavy surf, and towing assistance. Thehull, which is framed by a combinationof transverse and longitudinal mem-bers, is divided into seven watertightcompartments. For safety againstpossible grounding damage, a doublebottom is provided in the forward half-length of the boat. Further groundingprotection, when broached, is affordedby a web frame located at the mid-section and extending from keel tocockpit deck level.

Bulkheads are constructed of mildsteel, as are the hull framing, raiseddecks and cockpit deck. The shellplating is constructed of ̂ in. Cortensteel, a special low carbon formulationpossessing high strength and cor-rosion-resisting properties.

The trunks over the mess and pas-senger space and the litter space areconstructed of aluminium alloy 5086-£[32. The trunk over the machineryspace is constructed of mild steel. Thewindshield, dodgers and other parts ofthe superstructure are constructed ofaluminium alloy 5086-1132.

PASSENGER SPACE

The steering station is equippedwith engine throttle and starting con-trols, steering wheel, instrument panel,special-damped compass, and remote-operated electronic equipment.

The passenger space includes twotransom seats, fitted with foam rubbercushions and six auto-type safety belts.The mess space is similarly equippedwith a single transom for accommo-dating three persons, in addition toincluding limited galley facilities con-sisting of a dresser with sink and hotcup receptacles. An enclosed toilet-space is located convenient to this liv-ing area. The litter space includes twotransom seats with safety belts for fivepersons. Stowage is provided for aStokes litter and fire-fighting chemicalfoam.

ENGINE POWER

The main propelling machinery con-sists of two diesel engines each pro-ducing 200 shaft horsepower, whichare remotely controlled from thesteering station by single lever controlfor both clutch and throttle. Eachengine drives a monel propeller shaftthrough hydraulic reverse reductiongears. The propellers are three-bladecast manganese bronze. The shaftingis supported on water lubricated cut-lass rubber bearings.

Each engine is equipped with a 2000

watt, 28 volt D.C. alternator with arectified output and voltage regulatorto supply auxiliary electrical power tothe boat. Service electricity is control-led and supplied through a distributionswitchboard to two 750 watt converterunits for 115 volt A.C. power to oper-ate the electronics equipment. Batter-ies are installed to provide "dead-boat"communications capability.

Starting for the main engines is bymeans of a hydraulic system withcontrols to actuate remotely the start-ing motors. Stored pressure accumula-tors provide starting reserve duringstand-by engine status.

The port engine has a manualclutch-type power take-off for opera-tion of a 120 G.P.M. fire and salvagepump. This engine also drives thehydraulic starting system pump andair compressor. The starboard enginedrives the hydraulic steering systempump.

CHIEF STATISTICS

The boat is provided with twin,balanced foil plate rudders of weldedconstruction and controlled by meansof a cable system with power assistfrom the hydraulic steering booster.Quick and precise rudder action isthus afforded.

Towing equipment consists of the4-in. diameter tow bitt and tow linestowage reel with 100 fathoms of 3^ in.circumference nylon rope. Doublebitts are located at each side for sidetow positioning.

Minimum hull maintenance is ex-pected from the utilization of "exotic"paint coating systems for all interiorand exterior surfaces of the hull.

Principal dimensions and character-istics as developed from design andconstruction stages are as follows:

Length, overallLength, design

waterlineBeam, overallBeam, waterlineDraftDisplacementFuel capacity

Water capacityShaft horsepower,

maximumTrial speedEndurance

Block coefficientPrismatic coefficientMidships coefficient

44' I0i"

40'12' 8"10' 10'

3' 2f15-8 tons333 U.S.

gallons16 U.S. gallons

40015-3 knots290 miles,

10 knots163 miles,

15 knots0-380-520-73

Range of stability,in excess of 175 degrees

G.M. (metacentricheight) I-8 feet

K.G. (distance fromcentre of gravityto bottom of keel) 4-8 feet

Adequacy of stability calculationsand confirmation of self-rightingcapability were checked during cap-sizing test. This test indicated approxi-mately two or three seconds wererequired for return from overturnedto upright position. Self-bailing of themidships cockpit is achieved throughthe four-inch diameter, non-returnball-check scupper valves. Approxi-mately 55 seconds elapsed in clearingwater scooped in capsizing test.

Letter to the Ed/torSIR - I am a life-boat enthusiast and as such I am particularly interested inboats and equipment. As there must be others like myself, would it be possibleto form a R.N.L.I. Enthusiasts' Club ? May I, through this journal, ask whatsupport there would be for this idea ?

Yours faithfully,JOHN G. FRANCIS

2oa, Transmere Road,Petts Wood,Orpington, Kent.22nd April, 1964.

NOTICE

All contributions for the Institution should be sent either to the honorary secretaryof the local branch or guild, or to Stirling Whorlow Esq., the Secretary, RoyalNational Life-boat Institution, 42 Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.I.

All enquiries about the work of the Institution or about this journal should beaddressed to the Secretary.

The next number of THE LIFE-BOAT will be published in SEPTEMBER, 1964.

1,7

AN UNUSUAL GOBLET

A MONUMENTAL glass goblet made in 1810 has been decorated by the well-known artist, Honoria Diana Marsh, who works with diamonds, with apicture of the Weston-super-Mare life-boat Calouste Gulbenkian. The capacityof the goblet is nearly 10 pints. It is 12^ inches high and measures 9 inchesacross the top. The goblet is to be sold to the highest bidder in aid of thefunds of the Royal National Life-boat Institution, and offers are invited.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Princess Marina Presented Medals

THOSE who attended the annualgeneral meeting of the governors ofthe Institution on yth April, 1964,were told that 364 people had beenrescued by the Institution's life-boatsand inshore rescue boats during theprevious year, without loss of a singlemember of the life-saving crews. Themeeting, which was held at theCentral Hall, Westminster, was atten-ded by H.R.H. Princess Marina,Duchess of Kent, president of theInstitution.

NO LIVES LOST

Reporting on the year's work, Cap-tain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham-Quin,deputy chairman of the Committee ofManagement, said,

"My first duty today is to report on thework of the life-boat service in the year1963, and a very eventful year it was.It was also a most successful year inevery possible way. The true measure ofour success is that 354 people wererescued by life-boats; 10 others wererescued by our new inshore rescue boats,to which I will refer later; and individualboat-owners, many of them associatedwith our inshore rescue scheme, savedthe lives of 224 others. All this was donewithout the loss of a single member of acrew of a life-boat or other life-savingcraft in the service of the Institution.

SKILLED CREWS

"That, I think you will agree, is awonderful record. When disasters dooccur much is written about them. This isvery understandable, but surely it is alsoworthy of comment that during the year

in which we experienced just about theworst winter in human memory life-boats were continually out on theirmissions of life-saving and not a singleman was lost and no life-boat was seri-ously damaged. This is a tribute both tothe skill and seamanship of our crewsand to the quality of the boats in whichthey serve.

ADVANCES IN DESIGN

"We have indeed every right to beproud of the quality of our life-boats, butwe are never satisfied and we are alwaystrying to improve. In the year on whichI am reporting several important advanceswere made. We put into service a newprototype life-boat, which is now sta-tioned at Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight.This is the 48-foot 6-inch life-boatdesigned by our own surveyor and thelargest boat in our service to incorporatehis own ingenious principle of self-righting.

INFLATABLE CRAFT

"Then we introduced a new type oflife-saving craft, a small, fast, inflatableboat driven by an outboard motor, capableof well over twenty knots and normallymanned by a crew of two. We tried someof them out experimentally last year withmarked success, and we shall have 25of them in service this year. Throughthese craft we shall, I am certain, bemaking a major contribution to the in-creasing problem of casualties in summermonths among small boat-owners andholiday makers generally.

"During the year we held a major inter-national conference at which 17 nationswere represented and everyone, I think,learned something new about life-boatsand their equipment. We made an

important step towards improvingcommunications by deciding to switchover from very high frequency to ultrahigh frequency radio telephones forcommunication between life-boats andhelicopters and other aircraft. There isno doubt whatever that as a result voiceswill be heard more distinctly and thedangers of misunderstanding correspon-dingly reduced. These are only a few ofour new developments, but I hope theywill give you some idea of the directionin which we are moving and how we areconstantly striving to provide our crewswith the very best boats and equipment,for clearly they deserve no less.

RISING COSTS

"On the financial side too, our resultswere satisfactory, and this is due to thetremendous amount of hard work doneby our voluntary workers everywhere.But we have got to face the fact that weshall have to raise more and more. Ourcosts are rising steeply, out of all propor-tion to changes in the value of money.The reason is simply that we are makingso many advances in so many directionsthat we are bound to spend more and toneed more. Last year the service costsomething like a million and a quarterpounds. I shall not be at all surprised ifthis year it costs about one million andthree-quarters.

PRESIDENT WELCOMED

"My next and pleasantest duty of allis to welcome your Royal Highness, ourpresident, and to say how delighted we arethat you are able to grace this meetingwith your presence once again. We allknow what a tremendous inspiration thework which you do, Ma'am, is to thelife-boat crews in this country, and I knowhow delighted and honoured the crews oflife-boats from other countries were whenyou visited them in Leith Docks andshowed such a close interest in their work.

"I want to welcome most warmly Rear-

Admiral Shields of the United StatesCoast Guard who has kindly consentedto be our guest speaker today. Not longago I led a delegation from the R.N.L.I.to the United States to have a look at theirboats and their methods of construction,and I can assure you we were all verymuch impressed. During this visit wereceived much kind hospitality from theUnited States Coast Guard and we weremost grateful to them for the excellentarrangements they made. As you mayhave read in the newspapers we were soimpressed by the new United StatesCoast Guard 44-foot life-boat that wehave decided to buy one of these forevaluation purposes. The boat will arrivesome time next month and we will subjecther to exhaustive trials over a period ofabout a year.

READINESS TO LEARN

"The decision to buy this life-boat isin accordance with our practice ofproviding nothing but the best for thecrews who man our boats. It is, of course,no reflection upon our own life-boatsin which we have supreme confidence,but we are always ready to learn, andif other life-boat services have new ideasor new designs we are always ready toadopt them.

"I would like also to extend a warmwelcome to the representatives of theFrench, Irish, Netherlands and Nor-wegian governments who are with ustoday."

UNANIMOUS DECISION

The report and accounts for 1963were adopted, and Captain Wyndham-Quin read out the nominations forchairman and deputy chairmen. Thesewere: chairman, Captain the Hon.V. M. Wyndham-Quin; deputy chair-men, Air Vice-Marshal Sir GeoffreyR. Bromet and Commander F. R. H.Swann. These were elected unani-mously, as were the president, vice-

By courtesy of] [ TopixPrincess Marina congratulates Coxswain Scott when presenting his silver medal

presidents and other members of theCommittee of Management. Commo-dore the Right Hon. the Earl Howewas elected honorary chairman forlife.

Princess Marina then gave herpresidential address.

LORD HOWE'S SERVICE

"I would like first to say how very sorryI am that because of the state of his healthLord Howe is unable to be in the chairto-day. Lord Howe's record of service tothe Royal National Life-boat Institutionis a truly remarkable one. He joined theCommittee of Management as long ago as1919. From 1931 to 1947 he was deputytreasurer. He has served on all the Institu-tion's sub-committees, in 1946 he waselected deputy chairman of the Committeeof Management, and ten years later hebecame its chairman. During all thoseyears he gave of his time unsparingly andhis devotion to every aspect of the work

of the service is known, I am sure, to allof you. I believe I am right in saying thathe has visited every single one of ourlife-boat stations. It is, therefore, a matterof the deepest regret to all of us that hewill no longer be serving as chairman ofthe Committee of Management of theInstitution, although I am happy to statethat he has been appointed to a tide ofhonour as honorary chairman for life.

"In welcoming me so kindly to-day,Captain Wyndham-Quin, you referred inyour speech to the international life-boatconference which was held in Edinburghand Leith and at which Lord Howe tookthe chair. It was certainly a most inter-esting occasion and one which, I am sure,will have long-term beneficial results forthe life-boat services in this and manyother countries.

AT EDINBURGH"I had myself the opportunity of

inspecting all the vessels which werethere, not only five of the R.N.L.I.'s

life-boats but also two life-boats from theNetherlands, a German and a Norwegianrescue cruiser and a fast rescue boat fromSweden. I also had the opportunity oftalking to their various crews and meetinga number of the delegates, and it was awonderful thing to find people from somany nations working together in com-plete harmony and for one purpose only,that of improving methods for saving lifeat sea.

OVERSEAS GUESTS

"I am, therefore, particularly delightedthat we have here to-day the Chief ofOffice of Operations of the United StatesCoast Guard, Rear-Admiral Shields. Itwas not possible for the United StatesCoast Guard to send a life-boat to Leith,but I know that everybody was mostimpressed by the paper they read ontheir new 44-foot life-boat.

"Another representative of an overseaslife-boat service who is present to-day isLieut.-Commander de Booy, who hasjust retired from the post of director ofthe Royal North and South HollandLife-boat Society. He has attended moreinternational life-boat conferences thanany man alive. Later I shall be presentinghim with a certificate of honorary lifegovernor of the Royal National Life-boatInstitution, and I am delighted that notonly his father before him, but nowLieut.-Commander de Booy have beenaccorded this honour.

NAMING CEREMONIES

"When opening the international con-ference I had the privilege of presentingthe gold medal for gallantry to CoxswainHubert Petit of St. Peter Port in Guern-sey. He thus became the third man sincethe end of the last war to win this veryrare award. I am delighted to see him onthis platform to-day and this afternoonI shall be presenting medals to two mem-bers of his crew.

"Later this year I shall be visiting twolife-boat stations in Wales, one in thenorth at Llandudno and the other in the

south at St. David's, and I shall benaming the new life-boats. To everyoneassociated with the life-boat service it isalways an inspiration to visit the stationsand to meet not only the men who put outto the rescue but their wives who supportthem and all those who work voluntarilyfor the benefit of the station.

"As you have told us, Captain Wynd-ham-Quin, last year was one on which thewhole life-boat service has the right tolook back with pride. I wish to thank youall for everything you have done toachieve such success and to wish youcontinuing success in all that you aredoing for the service."

MEDALS PRESENTED

Princess Marina then presentedto:—

Mechanic Eric Pattimore, of St.Peter Port, the bronze medal forgallantry for the rescue of nine ofthe crew of the Norwegian motorvessel Johan Collett on 5th/6thFebruary

John Petit the bronze medal forthe same service

Coxswain Lionel Derek Scott,of The Mumbles, the silver medalfor the rescue of the crew of theDutch motor vessel Kilo on i8thNovember

Second Coxswain FrancisTaylor, of Wells, the bronze medalfor the rescue of the crew of twoof the cabin cruiser Seamu oni8th/i9th May

Coxswain Richard Hickey, ofYoughal, the bronze medal for therescue of four of the crew of theFrench trawler Fee des Ondes on 2jthOctober

Coxswain John Plummer, ofCaister, the bronze medal for gallantryfor the rescue of the crew of seven ofthe Lowestoft trawler Loch Lorganon 13th December

Mechanic Joseph Houlihan, ofValentia, the bronze medal forgallantry for the rescue of two menfrom a dinghy on 2nd September.

ADMIRAL'S REGRETS

Rear-Admiral William Shields,chief of Office of Operations, UnitedStates Coast Guard, expressed theregrets of Vice-Admiral DonaldMcG. Morrison at being unable toattend the meeting because of ill-health. When Vice-Admiral Morrisonhad headed the United States delega-tion at the ninth international life-boatconference in Edinburgh the previousyear he had formed many friend-ships with members of the Institutionand had been looking forward torenewing them.

Rear-Admiral Shields read Vice-Admiral Morrison's speech. It beganwith mention of the honour he hadbeen accorded in being the first UnitedStates representative to be invited toaddress the Institution's annual generalmeeting, and referred to his visit tothe international life-boat conference.

NO IRON CURTAIN

"It was there in Edinburgh that thedelegates from these eighteen nationsexchanged ideas freely-in the saving oflife at sea there is no Iron Curtain orBerlin Wall. The Iron Curtain countriesas well as those of the free world laid alltheir cards on the table. 'How can thelife-boats be improved ? A human life iswithout price. Let's pool our knowledge.How can we do a better job ?' This was'the spirit of Edinburgh' as unanimouslyexpressed at the conference in 1963. Butprior to commenting further on Edin-burgh or mutual life-saving problems, Ifeel that you would appreciate havingsome understanding of my own service.

"The United States Coast Guard,among other things, is responsible forenforcing or assisting in the enforcementof Federal laws on the high seas andwaters subject to the jurisdiction of theUnited States. These laws govern naviga-tion, shipping, and other maritime opera-tions, and the related protection of lifeand property. The service also co-ordin-ates and provides maritime search andrescue facilities for marine and air com-merce, and the armed forces. Other func-tions include promoting the safety ofmerchant vessels, furnishing ice-breakingservices, and developing, installing, main-taining, and operating aids to maritimenavigation. The Coast Guard has a furtherresponsibility for maintaining a state ofreadiness to function as a specializedservice of the Navy in time of war ornational emergency.

FEWER STATIONS

"During the last year, we operated atotal of 323 ships with commissionedofficers aboard, 138 aircraft of varyingtypes, and a shore-side establishment oflighthouses, bases, air stations, marineinspection offices and administrativeunits. An interesting statistic is the num-ber of life-boat stations we operate -interesting in comparison with yours. Wehave 138 life-boat stations which com-pares with 150 of yours. You might feelthat with our tremendous coast line thatthis is a small programme. Actually, ourcommunication network, search and res-cue co-ordination centres, our largervessels on patrol, the fact that our life-boat stations have several vessels attached- all these factors - enable us to maintainfewer stations, but I will later go intoproblems incident to our life-boat stations.

SAFETY MEASURES

"In the field of merchant marine safety,we issued nearly 5,000 certificates ofseaworthiness, reviewed plans for over31,000 merchant vessels and completed

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administrative actions in 56,000 cases ofviolation of navigation or motor-boatlaws. We boarded for compliance withthese laws nearly 200,000 vessels.

"We maintain a total of over 42,000aids to navigation, including radio-beacons, lighthouses, buoys, day marksand, as a matter of interest, 70 long-rangenavigational aids throughout Europe, ourcontinent and the islands of the Pacific.

NUMBERS RESCUED

"I have not commented on our co-operation with other agencies or treatyobligations such as the International IcePatrol, Bering Sea Patrol, operation ofOcean Station vessels in the Atlantic andPacific and support of Arctic and Ant-arctic operations.

"Insofar as assistance to mariners wasconcerned in 1963, we actually assisted,by towing, refloating or in other fashion,over 20,000 vessels. Nearly 2,000 peoplewere saved or rescued from peril andwe assisted by aerial escort or otherwisenearly 500 aircraft.

"I have given you this rather briefaccount so that you will see quite readilythat our service is comparable with severaldifferent agencies within the UnitedKingdom such as your own Institution,Trinity House, Ministry of Transport,Coastguard and certain elements of theRoyal Navy and Royal Air Force.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

"I would like you to understand quiteclearly that my remarks so far have notbeen intended to convey to you that Ifeel, as the heavyweight champion ofthe world, Cassius Clay, would say:'We is the greatest.'

"For in the field of pure life-boat work,our United States Coast Guard hasnothing but admiration of your Institu-tion and of your method of operation.You have a most remarkable organizationwhich has proven itself over the years - anorganization with a fleet of about 150

strategically located life-boats embodyingthat one vital factor, a factor regrettablynow missing in my service, the factor oflocal knowledge of the waters in whichthe life-boats operate. This knowledgeobtained over more than a century ispassed down from father to son, fromcoxswain to coxswain.

"If I may now hark back to the Edin-burgh conference, I would like to com-ment upon our newly developed 44-footmotor life-boat. This vessel was the sub-ject of one of the papers presented and ifI may briefly describe the boat it is aself-bailing, self-righting, twin screwvessel with a speed of over 16 knots and apower plant of 400 horsepower dieselengines.

SEEN FIRST-HAND

"This boat aroused considerable in-terest here in the British Isles; so muchso that Captain Wyndham-Quin, Mr.Guinness, Mr. Warington-Smyth, Com-mander Swann and your chief inspectorof life-boats, Lieut.-Commander W. L. G.Dutton, deemed themselves sufficientlyrugged to visit the colonies in the dead ofwinter. In January of this year thesegentlemen viewed first-hand the con-struction of the vessel at our Coast Guardyard and operation of the vessel atselected life-boat stations under varyingconditions of wind and sea.

"I can tell you quite frankly that thevessel has more than lived up to ourdesign expectations. She has excellentcarrying capacity. She has broken iceover eight inches thick; your Committeeof Management were aboard a i,ooo-tonvessel which an operational 44-footertowed with ease at a speed of six knots.Her stability in heavy surf is mostremarkable.

BEATLES FOR BOAT

"I know now that you are desirous ofacquiring one of these boats for evaluationin the British Isles under operating con-ditions which prevail here. These ex-

changes between countries are good butthey are somewhat unfair. We send you amotor life-boat and you send us theBeatles. You can keep the motor life-boat but we did send the Beatles back toyou inside a week.

"Now I would like to comment onproblems that confront my Coast Guardand quite likely the Royal National Life-boat Institution. After World War IIwe had come to the conclusion thatnumerous life-boat stations could beshut down. Our conclusion was errone-ous. For then there began within ourcountry what we choose to call a pleasureboating explosion. Leisure time, goodsalaries and any kind of a credit ratingenabled millions of our citizens to godown to the sea in something less than aship.

PLEASURE BOATMEN

"We estimate that in the last yearnearly 40 million people put out fromour coastal shores, and on our lakes andrivers. This staggering total, I know,must conjure up immediately the tragediesof overloading, over-speeding, and almosttotal disregard for weather and sea con-ditions. Our surfmen at our life-boatstations for years had a saying, 'You haveto go out but you don't have to comeback'. This saying has absolutely noapplication in the case of the averagepleasure boatman.

"We now required a long, hard lookat our methods of operation, and sinceboating is perhaps the private individual'slast frontier, we felt that, without un-limited funds, our duty should primarilyconsist of education of the public firstand regulation of the public a secondaryconcern.

VOLUNTEERS HELP

"To help us in our handling of theboating public, a group of civilian volun-teer yachtsmen formed into an organiza-tion known as the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

These voluntary boatmen have been ofinestimable value to us in both a prac-tical sense at sea and a practical valueashore. Last year, for example, theyconducted formal courses in boatingsafety and piloting at no charge to over120,000 people.

BOATS EXAMINED

"One very interesting practical aspectof their work for us is their examinationof pleasure boats at dockside for thebenefit of the neophyte. The Auxiliaryhas set up certain minimum equipmentrequirements for boats of varying sizes-requirements which are more rigidthan our own legal requirements. Anowner of a boat so examined has thesatisfaction of knowing that a qualifiedfellow boatman had advised him of theadequacy of his vessel. Last year thisgroup examined over 140,000 motor-boats for us. Additionally our Auxiliaryassisted the U.S. Coast Guard by patrol-ling nearly 2,000 regattas and actuallyresponded in 6,000 instances to boatmenrequiring assistance. This voluntary groupnumbers over 20,000 members withnearly 15,000 boats, 91 aircraft, and 206radio stations, which are made availableto us for cases requiring additional forcesin areas where our own regular forcesare too thinly spread or otherwise en-gaged.

RE-ASSESSMENTS

"It is interesting to note that whenactually aiding the U.S. Coast Guardthese vessels are regarded as governmentvessels and the government stands behindthem in event of damages to their vesselor the vessel being assisted.

"This group then has been of inesti-mable value to us. But what of our ownplanning for intelligent utilization ofour forces? What have we done here?We have had to look at present rescuestation locations and determine: do weneed this station in its present spot - or

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By courtesy o}\ [Spore and General Press AgencyMedal winners in London for the annual general meeting

do we need to increase the facilities inthis certain area because of shift inboating locations or density ? New boats,higher speeds, greater towing ability,ruggedness and passenger capacity, allthese factors now afford us wider coverageof areas previously served by severallife-boat stations. Couple this withutilization of helicopters from the rescuestation and we can forecast relocationand spacing changes, and resultingmonetary savings with actually an in-crease in service. Those stations, to putit bluntly, not paying their way, had to beshut down.

STATIONS RE-SITED

"When we propose closing down alife-boat station we do not do so with theidea of decreasing services, quite thecontrary. Logic shows that stations needrelocating, as pleasure boating shifts to

and from certain areas. Our conclusions,however, do not always gibe with theviews of an outraged community whenyou propose closing a station that hasbeen that town's station for many,many years.

KENNEDY TRIBUTE"Parenthetically, I might add they never

gibe. I can say that Hell hath no fury likea community scorned, and if you havefaced or will face such problems, I wishyou the good luck which you will needplus a tremendous supply of stationeryand several additional secretaries. In thisregard I speak from experience, believeme.

"This concludes my remarks concern-ing our two services but I do feel I wouldlike to mention particularly that duringyour Committee's trip to the States inJanuary, they visited Arlington NationalCemetery in Washington D.C. When

Captain Wyndham-Quin placed the mem-orial wreath on President Kennedy'sgrave, I thought to myself what a fittingproposal he made when you decided thata life-boat stationed in the Republic ofIreland should be named the 'John F.Kennedy'. Our vital, young, late presi-dent was enthusiastic and vibrant in sovery many fields but his one real love wasin sailing. You could not have selected amore fitting memorial for years aheadthan to have the memory of John F.Kennedy kept alive in the United King-dom by a boat engaged in saving of life.For this, I thank you on behalf of myfellow citizens.

boats and return from successful missions."The experience of these men and

others in similar work throughout theworld can be invaluable if we can onlyshare it. Therefore, let us here resolvethat the spirit of Edinburgh, so evidentat the conference of 1963, continue; thatthe member nations of the InternationalLife-boat Association and other nationsof the world bordering on the coastlinefreely interchange technical knowledgeand techniques so that we may more ablyperform our important duties of savinglife and property from the perils of thesea."

BRITISH BACKBONE

"I have not yet commented on whattruly gives me the greatest pleasure inbeing here today, and that is to join withyou in a salute to your gallant men whoseheroism we are here to honour. Someonebetter gifted than I to turn a phrase hassaid, "The brave man is not he who fearsno fear for that were stupid and irrational;but is he whose noble soul subdues itsfear and bravely dares the danger natureshrinks from' - Joanna Baillie. I am notso presumptuous as to remind the Britishof their sea-going traditions but I wish tostate unequivocally that the backbone andtoughness of the British are embodiedin the heroic daring of these men.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE

"Courage mounts with the occasion and,if these gallant men are like most sailors,this day requires additional courage forthem, for sailors - myself excluded - areusually modest and I know that onaccepting the awards they are mindful ofthe assistance, co-operation and teamworkthey had from their shipmates and fromthe British public whose generosityenabled the coxswains to put to sea underadverse conditions but in well found life-

FORMAL RESOLUTION

Rear-Admiral Shields proposed theresolution that the meeting, fullyrecognizing the important services ofthe Royal National Life-boat Institutionin its national work of life-saving,desired to record its hearty apprecia-tion of the gallantry of the coxswainsand crews of the Institution's life-boats and its deep obligation to thelocal committees, honorary secre-taries, and honorary treasurers of allstation branches, and to the honoraryofficers and thousands of voluntarymembers of the financial branches andthe Ladies' Life-boat Guild in thework of raising funds to maintain theservice

After the resolution had been carriedunanimously, Princess Marina pre-sented certificates of honorary lifegovernors to :

Mr. C. Ernest Link, C.C., chair-man of the City of London branchMrs. D. J. Wilkes, chairman of theLlandudno Ladies' Life-boat GuildLieut.-Commander H. Th. deBooy, director of the Royal Northand South Holland Life-boat Societyuntil December, 1963.

77

Her Royal Highness then presentedbars to their gold badges to:

Mrs. E. K. Hartly-Hodder, M.B.E.,BristolMrs. E. M. Eastwood, Oldhamand gold badges to:Alderman Miss D. Mann, J.P.,AmpthillMajor E. P. Hansell, CromerMrs. W. Sutherland, GourockAlderman Miss E. M. Lister,M.B.E., LeedsMrs. E. F. Lyell, MontroseMrs. F. Potter, MontroseMr. R. K. Sayer, NewhavenMrs. G. Cowle, PenarthMr. J. E. Roberts, J.P., Porth-dinllaenMr. W. R. Edwards, RamseyMr. R. Geoffrey Beard, F.C.A.,SheffieldMr. J. G. Jackson, ShorehamMiss M. Pudsey-Dawson, TenbyMrs. E. C. Brooke, Walton andFrinton.

VOTE OF THANKS

Captain R. E. Cowell, a member ofthe Committee of Management, moveda vote of thanks to Princess MarinaHe said,

"My part on this occasion is a brief onebut an extremely pleasant one: it is topropose the vote of thanks to your RoyalHighness for your presence here todayand for so graciously presenting themedals of gallantry and other awards.This is a most important day for thoseof us connected with the life-boatservice and a day on which we look backon the past year's work and tell oursupporters what we have done. It is aday on which those who have carried outdeeds of great gallantry or have otherwise

rendered distinguished service receivetheir awards. The day would not be whatit is were it not for your presence here,Ma'am. The close personal interest whichyou show in the work of our service isknown wherever there is a life-boatstation and wherever there is a branch ofthe service; that is to say, all over thecountry. By coming here today you havegiven further proof of your interest inour work and the inspiration and leader-ship which you provide will encourage usall in the tasks which lie ahead."

Colonel F. Ferris St. George, alsoof the Committee of Management,seconded the vote of thanks which wascarried with acclamation.

PLATFORM GUESTS

Members of the platform partyincluded representatives of the French,Irish, Netherlands and Norwegiangovernments, the Members of Parlia-ment for Swansea East and Yarmouth,Norfolk, the chairmen of the LondonCounty Council and the MiddlesexCounty Council, the mayors andmayoresses of 42 towns and boroughs,the chairmen of two urban districtcouncils.

Others on the platform were repre-sentatives of the Ministry of Trans-port, donors of life-boats or theirrepresentatives, others representingcharitable trusts which have beenactively supporting the life-boat ser-vice, honorary life governors andvice-presidents of the Institution, thechairman and vice-chairmen of theCentral London Women's Committeeof the Institution.

After the meeting those who hadreceived awards for gallantry andthen* families went to an evening per-formance of the Black and WhiteMinstrel show at Victoria Palace.

Orkney Coxswain Wins Second Silver Medal

COXSWAIN Daniel Kirkpatrick ofLonghope has achieved the unusualdistinction of being awarded theInstitution's silver medal for gallantryfor the second time. His second awardwas made for the rescue of nine menfrom the Aberdeen trawler Ben Barvason the night of the 3rd/4th January,1964.

COASTGUARD'S CALL

The first intimation that a vessel wasin distress reached the life-boat stationat 10.11 p.m. on 3rd January, when theKirkwall coastguard telephoned thehonorary secretary, Mr. J. M. F.Groat, to say that the Ben Barvas wasashore on the Pentland Skerries.Shortly afterwards he confirmed thatthe trawler was on the south side of theLittle Skerry.

The maroons were fired at 10.16 and10 minutes later the Longhope life-boat T.G.B., which is one of the 47-foot Watson class, was launched. Atthat time there was a fresh to moderatesoutherly breeze and a moderate sea.The weather was cloudy but visibilitywas good. It was three hours beforehigh water springs, and in the PentlandFirth the tide was setting to the east-ward at four knots.

JUDGMENT NEEDED

With the favourable tide the life-boat made good progress on a south-easterly course, and she reached thetrawler at about 11.30. As he ap-proached the Little Skerry, CoxswainKirkpatrick saw the trawler's lights,and he took the life-boat close acrossthe west end of the Skerry to assess thesituation.

There was a very heavy steep seacaused by the wind and the tide. Thetide was now setting to the south-eastat no less than eight knots. There wasa tidal eddy close to the rocks.

HUGE WAVES

Coxswain Kirkpatrick approachedthe trawler from the southward, and inthe light of parachute flares the trawlercould be seen lying close to the shorewith her bows to the west. She wasupright but was rolling in the surf,with reefs close ahead and astern ofher over which the seas were breakingheavily.

Coxswain Kirkpatrick continued hisrun in. His aim was to put the life-boat's starboard side alongside thetrawler, but when he was about 60 feetoff a huge sea carried her broadside towithin 30 feet of the wreck, and thecoxswain had to order the engines to beput full astern. This huge sea brokeabout 10 feet above the trawler's portrail and some five feet of her side wereexposed in the trough.

HIS ONE HOPE

The coxswain decided that in theseconditions it was virtually impossibleto come alongside the trawler. His onlyhope was to haul off to the south-westand then anchor and veer down on thetrawler.

Veering 80 fathoms of nylon cableand using his engines, he reached aposition about 90 feet south of thecasualty. Second Coxswain JamesJohnston then fired a rocket line acrossthe trawler's stern, and a nylon ropewas passed to the trawler and securedto a davit on her poop deck. A second

nylon rope was bent on to this and ledthrough the bow fairlead to the life-boat's capstan.

ROPE STRANDEDWith the use of this rope and the

engines and with the life-boat crewtaking in the slack of the cable by hand,Coxswain Kirkpatrick manoeuvred thelife-boat to a position abreast of thetrawler's stern and about 60 feet off.Then a series of heavy seas were en-countered and the nylon rope strandedat the trawler's end. It was immedi-ately slacked away and the trawler'screw hauled in to the stranded part andsecured on the sound rope.

A member of the life-boat crew,James Swanson, had great difficulty intending the nylon rope on the capstan,but with his help the coxswain wasable to hold the life-boat some 90 feetfrom the trawler in a suitable positionto work the breeches buoy.

Second Coxswain Johnston thenfired a second rocket line. This passedover the trawler's wireless aerial butwas retrieved by the mate and securedto one of the trawler's davits. Thetrawler then took a heavy list to portand seas were continually breakingover her.

BREECHES BUOY RESCUES

The time was now 12.15 a-m-the operation of rescuing the nine sur-vivors on board the trawler by breechesbuoy was begun. The whole life-boatcrew were fully employed. BowmanRoy Kirkpatrick and his brother Jackmanned the outhaul forward. Thesecond coxswain and Robbie Johnstonmanned the inhaul amidships; JamesSwanson tended the nylon warp,while Assistant Mechanic Robert R.Johnston attended to the engines and

radio. The coxswain continued to keepfirm control of the situation.

As each survivor crossed in thebreeches buoy the tide swept himaway astern and it was difficult andexhausting work heaving them into thelife-boat. After the second man hadreached the life-boat, the trawler's oilfuel tanks were fractured and the ropesand the deck of the life-boat werecovered with diesel oil.

The oil did have some effect on thebreaking seas, but the deck becamevery slippery and the work of rescueeven harder. The scrambling net wasrigged amidships, and as each mancame across he was hauled inboard bythe coxswain and by Roy Kirkpatrick,the bowman.

BROKEN RIBS

The trawler was settling slowly bythe head, but at the end of an hour thelast man to leave the trawler, theskipper, got into the breeches buoy.As he did so a particularly heavy seabroke over the trawler. He had to goback and in doing so had two of hisribs broken. At the next attempt hewas hauled safely aboard the life-boat.

The rescue was completed abouti .20 a.m. The nylon warp was cut andthe life-boat was swung clear. Thecable was hauled in and the coxswainhove to while the deck was cleared ofropes and all gear was secured.

After she left the scene of the casu-alty the life-boat came up with thetrawler Ben Screel, which had on boardfive survivors from the Ben Barvas whohad left earlier in an inflatable liferaft. These five men were transferredto the life-boat in the lee of DuncansbyHead and all 14 survivors were landedat St. Margaret's Hope at 4.30.

For this service a silver second

By courtesy of]Coxswain Kirkpatrick seen with his son

[E. Rhodes

service clasp was awarded to Cox-swain Daniel Kirkpatrick.

The thanks of the Institution in-scribed on vellum were accorded toSecond Coxswain James Johnston,

Bowman Roy Kirkpatrick, MechanicRobert Johnston, Assistant MechanicRobert R. Johnston, crew membersJames Swanson, Robbie Johnston andJack Kirkpatrick.

Bravest Act of Life-savingTHE Maud Smith award for the

bravest act of life-saving by a memberof a life-boat crew in 1963 has beenwon by Mechanic Joseph Houlihan ofValentia for the rescue single-handedof two men on 2nd September. A fullaccount of the service appeared in the

March, 1964, number of THE LIFE-BOATon page 5.

The award, which is an annual onemade, according to the terms of a will,by the Committee of Management ofthe Institution, was won the previousyear by Bowman John Kerr, of Blyth.

Award to Two CoxswainsTHE 1963 award made under the terms of the James Michael Bower Endow-

ment Fund established by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam NavigationCompany has been made to Coxswain Hubert Ernest Petit, of St. Peter Port,gold medallist, and Coxswain Lionel Derek Scott, of The Mumbles, silvermedallist. Accounts of services for which they won their awards appeared on page450 of the June, 1963, number of THE LIFE-BOAT and on page 7 of the March,1964, number respectively.

as*

Two Men Washed Out of Life-boat

Two members of the Teesmouth crewhad a remarkable escape when theywere washed out of the life-boat aftershe had gone to the help of an Indiansteamer on I4th March, 1964.

At 9.40 that morning the honorarysecretary of the Teesmouth station, Mr.E. R. Copeman, learnt that the Indiansteamer Jalamanjari, which had an-chored off Tees pier, was dragging heranchor and rapidly drifting on to the leeshore.

The maroons were fired, and theTeesmouth life-boat, Sarah Jane andJames Season, which is one of the 47-foot Watson type, put out at 10.45. A.south-easterly gale was blowing, visi-bility was poor, and there were veryheavy seas. It was about half an hourafter low water.

NOT EASILY SEEN

The conditions were such that ittook the life-boat some time to find thesteamer, which was sighted well acrossthe bay towards Hartlepool, where thesea was a mass of broken water.

As the life-boat approached her theIndian steamer grounded inside HumpPoint near the Heugh light and almostalongside the promenade. Two tugswere called for, but they could notreach the steamer, and it was decidedto leave her until a salvage officer hadassessed the situation. The crew of thesteamer were in no immediate danger,and Coxswain John Stonehouse de-cided to continue towards Hartlepool.

With the exception of the twomechanics he stationed the remainderof the crew on deck, those forwardkeeping a look-out for the entrance toHartlepool harbour and those aft keep-ing an eye on the following seas. The

seas were slightly on the starboardquarter. The life-boat drogue wascorrectly streamed.

STRUCK BY WAVES

Several heavy seas had passed whenthe aft look-outs reported another onecoming in. This wave brought thedrogue in with its crest, and, freedfrom the restraining influence of thedrogue, the life-boat sheered rapidly tostarboard. She was struck by thebreaking sea on her starboard side, andthe boat heeled about 100 degrees toport until her masthead was actuallyunder water. Heavy water poured overthe after cabin, forced up the canvasscreen at the rear of the wheelhouse,filled the wheelhouse itself, and washedthe coxswain away from the wheel.

Motor Mechanic C. Coates andAssistant Mechanic W. Carter werealso carried away from their controls.The sea entered the radio cabin andpartially flooded the after cabin. Withthe weight of the water on her and theseas entering through the wheelhousedoor on the port side, the boat re-mained heeled over until the drogueheld her again and she steadied up.

TWO OVERBOARD

When she did so it was seen thattwo members of the crew, BowmanClive Porter and Arthur Embleton,had been washed overboard. They hadboth been members of the forwardlook-out.

Assistant Mechanic Carter was thefirst man on his feet. He saw a man inthe water and with great presence ofmind grabbed the wheel and put it to

By courtesy at]The cargo vessel Jalamanjari aground

[Northern Daily Mail

starboard. Motor Mechanic Coates atthe same time stopped his starboardengine to prevent it from fouling thedrogue rope and went full ahead on hisport engine.

Coxswain Stonehouse then resumedcommand and it was confirmed thatonly two men had been washed over-board. They were both seen about ahundred yards apart.

The life-boat reached the first man,who held on to an outside line whilethe boat was worked up to the other

man. Both men were then hauled in-board.

As the drogue had been cut awayCoxswain Stonehouse made the deci-sion, which was undoubtedly a correctone, to work back to Teesmouth intothe sea rather than again risk theeffect of the following seas.

For this attempted service a framedletter of thanks signed by the chair-man of the Institution was sent to thecoxswain and crew and additionalmonetary awards were made.

INSHORE RESCUE BOATS SERVICESFrom October, 1963, to March, 1964, the inshore rescue boats were launched onservice four times. The following is the list of services or attempted services:

Date1963

October 5:October 13:

1964March 15:March 20:

Station

WhitstableWhitstable

Atlantic CollegeMudeford

Casualty

YachtDinghy

Sailing dinghyReported dinghy

Service

Gave helpNo service

No serviceNo service

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BEST WRECK SERVICE OF THE YEAR

Three Scottish Life-saving Companies Share Prize

LIFE-SAVING Apparatus Companies inthe Hebrides and the Shetland Islesshare the award of the Minister ofTransport's shield for the best wreckservice of the year 1963-4. The shieldwill be held for six months by the PortEllen and Mull of Oa companies, Islay,and for the remainder of the year bythe Lerwick L.S.A. company.

The two Islay companies were con-cerned with the rescue of the 15 mem-bers of the crew of the trawlerMargaret Wicks, which grounded atMull of Oa on 8th December, 1963.The Lerwick company rescued 13members of the crew of the trawlerRangore which stranded at MungerSkerries, Lerwick, on iyth January,1964.

WENT ASHOREThe Margaret Wicks went ashore on

the Mull of Oa, a wild isolated part ofIslay where there are few roads, at 3a.m. on 8th December. Within T.\hours, the Mull of Oa company, wholive in a small isolated communityabout three miles away, were on thescene. Shortly afterwards the PortEllen company arrived, having carriedtheir life-saving gear for two milesacross very rough, boggy terrain fromthe road where they had left theirlorry.

DESCENDED CLIFFThe trawler was hard ashore, close

in under a steeply sloping cliff 250 feethigh; and the Volunteer-in-Charge,

Mr. John Lockhead,took his men downthe cliff to a point about 20 feet abovethe bows of the stranded vessel, fromwhich they carried out the rescue. Awhip and breeches buoy was used,and within hah0 an hour the firstsurvivor was landed. The other 14were brought ashore uninjured withinthe next hour. The Islay life-boat andH.M.S. Hampshire were both lying off-shore, unable to help because of therocks which surrounded the wreck.

RECORD TIME

The trawler Rangore ran on to rocksabout a hundred yards off-shoreshortly before i a.m. on iyth January,after failing to heed warning signalsfrom the coastguard. The L.S.A.company at Lerwick turned out inrecord time. A rocket was fired acrossthe wreck and secured. Led by stationofficer J. Hughson, the company sentout their whip, followed by a hawser.

RESCUED FROM ROCK

Unfortunately one of the crew triedto come ashore before the breeches buoywas sent out and was knocked over-board, but luckily was able to scram-ble on to a rock from which he waslater rescued. By 2.15 a.m. the first manwas brought ashore in the breechesbuoy, and the remainder of the crewwere landed within an hour. TheLerwick life-boat had been standingby, but again was unable to approachthe wreck because of rocks.

THE GUNNERS' ISLANDby Lieut-Colonel K. Maclntyre R.A.

PROBABLY the highest subscription per citing, and, when weather is bad, hascapita of any unit in the regular forces been known to be delayed up to ato the Institution is from the St. month. The ship to shore relief inKilda detachment of the Royal Artil- Village Bay is carried out in ly-footlery Guided Weapons Range in the dories and is at times hazardous.Outer Hebrides. In the past six years the Barra life-

This small detachment, whose boat has stood by on call on severalstrength is about 30 men, lives on occasions. A tank landing craft caughtHirta, the main island of the St. Kilda out in a force 12 gale off Barra Head,archipelago, 40 miles west of Harris in the relief vessel going on the rocks inthe Outer Hebrides. The soldiers, who West Loch Tarbet, a man dangerouslylive a lighthouse-like existence, change ill on St. Kilda during bad weatherover every six weeks from their base on have all been occasions when thethe island of Benbecula. Barra life-boat has been ready to come

The eight-hour journey on the to the rescue. So far the gunners haveR.A.S.C. Isles Class Trawler Mull never actually had to call out the life-takes them through the reef-infested boat, but when the wind strengthenswaters of the Stanton Channel in the up to force 10 and above it is a greattreacherous Sound of Harris, and west comfort to the island soldiers to knowto the open Atlantic. The journey is that the life-boat is always ready tousually uncomfortable, sometimes ex- come to their aid.

French Life-boatsTHE Societe Centrale de Sauvetage des Naufrages, the French life-boat societywith headquarters in Paris, no longer has pulling and sailing life-boats in itsfleet, as mentioned in the March issue. Its fleet consists of 56 motor life-boatsand two inshore rescue boats, and it is financed by voluntary contributionsand by state subsidies for maintenance and new construction.

Bogus Distress SignalsMR. HECTOR HUGHES, Labour M.P. for Aberdeen North, raised the questionof recent bogus distress signals fired at sea off the Scottish coast in the Houseof Commons in January.

Emphasizing that Scottish life-boat men had put to sea on quests whichproved fruitless, thereby wasting time, energy and fuel and depriving ships ingenuine distress of their services, he asked the Right Hon. Ernest Marples,Minister of Transport, what inquiries he had made into these acts and whataction he was taking.

Mr. Marples replied, "I know that on a number of occasions recentlyreports of flares in the vicinity of Westray Firth have had the regrettableresults described by the hon. Member. Further inquiries are being madeand I hope that these will enable us to discover what lies behind thereports."

Life-boat Wedding

IN 1957 Miss Christine Ford, who was then aged 15, became the youngesthonorary secretary of a financial branch. The branch was Portslade inSussex. Her parents are both enthusiastic supporters of the life-boat service andfor many months gave up all their weekends to man the life-boat display centrein Brighton.

While the Ford family were doing so much for the service a young man namedAnthony Oliver developed a great interest in life-boats. Having made a detailedstudy of the subject while still a schoolboy he became at the age of 20 honorarysecretary of the Hurstpierpoint branch in 1962.

At a life-boat function Christine and Anthony met, and on I4th March, 1964,they were married at the charming fourteenth century church of St. Nicolas,Portslade. The wedding cake had a life-boat motif, and a guard of honour wasprovided by members of life-boat crews not only from Shoreham and fromNewhaven, but from as far afield as Barmouth in Merionethshire.

Books for the YoungTwo selections of stories for the youngwhich have recently been publishedcontain accounts of the exploits of thegreat Cromer coxswain, Henry Blogg.All in the Day's Work (Hamish Hamil-ton 6/6) opens with an extract fromCyril Jolly's book S.O.S. The Story ofthe Life-boat Service, in which he des-cribes the great rescue from the convoywhich went aground off the east coastin 1941. Other contributors to the bookare J. H. Williams, with an elephantstory, and David Attenborough, withan account of the capture of the largesttype of lizard in the world.

Harrap's Swift Readers Book 4 (Harrap5/6) is intended for younger readers.There are stories of characters as variedas Handel, Bulldog Drummond and Dr.Barnardo. An account of the service bythe Cromer life-boat to the Swedishship Fernebo in 1917 is taken from TheStory of the Life-boat.

P.H.

The True Book about Heroines of theSea (Frederick Muller 9/6) is writtenfor young people, and contains eighttales of courageous conduct at sea bywomen and girls, some barely intotheir teens. They are stirring tales,which should excite the admiration ofgirl readers, and also their brothers -and maybe fathers and mothers as well.

The book is recommended, withreservations. The accounts of the morerecent incidents appear to be factual,but this cannot be said of the story ofGrace Darling that opens the book. Itseems to have been the fate of thatheroine to have become the subject ofmany untrue statements, and theauthor, Eileen Bigland, perpetuatessome of those errors; and for goodmeasure introduces some of her own.She also makes it apparent that inwriting of matters maritime she isless than at home with her subject.None of the stories refer to the life-boat service.

W.M.P-H.

San Remo Requests . . .The city of San Remo, Italy, is to

award a Figurehead of Courageannually to the seaman whose tech-nical and human skill in an action atsea shows the sea-faring spirit at itsgreatest.

The period to be considered for thefirst award of the prize - on lothJune this year - runs from ist June,

1960. Seamen of any nationality andrank are eligible.

Coxswain Hubert Ernest Petit, ofSt. Peter Port, Guernsey, has beenrecommended by the R.N.L.I. inconnection with the service to theNorwegian vessel Johan Collett inFebruary, 1963, for which he wasawarded the gold medal.

THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET148 life-boats 25 inshore rescue boats

LIVES RESCUED 84,680from the Institution's foundation in 1824 to 31st March, 1964

AWARDS TO HONORARY WORKERS

Honorary Life GovernorsThree honorary life governors have been

appointed in recognition of their services to theInstitution. At the annual general meeting ofthe governors of the Institution on yth April,1964, each was presented wth a copy of thevote inscribed on vellum and signed by Prin-cess Marina, Duchess of Kent, as president ofthe Institution.

MRS. D. J. WILKES has been chairman ofthe Llandudno Ladies' Life-boat Guild since1951, and has a total of 34 years' service.

MR. C. ERNEST LINK, c.c., has beenchairman of the City of London branch since1948 and has a total of 29 years' service.

LlEUT.-COMMANDER H. TH. DE BODY W3Sdirector of the Royal North and South HollandLife-boat Society until his retirement last yearand is now a member of the society's Committeeof Management.

Thanks of the Institution on VellumThe thanks of the Institution inscribed on

vellum have been accorded to the followinghonorary secretaries of life-boat stations ontheir retirement:

MR. D. B. BANCROFT, TenbyMAJOR E. P. HANSELL, CromerCAPTAIN R. HUDSON, SeahamMR. A. O. KERNICK, Sennen CoveCAPTAIN C. S. MILLER, SwanageMR. TREVILLICK MOYLE, St. Mary's

(posthumous)CAPTAIN F. NICOLLE, St. Peter Port.MR. S. A. ROSKILLY, Coverack (post-

humous)MR. R. SCOTT, FraserburghDR. J. SOAR, M.B.E., MUS. DOC., D.L.

BarometersThe barometer with an inscription has been

awarded to the following on retirement:MR. T. H. BALDWIN, Cromer assistant

honorary secretaryMR. R. FRASER, Aith, honorary secretary

BinocularsBinoculars with an inscription have been

awarded to the following past or present hon-orary secretaries of life-boat stations:

MR. A. R. FARRELL, Helvick HeadMR. J. S. LING, GorlestonMR. N. O. MABE, FishguardMAJOR A. MIREHOUSE, AngleDR. S. PEACE, LonghopeCAPTAIN I. B. B. ROBERTSON, Holy

IslandMR. E. THOMSON, WhitbyCAPTAIN L. TRAIL, Aberdeen

Bar to the Gold BadgeThe bar to the gold badge has been awarded

to:MRS. E. M. EASTWOOD, OldhamMRS. E. K. HARTLY-HODDER, M.B.E.,

Bristol

Gold BadgeThe gold badge has been awarded to:MR. R. GEOFFREY BEARD, F.C.A.,

SheffieldMRS. E. C. BROOKE, Walton and FrintonMRS. G. COWLE, PenarthMR. W. R. EDWARDS, RamseyMAJOR E. P. HANSELL, CromerMR. J. G. JACKSON, ShorehamALDERMAN MISS E. M. LISTER,

M.B.E., LeedsMRS. E. F. LYELL, MontroseALDERMAN MISS D. MANN, J.P.,

AmpthillMRS. F. POTTER, MontroseMISS M. PUDSEY DAWSON, TenbyMR. J. E. ROBERTS, J.P., PorthdinllaenMR. R. K. SAYER, NewhavenMRS. W. SUTHERLAND, Gourock

Silver BadgeThe silver badge has been awarded to:MRS. A. K. ADAMSON, ArbroathMR. J. A. ADNAMS, Southwold and Dun-

wichMRS. D. BAIRD, PeeblesMRS. E. T. N. BAKER, YorkMRS. H. M. BALL, Clacton-on-SeaMR. R. W. BEASLEY.M.B.E., Isle of WightMRS. BEVAN, Walton and FrintonMISS BLACKHALL, NairnMRS. A. M. BOLTON, Bramhall and

WoodfordMRS. K. R. BRAYLEY, Walton and Frin-

tonMRS. I. R. CAMERON, InvernessMRS. S. CLAY, TringMRS. CLEMENT SMITH, LeatherheadMRS. E. D. CLOUGH, ConsettMR. E. CORLETT, PeelMISS M. J. CROWTHER, MirfieldMR. A. M. CUNNINGHAM, AnstrutherMR. A. G. DABBS, TavistockMR. B. R. DOUGLASS, O.B.E., London-

derryMRS. G. M. DOWSETT, TenbyMRS. S. EMRYS EVANS, South Caernar-

vonshireMISS E. FYFFE, OmaghMRS. R. GIBSON, OmaghMRS. C. W. GILLHAM, Cheam and Wor-

cester ParkMRS. H. G. GLYNN, Kilrush and KilkeeMRS. E. GRASSIE, StornowayMRS. J. GREENHILL, LiverpoolMRS. E. M. GUBBINS, SouthportMRS. A. HAMERTON, AttleboroughMRS. C. HASTIE, PenrithMRS. A. HENSON, WolvertonMRS. E. HILL, GourockMISS M. HINDE, T.P., PenarthMRS. W. JONES, Conway and DistrictMRS. C. E. KNOWLES, WoolwichMR. C. LOWNE, WellsMRS. A. E. LYON, DundeeMRS. G. Y. MACKIE, KirriemuirMISS V. J. MACKIE, Dover

MRS. T. McCLENAHAN, BallymoneyMR. A. G. MacKELVIE, CampbeltownMR. R. MACKENZIE, LochcarronMRS. R. MAITLAND, AberdeenMRS. W. MARLOW, MaryportMRS. E. D. JEFFERISS MATHEWS,

Blechingley and DistrictMR. W. H. MESURE, LargsMRS. J. P. MILNE, KeithCAPTAIN N. A. K. MONEY, O.B.E.,

D.S.C., R.N., PaigntonMISS N. K. MOUNSEY, LiverpoolMR. C. J. MURPHY, DagenhamMRS. K. PRESTON HILLARY, Hastings

and St. LeonardsMR. J. PATERSON, KilwinningMRS. F. W. RADCLIFFE, StalybridgeMR. G. ROSS, LochcarronMRS. J. H. ROUNCE, CromerMRS. D. SUTCLIFFE, MirHeldMISS E. M. TARBET, LiverpoolMRS. A. THOMAS, HorwichMRS. S. G. THOMAS, South Caernarvon-

shireMISS D. M. WALKER, WhitbyMR. J. T. WATERSON, Downham

MarketMRS. G. WATSON, HornseyMRS. P. W. WOOD, Newcastle, Co. DownMRS. A. WYNROE, Stalybridge

StatuetteThe statuette of a life-boatman has been

awarded to:MESSRS. BROWN, LEWIS & WHITE,

BelfastMRS. R. DANBY, LeedsMRS. R. JOHNSON, SouthportALDERMAN G. R. LINES, Kingston-

upon-Thames (posthumous)MR. R. A. LITTLE, O.B.E., Reigate and

RedhillMRS. R. S. McCREADIE, GlasgowTHE REVEREND FATHER JOHN

McCORMICK, Barra IsleMR. J. F. MILLER, ArmadaleMRS. S. ORR, GlasgowMRS. C. PATERSON, Banff, Macduff,

Whitehills and GardenstownMRS. J. PEET, SouthportMRS. E. POLLARD, StockportMISS P. REDDICK, Windsor and districtMR. and MRS. J. STOCKLEY, Stockport

Record of ThanksA record of thanks has been awarded to:MR. and MRS. S. FORD and MRS A.

OLIVER (nee FORD,) PortsladeMR. and MRS. D. V. LONG, MargateMAYORESS' FLAG DAY COMMIT-

TEE, Brentford and ChiswickMR. and MRS. J. A. MORTON, Ascot,

Sunninghill and SunningdaleMILLPORT LADIES' LIFE-BOAT

GUILD

OBITUARY

MRS. M. E. PECOVERMrs. Mary E. Pecover, an honorarylife-governor of the Institution, diedon loth February, 1964. She wasappointed honorary secretary of theThame branch in 1925, received thegold badge awarded to honoraryworkers nine years later, and becamean honorary life-governor in 1953.She resigned as honorary secretary in1958.

During her early years of voluntaryservice to the Thame branch sheorganized annual life-boat days sep-arate from the customary house-to-house collections, public meetings withsilver collections, and concerts.

MR. J. C. HILTONAn honorary secretary who gaveactive service to the Clovelly life-boat station for more than 40 yearsdied on 26th November, 1963. Thiswas Mr. J. C. Hilton, who joinedthe branch committee in 1922, washonorary secretary from 1932 to 1948,and president from 1948 to 1954.He was re-appointed honorary sec-retary in 1954, a post in which he con-tinued until the time of his death. Itwas characteristic of his modesty andsingle-minded devotion to the servicethat he refused all the various awardswhich the Institution wished to conferon him.

Life-boat services round the Coasts

LAUNCHES AND LIVES SAVED1st January to 31st March: Launches 135, lives saved 73

North-East EnglandBoulmer, Northumberland. At 8.50

a.m. on I2th March, 1964, anxiety wasfelt for the fishing coble Providence whichwas at sea in deteriorating weather. Therewas a fresh east-south-easterly breezewith a rough sea, and it was low water.The life-boat Robert and Dorothy Hard-castle launched at 9.14. After two un-successful attempts to bring the cobleinto Boulmer harbour she was escortedsafely into Amble harbour instead andthe life-boat returned to her station at11.50.

IN THICK FOG

Bridlington, Yorkshire. At 7.45 a.m.on 24th February, 1964, the honorarysecretary was told that a radio telephonemessage had been intercepted from thelocal fishing vessel Winifred to otherfishing boats, stating she had broken downoff Flamborough Head. There was alight southerly breeze with a calm sea buta south-easterly gale had been forecast.It was low water. The life-boat TillieMorrison, Sheffield II launched at 8.15and reached the Winifred, with her crewof four, at nine o'clock. Visibility wasvery bad due to fog. The fishing vesselwas taken in tow and brought safelyinto harbour at 10.45. The life-boatreturned to her station at 11.30.

SEVEN AT SEA

At 10.15 a-m- on 24th March, 1964, thehonorary secretary was told that sevenmotor fishing vessels were at sea in rapidlydeteriorating weather. The life-boat TillieMorrison, Sheffield II was launched atii o'clock in a southerly gale and avery rough sea. It was two hours after lowwater. After returning to the harbourmouth the fishing vessels were escorted bythe life-boat safely into harbour. The life-boat reached her station at six o'clock.

COASTER REFLOATED

Cullercoats, Northumberland. At2.35 a.m. on nth February, 1964, thecoastguard informed the coxswain that acoaster appeared to be in a dangerousposition to the south of the harbour. Thecoxswain investigated and found that thevessel was aground. After consultationwith the honorary secretary it was agreedto launch the Life-boat. There was afresh west-north-westerly breeze with asmooth sea, and it was one hour afterhigh water. The life-boat Sir James Knottwas launched at 2.58 and found themotor vessel Queensgate aground. An un-successful attempt was made to refloather and further offers to help were refused.The life-boat stood by the vessel untilshe was out of immediate danger, beforereturning to her station at six o'clock Ati p.m. the owner's representative re-quested the help of the life-boat whileattempts were made to refloat theQueens-gate by a tug at high water. The life-boattransferred the representative to thecoaster, and two members of the life-boat crew went aboard the tug to actas pilots. A line was taken from the tugto the coaster and made fast. The Queens-gate was successfully re-floated at 2.30and after she was out of danger the life-boat returned to her station at 4.30.

The owners made a donation to theInstitution's funds and a gift to the life-boat crew.

WORSENING WEATHER

Filey, Yorkshire. At 9.50 a.m. on 4thMarch, 1964, the coastguard told the cox-swain that the coble Angela May of Fileywas fishing six to eight miles east of Briggbuoy in deteriorating weather. The life-boat The ha & Penryn Milsted waslaunched at 10.30 in a moderate east-north-easterly wind with sleet showers.

There was a moderate to rough sea and itwas three hours after high water. The life-boat found the coble six miles east-north-east of Filey Brig and escorted her safelyto harbour, arriving at 2.45 p.m.

The life-boat was also called out on 26thJanuary, 1964.

manjari was eventually re-floated at 5.30a.m. on i6th March, without needing theLife-boat's help and the life-boat was re-housed 2% hours later. Teesmouth life-boat also launched to help the Indianvessel. (A further account of the Tees-mouth service appears on page 26.)

COBLES ESCORTED

Flamborough, Yorkshire. At mid-day on 4th February, 1964, soon after thelife-boat had returned from an exercisewith the district inspector, the honorarysecretary was informed by the coastguardthat the Filey honorary secretary was con-cerned about five fishing cobles whichwere still at sea in the deterioratingweather conditions. As the life-boat hadnot been rehoused it was agreed thatshe would launch and escort the cobles toFiley. There was a near gale from thenorth-west with a rough sea. The tide wasebbing. The life-boat Friendly Foresterproceeded at 12.10, located the cobles andescorted them safely back to Filey har-bour. The life-boat arrived back at herstation at 3.50.

I N D I A N SHIP AGROUNDHartlepool, Co. Durham. At 10.15

a.m. on i4th March, 1964, the coastguardinformed the honorary secretary that avessel was ashore at Longscar. There wasa full gale from the south-east with arough sea. The crew assembled but owingto the exceptionally low tide the life-boatEdward and Isabella Irwin, on temporaryduty at the station, was unable to launchuntil 11.15. The life-boat found theIndian ship Jalamanjari of Bombayaground between the breakwater and theold pier. The vessel was in no immediatedanger and it was decided to return toharbour and wait until the weather wascalmer. The crew were dismissed but re-assembled at one o'clock the followingmorning. The weather was still too severebut at 2.30 p.m. arrangements were finallymade to try and re-float the casualty. Thelife-boat set out and placed a pilot on boardthe stranded vessel. Lines were passed totugs but at 4.50 the tugs decided to aban-don salvage operations and the life-boatreturned to the harbour at six o'clock,when the crew were dismissed. The jfala-

COXSWAIN ESCORTEDHoly Island, Northumberland. At

9.45 a.m. on 26th March, 1964, the secondcoxswain became anxious about two fish-ing vessels which were at sea in rapidlydeteriorating weather. The coxswain wason board one of them. There was a freshbreeze from the north by west with arough sea, and a flooding tide. The life-boat Gertrude launched at 10.22 with thesecond coxswain in command and stoodby the fishing vessels until the tide floodedsufficiently to enable him to escort thetwo boats safely in to harbour. The life-boat arrived back at her station at 11.45.

APPENDICITIS PATIENTHumber, Yorkshire. At 9.30 a.m.

on 4th January, 1964, a ship's agent inHull informed the coxswain superinten-dent that the S.S. Doriefs of Monroviahad on board a sick man suffering fromappendicitis. The vessel was due twodays later at Spurn, where she was toanchor for three days awaiting a berth. At5 a.m. on 6th January the life-boat crewwere assembled and the coastguard wasasked to report when the vessel wassighted. There was a light north-westerly breeze with a slight sea, and thetide was flooding. At 6.13, after a reportthat the vessel had been sighted, the life-boat City of Bradford HI was launchedand reached the vessel at 6.55. The sickman was transferred to the life-boat andlanded at Grimsby at 7.55. The life-boatarrived back at her station at 8.50. Theowners made a donation to the Insti-tution's Funds.

The life-boat was also called out on16th January, 1964.

DANGEROUS SWELLNorth Sunderland, Northumber-

land. At 11.38 a.m. on 24th February,1964, the coastguard told the honorary

secretary that two fishing vessels weretrying to enter harbour when there was aheavy and dangerous swell on the bar.There was a light southerly breeze witha very rough sea, and it was almost highwater. The life-boat Grace Darlinglaunched at midday and stood by at theharbour entrance until the two boatswere safely in. She returned to herstation at 12.25 P-m-

DOCTOR'S ASSISTANCE

Scarborough, Yorkshire. At 3.45p.m. on i8th March, 1964, the coastguardtold the honorary secretary that thetrawler Loch Eribol of Hull had a badlyinjured man on board. Her position wasthen 23 miles east of Scarborough and shewas making for Scarborough harbour.The life-boat J. G. Graves of Sheffield waslaunched at 4.25 with a doctor on board.There was a south-easterly wind of neargale force, a rough sea, and it was threehours after low water. The life-boat metthe trawler five miles east by north of thecastle and the injured man, who hadbroken his wrist, was transferred to her.The doctor applied a tourniquet on theway back to harbour as the man was bleed-ing profusely and the life-boat reached herstation at six o'clock. The man was takenby ambulance to hospital.

HELP FOR ORPHANAGE

Whitby, Yorkshire. At 4.25 p.m. on27th February, 1964, the coastguard in-formed the honorary secretary's wife, inthe absence of the honorary secretary,that four youths from a local orphanagewere missing. At 5.25, on the return of thehonorary secretary, it was decided tolaunch the life-boat in case the childrenmight be trapped on the cliffs. There wasa gentle southerly breeze with a smoothsea, and the tide was ebbing. The life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launchedat 5.30 and carried out a search closeinshore but without success. She arrivedback at her station at 7.30.

secretary that three local fishing vesselswere at sea in deteriorating weather. Thelife-boat Mary Ann Hepworth waslaunched at 1.12 in a east-south-easterlygale and a rough sea. It was two hoursbefore high water. The life-boat stood bywhile the three fishing vessels crossed theharbour bar to safety and then returned toher station at 3.20.

Other life-boats called out during thefirst three months of the year were:

Amble, Northumberland - ist Feb-ruary, 1964.

Teesmouth, Yorkshire - i6th Feb-ruary, 1964.

South-East EnglandCromer, Norfolk. At 10.7 a.m. on

nth March, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that the Norwegianvessel jfoika of Oslo had been in collision13 miles east-south-east of Cromer andhad been badly damaged. The No. i life-boat Henry Blogg was launched at 10.15in a light easterly breeze and a calm sea.There was dense fog and the tide wasebbing. The coxswain made radio con-tact with the Joika, and was told that theother vessel involved, the Claire, was notbadly damaged and had probably pro-ceeded on course. Using the direction-finding equipment the life-boat soonfound the Joika and the captain discussedthe situation with the coxswain as hisvessel was making water forward. Thecaptain thought his vessel could makeGreat Yarmouth if the life-boat wouldpilot him through the Cockle Gat, andwith two members of the life-boat's crewaboard the Joika was escorted by the life-boat to Great Yarmouth which wasreached at 4.15 p.m. A harbour pilot thenboarded the vessel and she was safelyberthed at the Bollard Quay at 5.30. Thelife-boat reached her station at 11 o'clock.A member of the life-boat crew broke hisfinger when his left hand was caught be-tween the eye of the span and the afterstanchion whilst the life-boat was beingrehoused.

RETURNED SAFELY

At i p.m. on I3th March, 1964, the life-boat coxswain informed the honorary

INJURED IN EXPLOSION

Dover, Kent. At 2.8 p.m. on 3rdFebruary, 1964, the coastguard informed

the honorary secretary that the motorvessel Foxfield had reported an explosionon board and needed the services of adoctor, life-boat and a tug. She gave herposition as eight miles south of Dover.There was a fresh south-westerly breezewith a rough sea, and it was almost highwater. After leaving at 2.30 with thehonorary medical adviser on board, thelife-boat Southern Africa received a radiotelephone message that the injured manhad been taken off by helicopter but thatthe life-boat was still required. Whenthe life-boat reached the vessel she was intow of two tugs. The master of theFoxfield advised the coxswain that itwas not necessary to stand by but askedthe life-boat to tow into harbour theship's boat, which had previously beenlaunched. The life-boat returned to herstation with the small boat in tow at fiveo'clock.

TRAWLER BROKE DOWNDungeness, Kent. At 9.55 p.m. on

2ist March, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that a small trawler hadbroken down three miles north-east ofDungeness. There was a light south-westerly breeze with a moderate sea, andit was low water. The life-boat Mabel E.Holland launched at 10.20 and found thetrawler Dolphin of Folkestone, which hadengine trouble. A line was made fast andthe trawler was towed safely into Folke-stone harbour. The life-boat arrived backat her station at 3.15 a.m.

The life-boat was also called out on30th March, 1964.

LONG NIGHT SEARCHHastings, Sussex. At 7 p.m. on 9th

February, 1964, the mechanic told thehonorary secretary that an angling dinghywas overdue, and it was decided tolaunch the life-boat. There was a gentlenorth-westerly breeze with a slight sea.It was one hour before high water. Thelife-boat Frank and William Oates, ontemporary duty at the station, launchedat 7.5 and proceeded to the dinghy's lastknown position, five miles south-east ofFairlight coastguard station. She carriedout a search inshore under the cliffs withthe aid of the searchlight, and later moved

out towards the Royal Sovereign light-ship, continuing the search inshore up toabout three miles off Bexhill, before re-turning to the station at 11.45. The life-boat was refuelled and after a furtherextensive but unsuccessful search wasrecalled at 6 a.m. the following morningand refuelled. After a hot meal the crewcontinued the search in conjunction withfishing boats and a Shackleton aircraft.When 20 miles south of Hastings thecoxswain decided to go on to the WestIsland fishing grounds where the life-boatfound a French fishing vessel. The secondcoxswain boarded the fishing vessel andcalled up Boulogne radio, whose personnelacted as interpreters over the radio tele-phone. The skipper said he thought he hadseen the dinghy during the night aboutthree to four miles south-west of hispresent position. When the coxswainreached the area and sighted the dinghythe Shackleton aircraft also reported ithad found the boat and had dropped arubber float. During the search a localboat-owner offered to help and duringthe afternoon he carried a further petrolsupply to the life-boat so that she couldcontinue the search. Two of the shore-helpers also put out in a dinghy from theangling club and searched close inshoreas far as Pettlevel to the east of Hastings.When the life-boat reached the dinghyher crew of three were taken on board andthe dinghy was towed safely back toHastings. The life-boat arrived back at herstation at 7 p.m. on loth February.

The life-boat was also called out on3ist March, 1964.

OPERATION AT SEALowestoft, Suffolk. At 5 a.m. on

nth January, 1964, the coastguardinformed the honorary secretary that themotor vessel Rose of Lancaster of Liver-pool had a sick man on board who re-quired medical attention. There was afresh north-easterly breeze with a choppysea, and the tide was flooding. The life-boat Frederick Edward Crick set out at5.27 with the station honorary medicaladviser on board and reached the vessel at6.15, about three miles off Lowestoft. Thedoctor boarded the motor vessel and hadto perform a minor operation on the sea-man before he could be transferred to the

13

By courtesy of] [Daily ExpressWorthing's Mayor, trying out the town's inshore rescue boat, hauls aboard Mr. A. Gamble, local

branch secretary

life-boat. The seaman was landed at theinner harbour and taken to hospital byambulance. The life-boat returned to herstation at 8.10.

The life-boat was also called out on1 9th March, 1964.

ENGINEER WAS ILLMargate, Kent. At 2.32 a.m. on nth

March, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that the motor vesselSwift of London had reported that thesecond engineer was seriously ill andneeded a doctor. The life-boat NorthForeland (Civil Service No. jj), waslaunched at 3.18 with a doctor on board.There was a moderate easterly wind and amoderate sea, and it was one hour beforelow water. The life-boat reached theSwift, anchored in Margate roads, and thedoctor was put aboard with two membersof the life-boat crew who were qualified infirst aid. The doctor diagnosed a brainhaemorrhage and the man was transferredto the life-boat while strapped to thestretcher. With the doctor and two first-aiders back on board the life-boat pro-ceeded to the jetty at Margate, when the

man was landed and taken to hospital,where he later died. The fresheningeasterly wind prevented the life-boatfrom being rehoused until 1.45 p.m. on13th March.

The life-boat was also called out on3rd, 4th and 5th January, 1964.

MOTOR BOAT OVERDUESelsey, Sussex. At 6.40 p.m. on 24th

January, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that a motor boatwith three men on board was overdue atLittlehampton. Mr. Andrews, a memberof the Inshore Rescue Scheme, had putout in his motor boat to search for themissing boat and it was agreed to awaithis return before launching the life-boat.There were light airs with a smooth sea,and the tide was ebbing. At 8.5 Mr.Andrews returned after an unsuccessfulsearch and the life-boat Canadian Pacificlaunched at 8.30 to continue the search.At 9.24 a helicopter from Tangmerejoined in the search whilst on nightexercise, but later returned to base. Thelife-boat continued to search until 12.30

•Mr

a.m. the next morning when, because ofbad visibility caused by fog, she put intoLittlehampton to await daylight. She setout again at 8.1 and continued the searchbut was recalled when visibility hadimproved sufficiently for an air search tobe started, and returned to her station at12.30 p.m. Twenty-five minutes later thelife-boat launched again after the honor-ary secretary had heard from the coast-guard that the air-sea rescue co-ordinationcentre, Tangmere, had found the motorboat Astronaut, four miles off Selsey Bill.At 1.24 the coxswain was informed thatthe Nab pilot cutter had the Astronaut intow, and a rendezvous was arranged oneand a half miles north of Nab where thelife-boat took over the tow and broughtthe motor boat with her three occupantssafely to Selsey. The life-boat returned toher station at 3.20.

The life-boat was called out on i8thand 25th February, ifth and 30thMarch, 1964.

FOUND EMPTY DINGHYShoreham Harbour, Sussex. At

12.23 a.m. on 8th February, 1964, thecoastguard informed the honorary secre-tary that the Brighton police had seen twoyouths in a small dinghy drifting about aquarter of a mile off shore. No immediatehelp was needed as the police were attempt-ing to launch a small boat off the beach. At12.55 the honorary secretary was toldthat the dinghy was no longer in sightand it was decided to launch the life-boat.There was a gentle north-westerly breezewith a slight sea. It was low water. Thelife-boat Dorothy and Philip Constantwas launched at 1.6 and at 1.50 reachedthe dinghy Erica, unmanned off the PalacePier. The two youths were seen climbingon to the pier. The dinghy was broughtsafely ashore and the life-boat returnedto her station at 3.20. The life-boat wasalso called out on i8th February.

ISLAND SEARCHSoutheiid-on-Sea, Essex. At 1.58 a.m.

on lyth February, 1964, the coastguardinformed the honorary secretary that aman had gone to repair his boat mooredoff Two Tree Island and had not re-turned. There was a light breeze fromthe east by north with a slight sea. The

tide was flooding. The life-boat ElizabethElson, on temporary duty at the station,launched at 2.23 and with the boardingboat in tow made for the island where asearch was made in the boarding boat.The cabin cruiser Bon Chance was foundwith nobody on board. It was decidedto leave the boarding boat on the islandand return in daylight to continue thesearch. The life-boat arrived back at thestation at 4.20 and after she had beenrehoused four members of the crewreturned to continue the search in con-junction with the police and a helicopter.The body of the man was eventuallyfound and picked up by the helicopter.The crew returned to the station hi theboarding boat at 11.20.

LAMPLIGHTER INJUREDWalmer, Kent. At 10 a.m. on 28th

January, 1964, as the life-boat was aboutto proceed on exercise with the districtengineer, a radio message was interceptedfrom the South Goodwin lightvessel toDeal coastguard stating that a lamplighterwas injured on the lightvessel. Whentold, the honorary secretary offered toextend the exercise to South Goodwin andbring the man ashore. There was a gentlewesterly breeze with a smooth sea and itwas almost high water. The life-boatCharles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 32) leftat 10.10. The lamplighter, who hadfallen down the inside of the lamp mast,was taken by the life-boat to Walmerwhere he was carried to hospital byambulance. The life-boat arrived back ather station at 11.52.

FUTURE ACCOUNTWalton and Frinton, Essex. The life-

boat Edian Courtauld put out on I5thMarch, 1964, to the help of the Dutchmotor vessel Merak. A full account of theservice will appear in the next number ofTHE LIFE-BOAT

The-boat was also called out earlier onthe same day.

BARGE TOWED CLEARWells, Norfolk. At 9.10 a.m. on 9th

February, 1964, the coastguard informedthe honorary secretary that the motorbarge Una had grounded on the west sideof Blakeney harbour. There was a light

north-westerly breeze with a moderatesea, and the tide was flooding. The wardenof the Blakeney Bird Sanctuary, who hadinvestigated, reported that although thebarge was in no immediate danger hermaster had asked the life-boat to stand bywhen the tide flooded sufficiently for herto re-float. The life-boat Lucy Lavers, ontemporary duty at the station, launchedat 12.35 p.m. to stand by the barge. Theengine of the barge failed as she tried topull herself clear and a line was madefast from the life-boat. The barge wastowed clear by the life-boat and safelymoored in Blakeney Pit, and the life-boatreached her station at 5.30. A gift wasmade by the owner of the barge to thelife-boat crew.

Other life-boats called out during thefirst three months of 1964 were:

Aldeburgh, Suffolk - 8th February,Ramsgate, Kent - I2th and 24th

January.

Channel IslandsSt. Helier, Jersey. At 6.34 p.m. on

18th February, 1964, Jersey radio in-formed the honorary secretary that aradio telephone message had been inter-cepted stating that the French fishingboat Claudie Giselle was in distress andthat her crew of four were taking to theirlife-raft. There was a gale from the north-east with a rough sea. The life-boatElizabeth Nippon set out at 6.48 for theboat's reported position, 12 miles west-south-west of La Corbiere. The life-boat,together with merchant vessels, Frenchnaval vessels and air-sea rescue aircraft,carried out an extensive search throughthe night. At 8.17 a.m. the followingmorning the life-boat returned to St.Helier for re-fuelling and with a partialchange of crew left at 10.14 to continuethe search. At U o'clock the Frenchtrawler La Nativite reported finding apaddle and a piece of wood and shortlyafterwards recovered two bodies. Thelife-boat joined in the further search witha French naval vessel and trawlers.During the day one more body and thelife-raft of the Claudie Giselle wererecovered. At 2.30 p.m. the life-boatwas recalled, reaching her station at6.45.

IN THE DARKSt. Peter Port, Guernsey. At 8.15

p.m. on 3rd January, 1964, the dutysignalman informed the honorary secre-tary that red and white flares had beenseen on the west coast. There was agentle southerly breeze with a slight sea,and it was high water. The life-boatEuphrosyneKendal left at 9.7 and met theyacht Airy Mouse which although in thearea had not seen any flares. It wasassumed that the combination of her sailsand navigation lights had produced theeffect of flares. The life-boat returned toharbour with the yacht in tow andreached her station at 11.50. The life-boatwas also called out on 2nd January, 1964.

SICKNESS ON SARKAt 3.40 p.m. on i4th January, 1964,

the St. John Ambulance Commissionerinformed the honorary secretary that asick man on Sark needed hospital treat-ment. There were light easterly airs witha slight sea, and the tide was flooding.The life-boat Euphrosyne Kendal left at4.5 with three St. John Ambulance menon board, reached Sark at five o'clock andtook the sick man on board. The life-boatreturned to St. Peter Port at 6.42 and,after the patient had been landed,reached her station at seven o'clock.

DOCTOR'S APPEALAt 9 a.m. on 7th February, 1964, the

doctor on Sark asked the honorarysecretary through the St. John AmbulanceCommissioner if the life-boat could takean injured woman from Sark for treat-ment at Guernsey Hospital. There werelight easterly airs with a smooth sea, andthe tide was flooding. The life-boatEuphwsyne Kendal left at 9.45 with threemembers of the St. John AmbulanceBrigade on board and embarked theinjured woman at Sark at 10.50. Thepatient was landed at St. Peter Port atnoon and the life-boat returned to thestation at 12.40 p.m.

RESCUE FROM TRAWLERAt 5.18 a.m. on i7th March, 1964, the

signal station at St. Peter Port informedthe honorary secretary that Niton radiohad broadcast a "Mayday" for the Bel-

gian trawler Oceanic which was sinking ina position 11 miles north-west of Jersey.The life-boat Euphrosyne Kendal set out at5.45 in a south-easterly wind of galeforce and a very rough sea. The tide wasflooding. First indications suggested thatthe Oceanic was north of Jersey but sev-eral broadcasts from the trawler gave thelife-boat coxswain the opportunity to usethe direction-finding equipment and aposition north of Guernsey was confirmedat 6.50. Several other vessels in the vicin-ity were unable to see anything and localaircraft attempted to help but poor visi-bility with driving rain made their taskvery difficult. The Oceanic was found 14miles north-west by west of PlatteFougere lighthouse and her crew of fourwere rescued by the life-boat crew. Thelife-boat suffered no damage and reachedher station at noon. The ShipwreckedMariners Society attended to the sur-vivors when they landed and a messagereceived via Cherbourg and Jersey statedthat the trawler had sunk in the earlyafternoon.

South-West EnglandAppledore, Devon. At 12.45 P-m- on

15th February, 1964, the coastguard toldthe honorary secretary that a man onLundy Island had broken his leg.Arrangements were being made for himto be taken off by helicopter but the life-boat was asked to stand by. There was afresh south-easterly breeze with a moder-ate sea, and it was almost low water. Thelife-boat Louisa Anne Hawker left at 1.8but while on passage to the island amessage was received by radio telephonethat the injured man had been taken offby helicopter. The life-boat was recalledand arrived at her station at 4.15.

AIRCRAFT CRASHEDAppledore, and Clovelly, Devon.

At 12.21 p.m. on iyth February, 1964,the coastguard told the Appledore honor-ary secretary that an aircraft had crashedinto the sea four to seven miles northof Hartland Point. There was a light east-north-easterly breeze with a moderatesea, and the tide was ebbing. The life-boat Louisa Anne Hawker launched at12.35. Ten minutes later the Clovelly

honorary secretary was informed of thecrash but soon after 12.55, when theClara and Emily Barwell life-boat wasbeing launched, the coastguard advisedthat the boat's assistance was no longerneeded. The Appledore life-boat con-tinued to search the area until 2.21, wasthen recalled, and reached her station at5.30.

HELP FOR CARPENTERBembridge, Isle of Wight. At 11.15

a.m. on 2Oth January, 1964, the coast-guard informed the honorary secretarythat a carpenter in a Greek motor vesselhad severely injured his leg and neededmedical treatment. The crew assembledat the boathouse while the assistanthonorary secretary tried to locate thestation honorary medical adviser. Dr.Kauld was visiting patients at the timebut went quickly to the life-boat house.In the meantime the coastguard hadinformed the honorary secretary thatthe Greek vessel Katina T.H. was head-ing to St. Catherine's Point. There werelight airs with a calm sea, and the tidewas flooding. The life-boat Cunard, ontemporary duty at the station, launched at1 1 .48 with the doctor on board and reachedthe Katina T.H. off the Nab Tower at12.55. The doctor was transferred to thesteamship and after attending to the patientdecided that he required hospital treat-ment. The injured seaman was transferredto the life-boat and landed at Bembridge at2.20 p.m. when a waiting ambulancetook him to hospital. The life-boatarrived back at her station at 2.25.

DECEPTIVE PARAVANEAt 1.46 a.m. on I4th February, 1964,

the coastguard told the honorary secre-tary that a white flashing light had beenseen half a mile east-south-east of Ventnorcoastguard look-out. The life-boat crewassembled while further inquiries weremade about the light, since no casualtyhad been reported. At 3.3 the coastguardreported that the light was south-eastof St. Catherine's Point drifting to thewest. There was a near gale from thesouth-east with a very rough sea. Thelife-boat Cunard, on temporary duty atthe station, launched at 3.1 r on an ebbing

17

tide and went to the position given. At5.37 the life-boat found a paravane with aflashing white light attached. This wastowed back to the station where the life-boat arrived at 7.35.

THREE BOATS CALLEDBembridge, Isle of Wight, Selsey

and Shoreham Harbour, Sussex. At3.5 p.m. on i8th February, 1964, the coast-guard told the Bembridge honorary secre-tary that a naval Sea Hawk aircraft wasmissing between St. Catherine's Point andWorthing. There was a near gale from theeast-north-east with a rough sea and the tidewas ebbing. After confirmation that helpwas needed, the life-boat Cunard, ontemporary duty at the station, launchedat 4.20 and began to search the area.Later the honorary secretaries at Selseyand Shoreham Harbour were similarly in-formed that help was needed. The Selseylife-boat Canadian Pacific left at 4.15 andat 4.25 the Shoreham Harbour life-boatDorothy and Philip Constant was launched.An extensive search was carried out in co-operation with a helicopter, aircraft,merchant vessels and Royal Navy shipsbut without success. The life-boats wererecalled. The Selsey and Shoreham Har-bour life-boats returned to their stationsat 10.15 and 12.50 a.m. respectively and theBembridge life-boat, unable to rehousebecause of bad weather, was left onmoorings at Cowes where she arrived at1.10 a.m.

TAKEN TO HOSPITALPenlee, Cornwall. At 11.30 a.m. on

2ist March, 1964, the port medical officertold the honorary secretary that the motorvessel Andania would arrive off Penzanceat 5 p.m. bearing a sick man on board whoneeded hospital treatment. There was amoderate west-south-westerly breeze witha rough sea, and it was low water. Thelife-boat Solomon Browne launched at 5p.m. and after embarking a doctor andambulance crew at Newlyn, reached theAndania four miles south of Penzance at5.55. The doctor examined the sick manaboard the vessel and transferred him tothe life-boat. From Newlyn he was takento hospital by ambulance. The life-boatwas left on moorings at Newlyn, beingunable to rehouse because of bad weather.

HELP FOR SICK MANAt 9 p.m. on the same day the port

medical officer told the honorary sec-retary that the motor vessel La Colinawould be arriving off Mounts Bay at11 o'clock, bringing a sick man on boardwho needed hospital treatment. Therewas a moderate west-south-westerlybreeze with a rough sea, and it wasalmost high water. The life-boat SolomonBrowne, with a doctor on board, left at10.15 from Newlyn and met the vesselseven miles south-west of Penzance. Apilot and the doctor went on board and inMounts Bay, where the sea was calmer,the sick man was transferred to the life-boat. When the life-boat reached Newlyn,the sick man was transferred to a waitingambulance at 12.30 a.m. The life-boat wasleft on moorings at Newlyn for the nightbecause of the severe weather conditionsand rehoused at 10.30 when the weathermoderated.

The life-boat was also called out on24th March, 1964.

HUNGRY BUT FITPlymouth, Devon. At 9.10 a.m. on

2Oth February, 1964, the coastguard toldthe honorary secretary that a cutter hadbeen moored off Tregonhawke cliff forthree days and that they were going toinvestigate. Half an hour later the positionof the boat was confirmed. There was afresh east-north-easterly breeze with amoderate sea, and it was one hour beforehigh water. The life-boat Thomas Fore-head and Mary Rowse set out at 9.43 a.m.and reached the cutter at 10.40. The twomen on board reported they were fitbut had run out of food, and while onpassage from Falmouth to Dartmouthstrong easterly winds had prevented themfrom rounding Rame Head. They weregiven hot soup and biscuits and, withtwo of the life-boat crew on board, thecasualty was towed safely into MillbayDocks. The life-boat arrived back at herstation at 12.55 P-m.

DRIFTING LIFE-BOATSt. Ives, Cornwall. At 10.35 a-m- °n

ist February, 1964, the coastguard toldthe honorary secretary that a small boathad been seen about 400 yards off Gur-

nards Head. There was a strong breezefrom the west-north-west with a roughsea, and the tide was ebbing. The life-boat Edgar, George, Orlando and EvaChild launched at n o'clock to investi-gate. Although the small boat was foundthere were no occupants and no wreckagein the near vicinity. The boat was towedback to the station where the life-boatarrived at 1.30 p.m. The small boatproved to be a life-boat from the Frenchtrawler Roulet Abosse of Etel which hadbeen lost overboard some days previously.Inquiries revealed that the trawler wasat Lorient Harbour and the boat wasaccordingly handed into the care of theReceiver of Wrecks.

PATIENT ON DUTCH TUG

At 10.3 p.m. on i9th February, 1964,the coastguard informed the coxswainthat the Dutch tug Zeeland, which wasstanding by the coaster David M. offHayle Bar, had an injured man on boardwho needed medical attention. There wasa moderate easterly breeze with a choppysea, and the tide was ebbing. The life-boat Edgar, George, Orlando and EvaChild was launched at 10.30 with thestation honorary medical adviser onboard. The doctor treated the injuredman on board the tug and decided it wasunnecessary to take him to hospital. Thelife-boat, with the doctor on board,returned to her station at 12.30 a.m. thefollowing morning.

DOS AMIGOS TOWED

At 10.15 P-m. on 23rd February, 1964,the coastguard told the honorary secre-tary that the French trawler RosalineGorgy had found the fishing boat DosAmigos of Newlyn, previously reportedmissing on passage from Fishguard toNewlyn, and was towing her to St. Ives.There was a fresh south-easterly breezewith a rough sea. The tide was flooding.At 12.58 a.m. the life-boat Edgar, George,Orlando, and Eva Child was launched asthe vessels hove in sight to take over thetow. She took off from the trawler thecrew of three of the Dos Amigos, andtook the fishing boat in tow, bringing hersafely into harbour at 2.15. The threesurvivors were landed and taken im-

mediately to their homes by their relatives.The Dos Amigos was moored in theharbour and the life-boat returned to herstation at four o'clock. A donation wasmade to the funds of the Institution bythe congregation of the Burho MethodistChurch.

SICK MAN ON BOARDSt. Mary's, Scilly Islands. At 9.45

a.m. on 6th January, 1964, the Penleehonorary medical adviser informed thehonorary secretary that the s.s. EvaJeanette, due off the Bishop's lighthouseat 5 p.m., had a sick man on board.There was a moderate south-easterlybreeze with a corresponding sea. It wasone hour before low water. The life-boatGuy and Clare Hunter, with a doctor onboard, launched at 3.30 p.m. and reachedthe Eva Jeanette at five o'clock. Thesick man was transferred to the life-boat, which arrived back at her station at6.15.

DETAILS LATERSennen Cove, Cornwall. The life-

boat Susan Ashley was launched on 24thMarch, 1964, to help the Belgian trawlerVictoire Roger. A full account of the ser-vice will appear in the next issue of THELIFE-BOAT.

MEN ON THE ROCKSTorbay, Devon. At 4.19 p.m. on i6th

January, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that two men were inthe sea off Durl Head. There was a strongeast-north-easterly breeze with a roughsea. The tide was flooding. The life-boatPrincess Alexandra of Kent set out at 4.30with the boarding boat in tow, but owingto the weather was unable to come closeto the rocks. Three members of the crewwere consequently transferred to theboarding boat to see if they couldhelp. Two men, members of a party of10 rock-climbers, were seen on the rocks.With the help of the life-boat search-light they recovered the body of ayoung man from a deep crevice andsuccessfully scaled the cliffs with thebody. Because of very rough weather andthe hazards of searching close inshorewith the boarding boat for the second

man the coxswain recalled the three crewmembers to the life-boat. When dark-ness fell the life-boat was recalled andreturned to her station at 6.45.

LIBERIAN VESSEL

Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. At 2.30a.m. on 23rd February, 1964, the coast-guard told the honorary secretary thata vessel was aground opposite Brookcoastguard lookout. There was a neargale from the south-east with a rough sea,and the tide was flooding. The life-boatThe Earl and Countess Howe left at 2.58and reached the Liberian motor-vesselBrother George at 4.45. After checkingthat the crew were remaining on board,the life-boat stood by the vessel untilthree tugs arrived. She returned to herstation at midday.

SINKING DUTCH TUG

After the earlier service to the motorvessel Brother George on 23rd February,a decision was made to stand by the vesselwhile attempts were made to refloat heron the flood tide. There was a strongsoutherly breeze with a rough sea, andthe tide was flooding. The life-boat TheEarl and Countess Howe set out at 5 p.m.to stand by the stranded vessel but at 6.10the coxswain received "a message by radiotelephone that the Dutch tug Witte-Zeewas sinking, approximately two milessouth-west of Brook Point. The life-boatimmediately went to the Witte-Zee andrescued eight of her crew. The remaininghalf were taken off by the tug Gatcombeand transferred to the life-boat whichreturned to Yarmouth and landed the 16survivors. The life-boat arrived back ather station at 8.50 p.m. The owners ofthe tug made a gift to the life-boat crew.

FATAL CLIFF FALL

At 2.20 p.m. on ist March, 1964, thecoastguard told the honorary secretary ofa police report that a man had fallen overthe cliff between The Needles and Fresh-water Bay. The life-boat The Earl andCountess Howe left at 2.40 with the board-ing boat in tow. There was a light north-north-easterly breeze and a slight sea, and

the tide was ebbing. The life-boat took adoctor on board at Totland pier and onreaching the point opposite to where theman had fallen, the doctor and four mem-bers of the crew made for the shore in theboarding boat. The landing was madehazardous by the very rocky coast and theswell. The boat capsized as it reachedshallow water but the doctor and the crewafter considerable difficulty managed toreach the man, who was found to havedied from a broken neck and multipleinjuries. The tide was ebbing fast and asthe man was too heavy to carry over therocks to the boarding boat, his body wasleft at the foot of the cliffs and the policewere informed. With great difficulty thecrew waded waist-deep to put the board-ing boat back into the water and returnedto the life-boat which eventually reachedher station at 6.20. A letter of thanks wassent to the doctor.

The following life-boats were alsocalled out during January, February andMarch, 1964:

Fowey, Cornwall - iyth January, istFebruary and loth March.

Ilfracombe, North Devon - i8thJanuary.

Lizard-Cadgwith, Cornwall - 22ndFebruary.

Padstow, Cornwall - I3th February.Weston-super-Mare, Somerset -

25th February.Weymouth, Dorset - twice on i8th

March.

Wales

Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire. At2.25 p.m. on 26th February, 1964, thecoastguard saw a small sailing dinghycapsize about one and a half miles offshore. As it had previously been agreedthat in the honorary secretary's absence,the coastguard would be responsible forlaunching the life-boat, he immediatelytook action. There was a moderate south-easterly breeze with a corresponding sea,and the tide was flooding. The life-boatAguila Wren launched at 2.40 with thesecond coxswain in command, took thedinghy's crew of two on board, and towedthe dinghy back to the beach. The life-boat returned to her station at 3.45. Adonation was made to the funds of the

By courtesy of] [Royal Naval Air Station, BrawdyFishguard life-boat and naval helicopter exercise

Institution by the sailing club and by theparents of one of the dinghy's crew.

TOW FOR DREDGERAngle, Pembrokeshire. At 9.50 p.m.

on aoth March, 1964, the coastguard toldthe honorary secretary that a vessel in thevicinity of St. Govan's lightvessel neededimmediate help. There was a fresh south-easterly breeze with a heavy swell, and itwas one hour before high water. The life-boat Richard Vernon and Mary Garforthof Leeds launched at 10.15 and found thesand dredger Nigel with a crew of two onboard. The dredger's engines had brokendown while on passage from Llanelly toMilford Haven and her anchor was drag-ging. The life-boat towed the casualty toa berth in Pembroke Dock before return-ing to her station at 9.45 a.m. the nextmorning.

STRANDED ON ISLANDBarry Dock, Glamorganshire. At

5.25 p.m. on i3th March, 1964, the coast-guard told the honorary secretary that thepolice had seen a number of people onSully Island who could not get back to themainland because it was high water. As noone was in danger the life-boat was notlaunched at the time but the Rachel andMary Evans was later launched at 6.45.There was a light south-easterly breezeand a slight sea. The coxswain found a manand a woman on the island and theywere landed at Barry. The life-boatreached her station at 7.50.

ADRIFT AND LEAKING

Holyhead, Anglesey. At 11.33 a-m-on 2nd February, 1964, the coastguardtold the honorary secretary that two smallboys were adrift in a pram dinghy whichwas leaking and oar-less in the outerharbour. There was a moderate south-westerly breeze with a slight sea, and thetidewasflooding.Thelife-boatJJ.KS.lF.,

on temporary duty at the station, launchedat 11.38. The two young boys and thedinghy were taken on board and the life-boat returned to her station at 12.15 P-m-

DUTCH COASTER AGROUNDAt 11.12 a.m. on i8th March, 1964, the

coastguard informed the honorary sec-retary that the Dutch coaster Lenie ofSteendam which had grounded on somerocks near Porthdinllaen during the earlyhours of the morning might need help,and eight minutes later the life-boatJ.J.K.S.W., on temporary duty at thestation, was launched. There was a south-easterly wind of near gale force, a roughsea and it was two hours before highwater. The life-boat met the Lenie off theNorth Stack and escorted her safely toHolyhead. The life-boat reached herstation at 12.30 p.m.

The life-boat was also called out on 8thMarch, 1964.

DINGHY ON ROCKSLlandudno, Caernarvonshire. At

2.15 p.m. on i3th March, 1964, a memberof the crew told the honorary secretarythat he had seen a man in a dinghy beingcarried out of the Conway Estuary on theebb tide. Visibility was poor and thedinghy had disappeared into the mist.There was a fresh south-easterly breezewith a slight sea. While the coastguardarranged for a helicopter search the life-boat crew assembled and at 4.5 it wasdecided to launch the life-boat The LillyWainwright and to search close inshore.Twenty minutes later the helicopterspotted a dinghy on the rocks under thewest coastguard look-out and a man waslowered into the life-boat to point out theposition. Some life-boat helpers searchingalong the shore climbed down the rocks toinvestigate. The dinghy was found jammedon the rocks and was released by theshore-helpers, one of whom manned theboat which was then hauled back tothe life-boat. A further search made fromthe sea and on shore was abandoned aftereveryone was satisfied that the occupantof the dinghy must have scrambledashore and up the cliff. The life-boat re-turned to her station at six o'clock.

The life-boat was also called out on 29thMarch, 1964.

RED FLARES SEENThe Mumbles, Glamorganshire. At

2.17 a.m. on 2nd March, 1964, the coast-guard informed the honorary secretarythat a red flare had been seen off RhosillyPoint. There was a moderate south-easterly breeze with a corresponding sea,and it was low water. The life-boat Swn-y-Mor (Civil Service No. 6), on temporaryduty at the station, launched at 2.46 a.m.and at 5.20 reached the motor fishingvessel Morning Star whose engine hadbroken down. A line was made fast butwhen the life-boat tried to tow the vesselclear of the Helwick Sands the line parted.The crew of three were taken off and thehelp of a tug was requested. At 10.48 thetug Clyneforth arrived and towed the fish-ing vessel to Swansea escorted by the life-boat, which arrived back at her station at2 p.m.

TOWED OFF ROCKSPorthdinllaen, Caernarvonshire.

At 5.5 a.m. on i8th March, 1964, thecoastguard told the honorary secretarythat a Dutch motor vessel was ashoreeight miles south-west of PorthdinllaenPoint. There was a strong east-south-easterly breeze with a rough sea, and itwas almost low water. The life-boatCharles Henry Ashley launched at 5.35 andfound the motor vessel Lenie of Steen-dam fast aground by her bows. It was im-possible to go alongside because of rocksand the coxswain decided to anchor towindward and veer down on the vessel'sstern until the life-boat was close enoughfor a heaving line to be passed. A rope wasmade fast and as the tide flooded theLenie was successfully towed off the rocksby the life-boat. After escorting the vesselfor about five miles the coxswain was toldthe vessel was not damaged and washeading for Holyhead. The life-boat re-turned to her station at 9.20 but when offthe slipway a message was received thatthe Lenie could not be contacted byradio telephone. In view of deterioratingweather, the coxswain decided to returnand search for the vessel, but at 11.35

heard that the Lenie had arrived safely offHolyhead. The weather was so severe thatthe life-boat was unable to rehouse onreturn to her station and was moored in-stead. As it was not considered safe for theboarding boat to put out the crew weretaken off with the help of the local life-saving apparatus team at 10.30 p.m.The life-boat was rehoused the followingafternoon.

The Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire,life-boat was called out on 20th January,1964.

North-west EnglandPeel, Isle of Man. At 9.25 p.m. on

2 ist March, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that the Germanmotor vessel Auguste Schulte of Hamburghad on board a sick man who might re-quire medical attention. The life-boatcrew were assembled and at 10.25 l<i was

confirmed that a doctor was needed.There was a moderate east-south-easterlybreeze with a smooth sea and it was lowwater. The life-boat Helena Harris—Man-chester and District XXXI launched at10.35 with the station honorary medicaladvisor on board and reached theAuguste Schulte two miles off Peel. Afterexamination by the doctor the sick manwas transferred to the life-boat and takento Peel where an ambulance was waitingto take him to hospital. The life-boat re-turned to her station at 1.15 a.m.

The Blackpool, Lancashire, life-boatwas called out on 26th February, 1964.

ScotlandAberdeen. At 11.25 a-rn. on lyth

February, 1964, the coastguard informedthe honorary secretary that a salmoncoble appeared to be in difficulties offAliens. There was a moderate breezefrom the north by east with a rough,confused sea. The tide was flooding. Thelife-boat Ramsay-Dyce, which left at11.40, found the coble about 50 yards offthe rocks, and took her in tow. When clearof the rocks her crew of six were trans-ferred to the life-boat and the coble wasbrought safely into harbour at 1.35 p.m.The life-boat returned to her station at1.45. The owners of the coble made adonation to the funds of the Institution.

COMPASS TROUBLEAt 3.30 a.m. on ist March, 1964, the

coastguard told the honorary secretarythat red flares had been sighted two milessouth-east of Collieston coastguard look-out. There was a gentle south-south-westerly wind and a choppy sea, and thetide was ebbing. The life-boat Ramsay-Dyce left at 4.15 and found the fishingvessel Baywyke of Whitby with a faultycompass. Her skipper was doubtful of hisposition and the life-boat escorted theBaywyke to Aberdeen, arriving at eighto'clock.

SAFELY TO ABERDEENAt 3.35 p.m. on loth March, 1964, the

coastguard informed the honorary sec-retary that the motor fishing vessel AnnieRitchie of Fraserburgh had broken downabout three miles east by north of theBelhelvie coastguard look-out. There wasa gentle north-easterly breeze with asmooth sea, and the tide was ebbing. Thelife-boat Ramsay-Dyce was launched at3.55 and after reaching the fishing vesselat 5.15, took her in tow and brought hersafely into Aberdeen. The life-boat ar-rived back at her station at seven o'clock.

WAVED FOR HELPAnstruther, Fife. At 11.6 a.m. on 5th

February, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that a man in a smallboat off Cellandyke was reported to bewaving for help. There was a gentlenorth-westerly breeze with a choppy sea,and the tide was ebbing. The life-boatJames and Ruby Jackson launched at11.15 and met the small creel boat King-fisher with one man on board. As thesmall boat's engine had broken down andshe was in a dangerous position close tothe rocks, she was taken in tow andbrought safely into harbour at 11.48.The life-boat was moored until 5 p.m.when the tide had flooded sufficiently forher to be rehoused.

BUMPING BADLYBuckie, Banffshire. At 9 p.m. on I5th

March, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that a vessel hadgrounded on the West Mucks. There was

47

ICQ

a fresh south-easterly breeze with a mod-erate sea, and a flooding tide. The life-boat Laura Moncur left at 9.25 andfound the trawler Juniper of Aberdeen faston the rocks and bumping badly. A linewas fired across the casualty and the life-boat stood by until the trawler refloatedsoon after midnight. After the fishing ves-sel had refloated she steamed off at fullspeed without replying to the life-boatinquiries as to whether any additionalhelp was required. The life-boat returnedto her station at 12.30 a.m.

BY BREECHES BUOYLerwick, Shetlands. At 1.4 a.m. on

iyth January, 1964, the coastguard toldthe honorary secretary that they hadfired a warning rocket and that a fishingvessel which had gone near the Ness ofSound had stopped and burnt a distressflare. There was a moderate southerlybreeze with a slight sea. It was one hourafter high water. The life-boat ClaudeCecil Staniforth set out at 1.30 and foundthe trawler Rangor of Aberdeen agroundon the rocks. The coxwain anchored andveered down on the trawler, and in themeantime the local life-saving apparatusteam had rigged up a breeches buoy. Thecoxswain illuminated the vessel with hissearchlight to help in getting the men offthe trawler quickly. At 2.58 the coast-guard informed the honorary secretarythat all the crew of the trawler wereashore. The life-boat was recalled andreturned to her station at 3.30.

FURTHER AWARDLonghope, Orkneys. On 3rd~4th

January, 1964, the Longhope life-boatrescued nine men from the Aberdeentrawler Ben Barvas. For this service, afull account of which appears on page23, the awards included that of a silversecond service clasp to Coxswain DanielKirkpatrick.

SOUGHT CALM WATERStromness, Orkneys. At 5.48 p.m. on

I4th March, 1964, the coastguard in-formed the honorary secretary that theNorwegian motor vessel Joruna of Oslowanted to be escorted to calm water.There was a south-easterly storm force

/«*

wind gusting to hurricane force with avery rough sea, and a flooding tide. Thelife-boat Archibald and Alexander M.Paterson launched at 6.5 and at 8.42reached the motor vessel anchored offEynhallow Sound. The master indicatedthat he wished to move to a safe anchoragein Scapa Flow. As this would mean navi-gating the Hoy Sound in hurricane forcewinds with a strong tide the second cox-swain went on board to act as a pilot. TheJoruna was escorted safely to her newanchorage by the life-boat and the secondcoxswain was then transferred to the life-boat which returned to her station at fiveo'clock.

LOBSTER BOAT SOUGHTAnxiety was felt about the local lobster

fishing boat Mayflower which had put outat ii a.m. on i6th March, 1964, and hadnot returned five hours later. Weatherconditions were rapidly deteriorating andthere was a full gale from the south-eastwith a very rough sea. After discussionwith the coastguard it was decided thatthe life-boat should investigate. The life-boat Archibald and Alexander M. Patersonlaunched at 4 p.m. and carried out asearch through the Hoy Sound. The May-flower was sighted at 4.50 and escortedsafely into harbour. The life-boat arrivedback at her station at 5.45.

NEAR SPURNESS HOLMSStronsay, Orkneys. At 1.5 p.m. on

16th March, 1964, the coastguard told thehonorary secretary that the lobster fishingboat Girl Jean of Kirkwall had brokendown and was in difficulties near Spur-ness Holms, south-west of Sanday. Therewas a fresh south-easterly breeze with arough sea, and an ebbing tide. The life-boat The John Gellatly Hyndman set outat 1.20 and reached the fishing boat at1.55. A line was made fast and the GirlJean was towed safely into Stronsay andmoored to the pier. The life-boat re-turned to her station at 3.20.

The life-boat was also called out onloth, iyth and 24th January and I4thMarch, 1964.

PERITONITIS PATIENTWick, Caithness-shire. At 9.30 a.m.

on yth January, 1964, the local medical

By courtesy of}Aberdeen life-boat and fishing coble after crew's rescue

{Glasgow Daily Record

officer told the honorary secretary that thetrawler Millwood of Aberdeen, which wasbeing towed by the trawler Janwood 12miles north-east of Nors Head, had onboard a sick man suffering from periton-itis. There was a light southerly breezewith a smooth sea. It was low water.The life-boat City of Edinburgh launchedat 9.45 and met the Millwood at 11.20. Thesick man was transferred to the life-boatand landed at Wick where he was takento hospital by a waiting ambulance. Thelife-boat arrived back at her station at12.45 P-m- The life-boat was also calledout on 3rd January, 1964.

Other Scottish life-boats called outduring the first three months of 1964were:

Aith, Shetlands -nth January.Arbroath, Angus - 4th January.Droughty Ferry, Angus - 24th

March.Campbeltown, Argyllshire - I2th

March.Islay, Inner Hebrides - i8th January.Mallaig, Inverness-shire - 9th Jan-

uary.

Stornoway, Outer Hebrides - i8thJanuary.

Thurso, Caithness-shire - 22ndFebruary.

Troon, Ayrshire - 20th January.

IrelandDun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. At

12.30 p.m. on 8th March, 1964, the life-boat Dunleary II went to the mouth of theRiver Liffey to escort several canoesacross Dublin Bay. The canoes had takenpart in a race organized in connectionwith the opening of theDublinBoat Show.There was a moderate north-easterlywind, a choppy sea and the tide wasflooding. About halfway across the bayone of the canoeists showed signs of dis-tress and the life-boat took him aboard ashe was exhausted. His leaking canoe wasalso taken on board the life-boat. On en-tering Dun Laoghaire harbour the light-house-keeper signalled the coxswain thatanother canoe had capsized. The canoewas taken aboard and after making surethat the canoeist had swam ashore, thelife-boat returned to her station at 2.30.

•05

IN NEXT NUMBERDunmore East, Co. Waterford. The

life-boat Annie Blanche Smith put out onnth March, 1964 to the help of theDutch motor vessel Jan Brons. A fullaccount of the service will appear in thenext number of THE LIFE-BOAT. The life-boat was also called out on ist January,1964.

ENGINE BROKE DOWNGalway Bay. At 12.10 a.m. on 6th

January, 1964, the Galway police in-formed the honorary secretary throughthe Kilronan coast life-saving stationthat a fishing boat with four people onboard was missing in Galway Bay. Therewas a moderate south-easterly breeze witha rough sea, and the tide was flooding.The life-boat Mabel Marion Thompson setout at one o'clock and searched exten-sively south-west of Blackhead withoutfinding the missing boat. After makinginquiries at Galway police station thelife-boat left again at 7.45 and an hourlater located the fishing vessel Mary Im-maculate with her engine broken down.The fishing vessel was taken in tow andbrought safely in to Galway docks at 10o'clock. After a meal the life-boat crewleft Galway docks at midday, arrivingback at the station at 4 p.m.

UNSEATED THEN TREATEDAt 7.30 p.m. on 9th January, 1964, a

local doctor told the honorary secretarythat a young woman who had fallen fromher bicycle needed hospital treatment. Asno other boat was available the life-boatMabel Marion Thompson left her stationat nine o'clock with the patient, a doctorand a nurse on board. The young womanwas taken to Rossaveel where an am-bulance was waiting to take her to hospital.The life-boat returned to her station ati a.m.

MATERNITY CALLAt n p.m. on I2th January, 1964, the

local doctor told the honorary secretarythat a maternity patient on InishmaanIsland needed urgent medical attention.There was a strong easterly breeze witha choppy sea, and it was low water. As noother boat was available the life-boat

Mabel Marion Thompson set out at 11.30with the doctor on board. The doctorwas landed at Inishmaan and after he hadattended to the patient was brought backto the station at 3.30 a.m.

HELP FOR PATIENTSAt midday on 27th February, 1964, the

local doctor told the honorary secretarythat two patients needed hospital treat-ment. There was a strong south-westerlybreeze with a choppy sea, and the tidewas flooding. As no other boat wasavailable the life-boat Mabel MarionThompson set out at 3 p.m. with thedoctor and patients on board and landedthe patients at kossaveel, when they weretaken to hospital. The life-boat returnedto her station at 6.45.

DOCTOR ON BOARDAt i p.m. on 28th February, 1964, the

local doctor told the honorary secretarythat a seriously ill patient needed im-mediate hospital treatment. There was astrong south-westerly breeze with amoderate sea, and the tide was flooding.As no other boat was available, the life-boat Mabel Marion Thompson set out at2.15 with the patient and doctor onboard. The patient was landed at Rossa-veel and taken to hospital by waitingambulance. The life-boat returned to herstation at six o'clock.

NURSE ON BOARDAt noon on 3ist March, 1964, the local

nurse informed the honorary secretarythat a sick patient required urgent med-ical attention on the mainland. There wasa fresh easterly breeze with a choppy sea,and it was low water. The life-boat MabelMarion Thompson left at I p.m. with thepatient and nurse on board. The patientwas landed at Rossaveel and taken tohospital by an ambulance waiting on thequayside. The life-boat returned to herstation at five o'clock.

MASTER OF LIGHTVESSELKilmore, Co. Wexford. At 5.30 p.m.

on 8th January, 1964, the Irish LightsOffice informed the honorary secretarythat the wife of the master of the Conning-beg lightvessel was ill. There were light

airs with a smooth sea, and the tide wasflooding. The life-boat Ann Isabella Pye-mont was launched at six o'clock andbrought the master of the lightvesselashore, returning to her station at 9.15.

The life-boat was also called out on1st January, 1964.

LIFE-BOAT STOOD BYPortrush, Co. Antrim. At 10.42 p.m.

on 23rd March, 1964, the coastguard toldthe honorary secretary that a trawler hadgone ashore at Red bay. Ten minuteslater a message was received that the ves-sel needed help. The life-boat LadyScott (Civil Service No. 4} was launchedat 11.10 in a moderate south-easterlywind and a rough sea. The tide was flood-ing. The life-boat reached the trawlerIrvana of Fleetwood, and found thatsome of her crew of 17 had already goneashore and the remainder were beingtaken off by the life-saving apparatusteam. The life-boat stood by until all thetrawler's crew were safely ashore and thenreturned to her station at 10.40 a.m. thenext morning.

WRECKAGE SIGHTED

Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford. At3.45 p.m. on 23rd February, 1964, theRescue Co-ordination Centre, Haulbow-line, informed the honorary secretary thatthe motor fishing vessel Dos Amigos ofNewlyn had been reported missing. Anaircraft taking part in the search hadsighted wreckage and the life-boat wasasked to search the area. There was amoderate south-westerly breeze with acorresponding sea, and the tide wasebbing. The life-boat Douglas Hyde waslaunched at 4.30 and made for the positionabout 30 miles south-west by south ofTusker Rock where the aircraft haddropped marker buoys. As the coxswainwas later informed by the aircraft thatthe missing boat had been found andtaken in tow by a French fishing vessel toSt. Ives, the life-boat was recalled andreturned at 1.30 a.m.

Other Irish life-boats called out duringthe first three months of the year were:Ballycotton, Co. Cork—30th January.Howth, Co. Dublin—25th February.

By courtesy of]

Inshore rescue boats being built at Godalming[R.F.D.

10-7

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

1962

£

240,8458i6

52,523

18,193

55,52316,7794,0863,806

80,194

3,192

77,002

389,379

TO, 247625

773

3,192

34,97827,87127,23355,104

13,07356,7612,9811,309

896

75,176

39,419

410

47,315

667,272

PAYMENTS.

LIFE-BOATS.—New life-boats for the following stations: On account —Boulmer, Caister, Cullercoats, Hastings, Howth, Kirk-

cudbright, Llandudno, Longhope, Lowestoft, Sal-combe, Seaham, Shoreham, St. Abbs, St. David's,Skegness, Sunderland, Yarmouth (I. of W.), materialsfor future building and improvements and alterationsto existing fleet

Upkeep of Cowes office and storeUpkeep of and repairs to life-boatsRentals and maintenance of radio equipment and loud

hailers and radio licencesConsulting Naval Architect

Salaries of superintendent engineer, sur-veyor of life-boats, inspectors of machin-ery, assistant surveyors of life-boats andmachineryj draughtsmen and clericalstaff 56,924

Travelling expenses . . . . . . 21,060Pensions under earlier pension schemes . . 5,016Contribution to staff pension fund . . 3,932

86,932Less estimated amount chargeable to life-

boat carriages and tractors .. .. 3,831

LIFE-BOAT CARRIAGES AND TRACTORS:—

Repairs to carriages

Repairs to tractorsEstimated proportion of life-boats' expenses as above . .

LIFE-BOAT HOUSES AND SLIPWAYS:—New construction and adaptationRepairs and maintenance

LIFE-BOAT STORES

LIFE-BOAT DEPOT:—

Rates, insurance, equipment and repairsSalaries of superintendent of depot, assistant and clerical

staff and wages of manual workersPensions and gratuities under earlier pension schemes . .Contribution to staff pension fundProvision for additional liability, 1909 pension scheme

LIFE-BOAT STATIONS:—Conveyance of life-boats, carriages, tractors and stores;

work to moorings ; telephones, postages, etc.Insurance under national insurance acts and against claims

Salaries of assistant secretaries, etc., of stations

Carried forward . . . . . .

£

311,782562

67,17118,851

250

83,101

11,0581,189

24,4482,4393,831

39,60233,883

2,40912,716

61,6663,5221,546

46,827

8,632409

£

481,717

42,965

73,4857C.QT8

81,859

55,868

811,812

THE YEAR ENDED 3151 DECEMBER, 1963

62r",2801,607'>247[,146l=7ii!)7i7

[,8oo304

1,8681,221

RECEIPTS.

SUBSCRIPTIONS, DONATIONS, ETC.:—General subscriptions to headquarters

, 33 through station branches, „ through financial branches3 donations to headquarters, „ through station branches, „ through financial branches

Contributions from harbour authorities towardsof life-boat stations

Contribution boxes to headquarters3, a, through station branches33 „ through financial branches

upkee

£ £12,0108,536

34,04242,119

112,056291,498

1,55°257

26,79814,047

1=901

4,901

542,913

Carried forward 542=913

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOU>

1962£

667,272

19,368i,095

145,45712,633

4,872

15,207

5,952

204,584

22,3977,2872,3201,795860

34,659

6,158

47,954

3,881

8,55i

3,2293,864

6871,8192,917

1,729

74,631

37,315

9,757630

3,5302,030

53,263510205

966,651

PAYMENTS.£

Brought forward ., ...

COXSWAINS, MOTOR MECHANICS ANDCREWS:—

Cost of wreck services, including allowances to life-boatcrews and others, special allowances and recognitions,medals and vellums . . . . .. .. .. 19,915

Grants to men injured in the life-boat service .. .. 993Fees of coxswains, bowmen and signalmen, wages of motor

mechanics, etc. .. .. .. .. .. .. 154,320Life-boat crews and launchers for exercises .. .. 14,719Annuities and gratuities under the regulations to cox-

swains, bowmen, signalmen, part time and assistantmotor mechanics .. . . . . . . .. .. 4,679

Pensions and grants to relatives of deceased life-boatmenand others .. . . . . .. .. .. 16,938

Pensions and gratuities under the pension scheme to ex-permanent crews of life-boats .. .. .. .. 6,753

LIFE-BOAT INSPECTORS:—Salaries of chief inspector, deputy chief inspector, inspec-

tors and clerical staff .......... 25,588Travelling expenses . . . . . . . . . . 10,402Pensions under earlier pension schemes . . . . . . 2,474Contribution to staff pension fund .. .. .. 2,841Provision for additional liability, 7909 pension scheme . . —

RATES AND REPAIRS OF MECHANICS' COTTAGES,ETC

ADMINISTRATION:—Salaries of secretary, assistant secretary, ac-

countant, internal auditor, and clericalstaff .. 50,434

Rent, depreciation, rates, lighting, heating,insurance, etc., of the Institution's head-quarters .. . . .. .. .. 3,650

Insurance under national insurance acts andagainst claims at common law, etc. .. 9,363

Telephone operator, commissionaires andnight watchman .. .. .. .. 4,147

Telephones, postages and parcels .. .. 4,564Travelling expenses of committee of man-

agement 761Pensions under earlier pension schemes .. 2,023Contribution to staff pension fund .. 5,392Provision for additional liability, 7909 pension

scheme .. .. .. .. .. —

Less estimated amount chargeable to raisingof funds and publicity .. .. ..

80,334

4°,I67

Stationery, office expenses, printing and booksAuditors' feeLegal and professional expensesRepairs and improvements to Institution's headquarters

40,16710,249

6304,2862,750

GRANTS IN CONNEXION WITH CERTAIN LEGACIESCONFERENCE OF LIFE-BOAT SOCIETIES

Carried forward .. .. ..

THE YEAR ENDED SIST DECEMBER, 1963—continued

1,865

9,121

, 4924,695

it.308

SW57

6,879

'756

9,091

li,549

81,549

RECEIPTS.

Brought forward

INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS:—Dividends and interest on investmentsLess:—

Interest on certain trust funds transferredto Special Purposes Fund

Interest on certain endowment funds trans-ferred:(a) to general subscriptions, etc.(b) to General Endowment Fund

£

89,093

£542,913

1,928

500i,757

4,185

SUNDRY RECEIPTS:—Sale of old storesRentals of freehold and leasehold premisesUnderwriting commission

6,3071,616

584

84,908

8,507

Total ordinary receipts .. 636,328

Carried forward .. 636,328

lit

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUN

1962£966,651

10,72937=9617,226

36320,43254,306

8,9862,1183=7392,007

37=315

192=493

1=159=144

206

53=799

175=329

£1,388,478

PAYMENTS.

Brought forward

RAISING OF FUNDS AND PUBLICITY:—Salaries of public relations officer, assistant and clerical

staff and wages of manual workersSalaries of district organizing secretaries and clerical staffTravelling expensesAnnual general meetingAdvertising and appealsStationery, printing, books, films, badges, collecting boxes,

district offices expenses, postagesPrinting and binding the year book and life-boat journalSalaries and commissions of assistant secretaries, etc., of

branchesPensions under earlier pension schemesContribution to staff pension fundProvision for additional liability, 1909 pension schemeEstimated proportion of administration expenses as above

Total payments

Transfer to General Endowment Fund being the amountof the year's receipts of gifts for endowment purposes

Transfer to Special Purposes and Maintenance Fund beingthe excess of the year's receipts for special purposes overpayments in the year met from special gifts, etc., arrivedat as follows:

Receipts in the year of gifts and legacies for specialpurposes

Less payments in year met from gifts and legacies forspecial purposes (of which £167,327 relates to newlife-boats and £61,396 to other items)

Transfer to Special Purposes, etc. Fund

Transfer to General Purposes Fund .. ...

11,35639=5897,888

55714=495

53=7697=354

8,0962,9168,886

40,167

233=738

228,723

5=015

i=574=9

I THE YEAR ENDED 3151 DECEMBER, 1963—continued

RECEIPTS.

Brought forward ..

LEGACIES FOR GENERAL PURPOSES

Total receipts for general purposes

GIFTS AND LEGACIES FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES(The capital to be applied in accordance with the directions

of the respective donors.)Civil Service Life-boat Fund 25,474Special gifts .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 145,105Legacies 63,159

GIFTS AND LEGACIES FOR ENDOWMENTPURPOSES

(The income therefrom to be applied in accordance withthe directions of the respective donors.)

GiftsLegacies .. .. .. .. .. ..

7,100

Total receipts

Transfer from Reserve for Replacement of Life-boatsbeing the excess of payments on account of new life-boats in the year not met from special gifts, etc., over theestimated average annual cost falling to be met fromgeneral purposes receipts, arrived at as follows:

Payments on account of new life-boats in the year .. 311,782

Less amount met from gifts and legacies for special pur-poses 167,327

I44>455

Deduct estimated average annual cost of replacementsfalling to be met from general purposes receipts

Transfer from Reserve £44,455

NOTE:—This account includes the receipts andpayments of the headquarters of the Institution forthe year to 3ist December, 1963, and of thebranches for the year to 3Oth September, 1963.

£636,328

653,375

1,289,703

233,738

7,100

100,000

44.455

£i,574>996

1C

1962£

237,622

£237,622

353,768

£353,768

32,686

1,108,108

£1,140,794

887,942

£887,942

Dr.

GENERAL ENDOWMENT FUND

The income to be applied for the purposes of the Institution

BALANCE AT 3131 DECEMBER, 1963

SPECIAL PURPOSES AND MAINTENANCE FUNDI

The capital to be applied for the purposes of the Institutiol

BALANCE AT SIST DECEMBER, 1963 360,711

RESERVE FOR REPLACEMENT OF LIFE-BOAT^

TRANSFER TO RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT .. .. .. 44,451

BALANCE AT 3151 DECEMBER, 1963 1,063,65}

GENERAL PURPOSES FUNlJI

TRANSFER TO R.N.L.I. STAFF PENSION FUND ARISING ON THE ESTABLISH-MENT OF THIS FUND TO REPLACE THE 1938 PENSION SCHEME AND INCOR-PORATE OTHER PENSION ARRANGEMENTS FORMERLY NOT FUNDED

BALANCE AT 3151 DECEMBER, 1963

192,001

939,4^

Cr.

FOR THE YEAR ENDED sist DECEMBER, 1963

in accordance with the directions of the respective donors.

BALANCE AT 3157 DECEMBER, 1962

TRANSFER FROM RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

UNEXPENDED INTEREST ON CERTAIN FUNDS

£237,622

7,100

i>757

£246,479

FOR THE YEAR ENDED sist DECEMBER, 1963

in accordance with the directions of the respective donors.

BALANCE AT 3151 DECEMBER, 1962

INTEREST ON UNEXPENDED BALANCES OF CERTAIN FUNDS

TRANSFER FROM RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

353=768

1,928

5=015

£,360,711

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 3ist DECEMBER, 1963

BALANCE AT SIST DECEMBER, 1962 .. .. .. 1,108,108

£1,108,108

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 3ist DECEMBER, 1963

BALANCE AT 3151 DECEMBER, 1962

PROFIT ON SALE OF INVESTMENTS

TRANSFER FROM RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

887,942

20,382

223,099

£1,131,423

I >S

STATEMENT OF FUNDS AND RELATIVE ASSE

1962j£j

237,622

353^768

887,942

£2,587,440

GENERAL ENDOWMENT FUND (Income available in accordance with thedirections of the respective donors)

SPECIAL PURPOSES AND MAINTENANCE FUND (Capital to be applied in ac-cordance with the directions of the respective donors)

RESERVE FOR REPLACEMENT OF LIFE-BOATSThe estimated cost of replacing the entire fleet exceeds £6,000,000 and

the estimated liability for replacements at present contemplatedexceeds £1,400,000, part of which will be met by special gifts andlegacies

GENERAL PURPOSES FUNDOf this fund £158,051 relates to freehold and leasehold properties

necessary to the Institution's work. The balance of £781,372 isavailable for the general purposes of the Institution and is intendedto cover ordinary liabilities as they arise, including certain pensions,insurance risks in respect of the life-boat fleet and crews not other-wise covered, and replacements other than life-boats. Replace-ments at present contemplated include new construction andadaptation of life-boat houses £288,000 and provision of newcarriages and tractors £87,000.

246,4

360,7

1,063,6

939,4

£2,610,2*

(Signed) V. WYNDHAM-QUIN,Deputy Chairman.

(Signed) S. M. WHORLOW,Secretary.

We have examined the above statement, also the Receipts and Payments Accountcorrect and in accordance therewith. We have also verified the investm

3, Frederick's Place,Old Jewry, London, E.C.2.

5th March, 1964

Alt,

t DECEMBER, 1963

INVESTMENTS at the quinquennial valuation on 3istDecember 1961, or cost if acquired since:—

Representing GENERAL ENDOWMENT FUNDIncome only available:—

British government securities(Market value at 3ist December, 1963, £273,265)

Representing other funds:—Quoted—

British government securitiesBritish corporation stocksDebenture stocksOrdinary U.K. stocks and sharesU.S.A. stocks

(Market value at 3ist Dec. 1963, £2,084,373)

Total quoted investments (Market value £2,357,638)Unquoted—

Short term loan to local authoritiesMortgages, debentures and other securitiesCash on deposit

600,010138,61466,027

1,109,36730,157

45,65290,000

TOTAL INVESTMENTS

FREEHOLD PREMISES (at cost):—Including life-boat depot at Boreham Wood

LEASEHOLD PREMISES—(At cost less amounts written off):—Including 42/44 Grosvenor Gardens

BRANCH ACCOUNTS:—Balances in hands of Branches, 30th Sept., 1963

Less balance of remittances between headquarters andbranches, October to December, 1963

164,851

96,019

BANK BALANCES

246,479

i>944,i75

2,190,654

135.652

2,326,306

107,856

5°>i95

68,832

57,077

£2,610,266

accounts of the funds with the books and vouchers and find the same to be. inspected the deeds of the properties belonging to the Institution.

(Signed) PRICE WATERHOUSE & CO.,Auditors.

Sfl

"7

LIFEBOATMEN'I

1962

3=225

£3,225

18993

£282

ENDOWMENT FUND

£

Balance carried forward at 3ist December, 1963, represented by £3,825Conversion 5i°0 Stock 1974

(Market value at 3ist Dec., 1963, £3,844)3,618

Grants to beneficiaries

Balance carried forward at 3ist December, 1963

£3,618

REVENUE ACCOUNT

230

' 54

£284

(Signed) V. WYNDHAM-QUIN,Deputy Chairman.

(Signed) S. M. WHORLOW,Secretary.

We have examined the above statement with the books and vouchers of Itaccordance therewith. We bum

5th March, 1964.

iNEVOLENT FUND

I THE

1962

2,589

636

£3=225

I THE

121

161

£282

YEAR ENDED 3ist DECEMBER, 1963

Balance brought forward at ist January, 1963

Subscriptions and Donations received and invested

YEAR ENDED 3ist DECEMBER, 1963

Balance brought forward at ist January, 1963

Investment income ..

£3=225

393

£3=618

93

191

£284

:-boatmen's Benevolent Fund and find the same to be correct and inverified the investment.

(Signed) PRICE WATERHOUSE & CO.,Auditors.

Itf

TREATED

WITH THE RESPECT(AND THE PAINTS)

SHE DESERVES!

The old Shields lifeboat the Tyne, now preserved as shownhere, is well protected with B.P.L. materials—paintswhich themselves hold an enviable reputation for serviceunder the toughest conditions. For a veteran—and fortoday's finest ships—B.P.L. products are specified with

equal confidence.

B R I T I S H P A I N T S L I M I T E DLittle Ship Division

Northumberland House, 303-306 High Holborn, London, W.C.I.

Also at Newcastle • Liverpool • Glasgow • Cardiff • Southampton • Falmonth • Stockists at all principal yachting centres