the life-boat - microsoft...the life-boat [june, 1947 a record year the work of the life-boat...

THE LIFE-BOATThe Journal of the Royal National Life-boat Institution

VOL. XXXII JUNE, 1947 No. 342

THE LIFE-BOAT FLEETMotor Life-boats, 152 :: Pulling and Sailing Life-boats, 2

LIVES RESCUEDfrom the foundation of the Life-boat Service in

1824 to May 31st, 1947 - 75,570

The Life-boat JournalThe Life-boat appears again after anabsence of just seven years. Its lastnumber was dated April, 1940. In thatmonth Germany invaded Denmark andNorway. At the end of the next monththe British Expeditionary Fotce wasbrought off from the beaches ofDunkirk (nineteen of the Institution'slife-boats aiding in the work), and theBritish Isles awaited invasion. It wasapparent what scarcities there wouldbe in these besieged islands, what stricteconomies were needed; and the Com-mittee of Management voluntarily de-cided at once, as the Institution's helpin economizing paper, to suspend thisjournal (which used over eighteen tonsa year) and drastically to reduce theannual report, both in size and in thenumber of copies printed.

These economies have continueduntil the present time. But the newsof the work of the Life-boat Servicewas still regularly distributed to itsbranches and workers in the briefestpossible form. In September, 1940,the first number of The Life-boat WarBulletin appeared, a single sheet,printed by the Institution's own staff.It was published every quarter, thelast number appearing in December,1946. Altogether 26 numbers and over110,000 copies of it were printed. It

was also possible to continue the illus-trated annual, The Story of the Life-boat, under the title of The Life-boatSerzice and the War.

In the annual report, reduced fromover 200 pages to twenty-four, it wasnot possible to publish the usualaccounts of the services of the life-boats,but later on a supplement to the annualreport will be issued in which theseaccounts will be printed. With themwill be lists of the men who won medalsfor gallantry, and the lists of serviceswhich used to appear in The Life-boatat the beginning of each year. Thusthere will be no gap in the printedrecords of the work of the life-boatstations. The continuing difficulties inprinting, from the scarcity both of menand materials, make it still impossibleto fix a date for the publication ofthis supplement.

The Life-boat, though it can appearagain, must be slimmer, not much morethan half the size that it was beforethe war, and the number printed ofeach issue will for the present be lessthan half of what it was. But here itis again, and we may perhaps hopeihat it will be fully itself once morebefore it celebrates the centenary of itsfirst number, published on March 1st,1852.

THE LIFE-BOAT [JUNE, 1947

A Record YearTHE work of the Life-boat Service doesnot grow less. It is actually increasing.In spite of all that is being done, bynew inventions, to make travel by seasafer as well as more comfortable,146 more calls were made for the help oflife-boats in 1946 than ever before in ayear of peace. More calls were madeeven than in any of the last four yearsof the war. The number was 631.The number of lives which life-boatsrescued was 647. That is not a record,but it has been surpassed in only threeother years of peace—1907, 1898 and1892.

So the work goes on; and those whomight think, not unreasonably, thatthe life-boats are a service the need for

which is likely to decline, are con-founded by the facts. Sir WilliamHillary, in his appeal for a Life-boatService in 1823, wrote: "So long asman shall continue to navigate theocean, and the tempests shall holdtheir course over its surface, in everyage, and on every coast, disaster bysea, shipwreck and peril to human lifemust inevitably take place." Had heknown what stupendous ships would bebuilt, what marvellous things would bediscovered, what ingenious things in-vented in the next 124 years, he mightwell have hesitated to write thosewords; but he was wiser in hisignorance. What he wrote then re-mains true to-day.

The Goodwin SandsTHE Goodwin Sands have earned overand over again their grim description as'; the graveyard of ships." In them aresunk the timbers of hundreds of shipsand the bones of thousands of seamen.At low tide men have played cricket onthe Goodwins and have cycled on them,but such acts of familiarity leave themunchanged as the greatest menace toships in the waters of the British Isles.For many years the North Deal life-boat station, the nearest to the Good-wins, was the most famous of all life-boat stations. When it was closed in1932, its life-boats had rescued in itsfifty-seven years 859 lives. There havebeen altogether three stations oppositethe Goodwins — Kingsdown, NorthDeal, and Walmer. Now there is onlyW'almer, chosen as having the bestbeach for launching a motor life-boat.These three stations, from 1865 tothe end of 1946, had rescued 1,646lives.

In recent years, other dangerous parts

of the coast have disputed the evil pre-eminence of the Goodwins, but sincethe war ended and the Straits of Doverand the entrance to the Thames werefree again to all shipping, the Goodwinshave reasserted themselves and Walmer

j has been the busiest life-boat stationon our coasts. In the past twenty-five months (from the end of thewar on May 8th, 1945), the Walmerlife-boat has gone out to the help oftwenty-one ships caught by the Good-wins. Only one of those ships wasBritish, a 7,000-ton steamer, and shegot off the Sands. Ten were fromEuropean countries—three Swedish,two Dutch, one French, one Danish,one Spanish, one Greek, and onePolish. From these ships the Walmerlife-boat rescued forty lives. The otherten ships were all American, andWalmer rescued from them ninety-twalives. Altogether, the Wralmer life-boat has rescued from the Goodwins inthese twentv-five months 132 lives.

A Wireless AppealON Christmas Eve of last year a wire-less appeal for the Life-boat Servicewas made by the Duke of Montrose.chairman of the Scottish Life-boat

Council, a vice-president of the Institu-tion and now the Institution's treas-urer. The response to the appeal was£1,799 4*. Qd.

JUNE, 1947] THE LIFE-BOAT

By courtesy of} [Daily Graphic

ON THE GOODWINSTwo steamers from which the Walmer life-boat rescued eighty-three lives. In the foreground,the American Luray Victory, wrecked on January 30th, 1946; in the background, the Greek

ha, wrecked on March 8th, 1947.


Wreck of the Life-boat at The MumblesAT 6.10 in the evening of Wednesday,April 23rd, the life-boat at The Mumbles\vent out in a gale of exceptionalseverity to the help of the steamerSamtampa, of Middlesbrough, whichhad been driven ashore on the rocksoff Sker Point, eleven miles south-eastof The Mumbles. No more was seenor heard of the life-boat until daylightnext morning when she was foundashore, bottom up, near the wreck ofthe Samtampa. All her crew weredrowned. The Institution has pensionedtheir nineteen dependent relatives as ifthe men had been sailors of the Navykilled in action. A full account of thisdisaster will be published in the nextnumber of The Life-boat.

The coxswain, William Gammon,

•who -was 47 years old, had a very dis-tinguished record. He was one ofthe seven men who during the warwon the gold medal of the Institutionfor conspicuous gallantry. This wasin October, 1944, when he rescuedforty-two lives from the Canadianfrigate Cheboque in a fierce gale, bynight. He had already won thebronze medal, in January, 1941, when,in order to rescue the crew of asteamer driven ashore, he took hislife-boat in the darkness right amongthe coast defences of steel railwaylines driven into the sand beneaththe water. In his seventeen years asan officer of the life-boat he took partin the rescue of 127 lives. His portraitis on the cover.

The Bravest Life-boatman of the YearUNDER the will of Miss Maud Smith,of Chesham Place, London, who diedin February, 1943, £200 was given tothe Institution for investment, fromwhich a sum not exceeding £5 was tobe given in January of each year tothe life-boatman who had performedthe bravest act of life-saving in theprevious year. The gift was to beknown as "Miss Maud Smith's rewardfor courage in memory of John, 7thEarl of Hardwicke." This award hasnow been made three times. For1944 it was given to Coxswain WilliamGammon, of The Mumbles, for therescue of forty-two lives from theCanadian frigate Cheboque, for which

he won the Institution's gold medal;for 1945 to W. Orchard, assistantmotor mechanic at Padstow, fortaking command of the life-boat andrescuing seven lives from the Nor-wegian steamer Sjoj'na, for which hewon the Institution's silver medal;and for 1946 to J. R. Harland, ofthe Whitby crew, for going overboardfrom the life-boat in a rough seaand rescuing a man who had beenwashed out of the fishing boat EasterMorn, for which he won the Institu-tion's silver medal, the Silver Medalfor Gallantry in Saving Life awardedby the King, and the honorary certifi-cate of the Carnegie Hero Trust.

Norwegian MedalsTHE Norwegian Government hasawarded silver medals and diplomas toMr. E. Selby Davidson, honorary sec-retary of the Tynemouth station,Coxswain George Lisle, W. Johnson,the motor mechanic, and BartholomewTaylor, a member of the crew, for therescue of twenty-one lives from the20,000-ton motor vessel Oslo Fjord onDecember 8th, 1940. The Oslo Fjordhad been struck by a mine or torpedo

and her captain ran her ashore. Therethe life-boat found her, already beingbroken up by the heavy seas. TheInstitution awarded bronze medals toMr. Selby Davidson and the coxswain,vellums to the two other men, and £35to the coxswain and crew, but thecensor forbade any mention of thisrescue at the time. Those four medalsbring the total number of medals wonby life-boatmen during the war to 223.


By courtesy of] QN THE GOODWINS AGAIN [Daily Telegraph

The American steamer North Eastern Victory. The Walmer life-boat rescued forty-twolives from her on December 24th, 1946.

By courtesy oft ON THE NEEDLES \PaOy Graphic

The Greek steamer Varcassi, wrecked on January 5th, 1947. The Yarmouth, Isle ofWight, life-boat rescued her crew of thirty-five. (See page 14.)


All in the Day's WorkLIFE-BOATS have other things to dobesides the saving of life from ship-wreck. Among the islands off Scotlandand Ireland their help is often asked,when rough weather makes impossiblethe use of ordinary boats. The mostcommon of these duties is the taking ofdoctors to sick people in the islands,or the carrying of the sick to hospitalson the mainland. Every winter bringssuch jobs to be done, and never havethere been so many of them as in theheavy snowstorms and gales of January,February and March of the present year.

Cloughey and Galway Bay, in Ireland.

Snow-bound RoadsIn ordinary bad weather it is the

gales which bring these duties tothe life-boats, in the traffic between theislands and the mainland, but in thispast winter more than half of them wereon account of the heavy snow. Therewere altogether ten cases of life-boatscarrying help to the sick and seven ofcarrying food to the hungry, becausethe roads were impassable throughsnow, and the only way was by sea.

*n

By courtesy of] (Mr. H. J. BeM, of Hope Cave

THE ANTARCTIC—OFF DEVONThe Salcombe life-boat carrying supplies to Hope Cove

In the seventy-one days from Jan-uary 4th to March 15th, there weretwenty-eight such errands for life-boats.Most of them were in the north ofScotland. Lerwick, in the Shetlands,was out nine times and Aith four, andof those thirteen journeys, eleven wereto help the sick, two were to carryfood. The other life-boats which wenton such errands were Campbeltown(twice), Tobermory and Port Patrick,on the west coast of Scotland; HolyIsland and Gorleston (twice), on theeast coast of England; Salcombe, inDevon; Llandudno, Fishguard andSt. Davids, in Wales; Donaghadee,

Most of these were in the far north,Of the thirteen journeys by Lerwickand Aith, eight were because of snow-bound roads, and there were others, forthe same reason, in the south of Walesby the life-boats from Fishguard andSt. Davids, and in south-west Englandby Salcombe. Salcombe was the mostsoutherly place at which the Arcticweather compelled the transport offood by sea because the roads wereclosed. This was on January 30thand February 1st, and on February6th the South-West Divisional FoodOffice at Bristol wrote to the Salcombestation:


THE ARCTIC—IN THE NORTH SEAThe Skegness life-boat going to look for the Dutch coaster Tuko, of Delfyzl, on February22nd, 1947 She found the Tuko, which did not need her help, and was out for

nine hours.

8 THE LIFE-BOAT [JUNE, 1947

" News hag reached me from Salcombeof the splendid service performed bymembers of the life-boat crew duringthe recent appalling weather conditionsin your district. There seems littledoubt, but for the readiness and public-mindedness which your crew displayed,several of your surrounding areas wouldhave been in dire straits for thefoodstuffs at a time when they wereobviously in vital need.

"May I, on behalf of the Ministry ofFood, and of myself, ask you to con-vey to the crew a very warm apprecia-tion of their efforts, so much the morecommendable since they were outside

the scope of their normal duties whichin themselves are extremely arduous."

There were other unexpected dutiesin that winter weather. Valentia wentout to bring from an island the body ofa man, Padstow to help three children,caught by the tide on a rock, Aberyst-wyth to rescue a boy at night, stuckon the face of the cliff. There was, too,the inevitable false alarm. Ramsgatewent out at midnight, and searchedfor a long time, in answer to shoutsapparently from out at sea. She foundnothing. The shouts had come fromboys and girls playing on the slopes ofsnow on the cliffs.

A Hundred Years AgoON January 5th, 1847, Lieut.-Col. SirWilliam Hillary, Bt., the founder of theLife-boat Service, died in the Isle ofMan at the age of seventy-eight. Hewas not only the founder of the service,but one of the greatest of its life-boat-men, helping to rescue over 300 livesfrom shipwreck, and three timeswinning the Institution's gold medal

for great gallantry. The lines fromJames Thomson on his memorial tabletfitly sum up his work for the Life-boatSsrvice.

For what his wisdom planned andpower enforced

More potent still his great exampleshowed.

A Word of FarewellBy LIEUT.-CoL. C. R. SATTERTHWAITE, O.B.E., Secretary of the Institution,

1931-1946

WHEN one has, for fifteen years, held anoffice that any man must be proud andthankful to occupy, it is not easy to saygood-bye. Yet the time has come formy retirement from the post of Secre-tary of the Institution, and I must takeleave of the Committee of Management,the honorary workers and subscribers,the men of the life-boat crews, and mycolleagues of the staff. In deepsincerity, I thank you all. It isbecause of your work that I can handover my post to Colonel Burnett Brownwith the knowledge that the Life-boatService was never so well prepared forwhat the future may bring, or so nearthe hearts of the people.

From the Committee of Management,I have received wise direction and un-failing support. Honorary workers,everywhere and always, have given

their time and energy ungrudgingly inthe administration of life-boat stations,and in the task of raising funds. Nolife-boat crew, during my sen-ice, hasever failed to do all that men could doto rescue life in peril. The membersof the staff, one and all, have done theirwork, I think happily, and certainly withkeenness, understanding, and efficiency.

It is a great service that the readersof this journal work for and support.Though my life of daily activity is over,I shall hope still to be of some use; forone cannot give up life-boat work.But the secretary's responsibilities willpass into younger and more vigoroushands, and it is in the hope and con-fidence that my successor will earn allthe friendship and sympathy that Iundeservingly have enjoyed that I sayfarewell.


LIEUTENANT-COLONEL C. R. SATTERTHWAITE, O.B.E.Secretary of the Institution from 1931-1946


Lieutenant-Colonel C. R. Satterthwaite, O.B.E.By COLONEL A. D. BURNETT BROWN, M.C., T.D., M.A., Secretary of the Institution

COLONEL CLEMENT RICHARD SATTER-THWAITE retired from the secretaryshipof the Institution at the end of lastyear. He had then been in its servicefor twenty-two years, nearly seven asdeputy-secretary and over fifteen assecretary.

At the next meeting of the Committeeof Management, Sir Godfrey Baring,Bt., chairman of the Committee, pro-posed, and Commodore the Earl Howe,R.N.V.R., deputy-chairman, secondeda resolution which was carried unani-mously :

"That the most cordial thanks ofthe Committee of Management beaccorded to Lieut.-Colonel C. R. Sat-terthwaite for his long, distinguishedand most valuable services to theRoyal National Life-boat Institution,and that this Committee desire to placeon record their very deep appreciationof his devotion to the Life-boat Serviceand his untiring zeal on its behalf,especially during the arduous years ofthe late war, as well as their very highesteem and regard for him both as anofficer of the Institution and as afriend."

The Years of War

That resolution rightly lays emphasison "the arduous years of the war," andI think that Colonel Satterthwaitehimself will like best to remember thathe was in command of the Life-boatService during those six busiest andmost dangerous years which it has everhad, when its work increased threefold,when its staff was seriously dimin-ished and always changing, when itsboats, damaged or destroyed, could notbe replaced, when it had the mosturgent calls ever made upon it, andknew that its resources were never morethan barely sufficient to meet its needs.It was a long and severe strain. Theservice came through it triumphantly,but only those who have held commandknow what it is to be in command atsuch a time.

Before the war there were other diffi-culties and anxieties, small by com-parison, but serious in their day.When Colonel Satterthwaite became

secretary in 1931 the country waspassing through a severe financialcrisis, and in that year the Institution'srevenue fell by over £55,000 from itsrecord revenue of £319,434 the yearbefore. It quickly recovered, it con-tinued to increase, and in 1945 it wasover £609,000. That is an impressivefigure. Here is another: in those fifteenyears of his secretaryship-the life-boatsof the Institution rescued over 10,000lives. Those are figures on which anyman may look back with pleasure andpride when his work comes to an end.

A Man Who Trusted His Staff

So much I would say in amplifica-tion of the Committee of Management'stribute, but I want to add to it thetribute of those who served under him.He was well known to the Committeeof Management, he was known to theInstitution's honorary workers all overthe country, but it is we who workedwith him in the daily round at the head-quarters of the Life-boat Service whoknew him best. If one is to try toput him in a sentence it would be thathe was a man who trusted his staff andwhom his staff trusted. Such a mangets the best work from those who serveunder him. They knew that once theyhad their instructions, they would beleft to carry them out unhampered andunnamed, but that if they had anydifficulty they could bring it to him inthe certainty of being listened to sym-pathetically, understood at once, andadvised clearly and briefly. He didnothing without good reasons, andwithout making them clear.

Giving Praise to Others

He was the most modest of men.When things were going well, he effacedhimself. He was the last man to desireany credit which he felt belonged tosomeone else. It was when there weredifficulties to be faced that he becameat once the commander. Praise hewould let go by. His care was to seethat it went to others. But when therewas responsibility to be taken, he wasthere to take it.

JUNE, 1947] THE LIFE-BOAT 11

I am not a professional soldier, butI have spent ten years of my life onactive service and many more years infrequent contact with soldiers. Theprofession of arms as a rule puts avery clear mark on a man, and hemay not find it easy to work in thevery different atmosphere of civillife. Colonel Satterthwaite. chose theprofession; he gave over twenty yearsof his life to it; he served in it with dis-

tinction; but I have never met a pro-fessional soldier whose sympathies,understanding and tastes were so wideas his. That, I think, was the secret ofhis success with the Life-boat Service.He brought to its work the training andexperience of a soldier with none oftheir limitations. Now that his life-boat work is done, his friends on thestaff wish Colonel Satterthwaite allhappiness in his retirement.

The New FleetBy COMMANDER P. E. VAUX, D.S.C., R.N., Chief Inspector of Life-boats

LONG before the war ended the Institu-tion had made plans to rebuild a greatpart of its fleet. It lost six boats,destroyed by the enemy, and moreserious even than this loss were thedelays. In the last four years of thewar the building of life-boats almostceased, and instead of the sixty orseventy new life-boats which in normaltimes would have gone to the coast toreplace the older boats during1 the sixyears of war, the Institution was ableto send only seventeen.

Seventy-nine New BoatsTo make up for these losses and

delays, the Institution prepared animmediate programme of twenty-nineuiew motor life-boats, to be followed bya second programme of fifty. Theprogrammes include improved car-riages for launching light life-boats offthe open beach and more powerfullaunching tractors, of which eighteenare to be built to add to the twenty-four already on the coast. The twoprogrammes, it was estimated, willcost at least a million pounds.

In this new fleet two importantchanges are to be made. At presentonly the larger types of life-boathave two engines and twin screws. Infuture all life-boats will have them.So long as a life-boat has only oneengine and one screw it had to carry afull set of sails, in case of a breakdown.With two engines and twin screws thefleet will be independent of sail. Thatis the first change. The second changeis that Diesel engines, which up to the

present have been used only in thelarger types of boat, ̂ will be used in alllife-boats, instead of petrol engines.This has two great advantages. Petrolis highly inflammable. The heavy oilused by the Diesel engines is not. Therisk of fire will be very greatly dimin-ished. The other advantage from thischange of fuel is that the range of life-boats will be increased by a third. TheDiesel engines will carry them thatextra distance on the same amount offuel.

The reason why Diesel engines havenot been used in all life-boats in thepast is that they are much heavier thanpetrol engines. They have been tooheavy for the smaller types of life-boat.Now the Institution is having designedfor it a special lightweight, super-charged engine which, though stillheavier than a petrol engine of the samepower, will be light enough to use inthe light types of life-boat.

Aluminium in place of WoodThese two changes will add greatly

to the power and safety of the fleet.Others are being made. For example,an aluminium alloy, which has alreadybeen used in such parts as the engine-room hatches and the deck air-cases,is to be used in place of wood for theshelter over the cockpit and in placeof steel for the engine-casings. Thiswill be a big saving in the weight ofthe boat.

Two important changes are beingmade in equipment. It is twenty yearssince wireless was first used in a life-


boat, and that it has not long sincebeen put in all life-boats is because ofthe difficulty of protecting the apparatusfrom the sea. It has been possible touse radio-telephone sets both for send-ing and receiving messages only in boatswhere they could be put in the shelterof the cabin, but for some time sets forreceiving only have been in use inopen boats. These the Institutionwas able to make water-tight. Nowit has had made to its own specificationa receiver and a crystal-controlledtransmitter, both of which it should bepossible to use in open boats withoutfear of damage from the sea. The firstof these sets are now being tested underservice conditions and it is hoped soonto have them in all life-boats.

The Loud HailerThe other important addition to

equipment is the loud hailer. Beforethe war ended the Institution wasexperimenting with it. It has nowdecided which of the many makes isthe most suitable for life-boat work, andthis is to be installed in all life-boats.With the help of a megaphone thevoice can carry only a very short dis-against a wind. With the loud hailer—a megaphone through which the voice isprojected from an electric amplifier—the coxswain will be able to speak tomen on a wreck 203 yards away, evenagainst a gale, and to tell them by wordof mouth instead of by signals (whichare not easy to make clearly either byflags or by a morse lamp from aviolently tossing boat) what he intendsto do, and what he wants them to do.

To adapt new inventions to life-boatsis not easy. Not only must they beimpervious to water, but they mustnot be heavy and they must not bebulky. If they are, there is no placefor them in a life-boat. That is why,at present, it is impossible for life-boatsto use radar. Its smallest sets weighover half a ton and require a water-tight office 5 ft. X 5 ft. X 5 ft. 6 ins.

Apparatus so heavy and so largecannot be put in even the largest life-boats.

Other inventions, useful to theordinary navigator, may not be neces-sary for life-boat coxswains. TheDecca navigator is one. It is aninstrument by which the captain of aship can be given his position at seaby a station on land. But it is therarest thing for a life-boat coxswain tobe in any doubt about his own position.What he wants to know is the positionof the wreck, and this the Decca navi-gator cannot give him. So all newinventions must be carefully considered,before they are adopted, and then theymay have to be much altered beforethey are suitable for the special workof the Life-boat Service.

Eighteen Boats Laid DownEighteen boats of the new fleet have

now been laid down, and the six boatswhich were partly built when the warended have been completed.

Though eighteen boats have beenlaid down it is not yet possible to saywhen they will be finished. Thereare many difficulties, due to thescarcity both of material and skilledmen. Much of the Institution's stockof seasoned timber was destroyed in anair-raid, and it is not easy to replace.It is no longer possible, for example, toget mahogany from Honduras; and teakfrom Burma, though it is coming toBritain again, can only be got in very-small quantities. Maghogany waslargely used for the planking and decks,and teak for keels. We are now gettingmahogany from Africa.

The difficulty with engines is evengreater than the difficulty with hulls.We have been trying for months, athome, and then abroad, to get castingsfor such things as cylinder heads. Itis not certain that even now we havesucceeded. These are examples of theproblems with which the Institution isfaced in rebuilding the Life-boat Fleet.

The Institution's TreasurerTHE Earl of Harrowby, who has beenthe Institution's treasurer since 1899,resigned in November, 1946, and theDuke of Montrose, chairman of the

Scottish Life-boat Council, and a vice-president of the Institution has ac-cepted the invitation of the Committeeof Management to succeed him.


Life-boat Services in January and February, 1947

Launches 90 Lives Rescued 61During January and February life-boats put out to the rescue ninety

times and rescued sixty-one lives, and the Institution gave to its crews andlaunchers for these services, and for assemblies of crews, rewardsamounting to £1,387 10*.

TORPEDO BOAT TAKEN IN TOW

Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.—On Decem-ber 30th, 1946, the motor torpedoboat R.M.L. 539, which was in towof the tug Queensgarth, parted hertow-line during a gale five miles offthe Smalls on the Pembrokeshire coast,and at about eight o'clock next morn-ing, January 1st, 1947, the coastguardsaw what he thought to be the torpedoboat drifting two miles west-north-westof the Strumble Head. As she was adanger to shipping he asked that thelife-boat should tow her to Fishguard. Asouth-westerly breeze was blowing andthere was a swell. The motor life-boatWhite Star was launched at 9.0 inthe morning, took the R.M.L. 539 intow and moored her in the harbour,arriving back at her station at 1.30in the afternoon.—-Property SalvageCase.

A YACHT MISSINGSunderland, Co. Durham.—The local

motor yawl Vigilant, with a crew offour, had gone out from Sunderland onJanuary 1st, 1947, and on the 4th, asnothing had been heard of her, anxietywas felt for her safety and the motorlife-boat Edward and Isabella Irwinwent out to search for her at 8.15 inthe morning. A breeze was blowingfrom the south-south-east and therewas a heavy swell. She found her tenmiles east-north-east of the river Tyne,with her petrol exhausted, and towedher to Sunderland, arriving back ather station at 4.30 in the afternoon.—Rewards, £19 7s. 6d.

AEROPLANE CRASHEDLerwick, Shetlands—At 12.9 in the

morning of January 3rd, 1947, an aero-plane could be heard flying round thetown, and it dropped red flares. Astrong southerly breeze was blowing,causing a rough sea, and as it appearedthat the aeroplane might come down in

I the sea the motor life-boat Lady Jane| and Martha Ryland was launched and

went out a short distance in readinessfor immediate action. At 2.30 thepolice reported that the crew of theaeroplane had baled out over Tingwall,and the life-boat was recalled, arrivingat 3.0. It was then learned that allthe crew were safe, but that the aero-plane had been wrecked. She was aFortress belonging to the U.S.A. AirForce in Iceland, and had run out ofpetrol. At 2.35 in the afternoon ofthe same day the coastguard receiveda telephone message from Skellisterthat a small motor boat was at theentrance to Catfirth Voe Nesting, andapparently someone was on board.The wind had now increased to a-storm,with mountainous seas, and visibilitywas poor. It was known that theAmerican aeroplane had jettisoned herlife-boat, but it was decided to investi-gate and the life-boat put out againat 3.5. She was recalled when thedistrict officer of coastguard telephonedthat the boat was, in fact, the aero-plane's life-boat, but the coxswain ofthe life-boat made certain that therewas no one on board before he returned.The life-boat got back to her stationfrom what had been an arduous journeyat 5.55 p.m.—Rewards, First service,£8 19*.; Second service, £8 15s.

SICK MAN BROUGHT ASHORE

Cloughey, Co. Down.—At 1.30 in theafternoon of January 4th, 1947, theSouth Rock Light-vessel was seen tobe firing distress signals. A lightnorth-easterly breeze was blowing andthe sea was moderate. The motorlife-boat Herbert John was launchedat 2.50, found that one of the light-vessel's crew was sick, and brought himashore, rearriving at 4.30 p.m.—Rewards, £15.


FISHING BOAT MISSING FOR FOURDAYS

Skegness, Lincolnshire.—The fishing-smack Virginia, of Boston, Lincoln-shire, with a crew of three, which hadgone to sea on January 1st, 1947, hadnot returned. Aeroplanes searched forher and radar was used, but she couldnot be found. About 6.30 in themorning of January 5th, the Skegnesscoastguard reported that he had seena white flare five miles south-south-eastof the pier, and the motor life-boatAnne Allen was launched at 8.20. Afresh south-easterly breeze was blow-ing with a rough sea. The life-boatfound the Virginia with a tankerstanding by her, gave food and rumto her crew and towed her to Boston.She returned to her station at 7.40 thatevening.—Property Salvage Case.

GREEK STEAMER AGROUND ON THENEEDLES

Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.—At 7.26in the morning of January 5th, 1947,the Totland coastguard reported tothe life-boat station by telephone thata message had been received from avessel aground near The Needles Light-house. She was the Greek steamerVarvassi, of Piraeus, of over 3,800,with a'crew of thirty-five, bound fromAlgiers to Southampton. The wind,from the south-east, was light, butthere was a heavy ground swell.Another message came that the steamerneeded help and the motor life-boatS.G.E. was launched at 8.5. Shefound the steamer one hundred yardsW.N.W. of the lighthouse. A tug wason her way, and when she arrived thelife-boat left, reaching Yarmouth Har-bour at 2.20 in the afternoon. In themeantime a salvage officer had beentaken out by boatmen to the Varvassi.At 5.35 the Totland coastguard re^ported that the salvage officer onboard the steamer had asked that thelife-boat should go out again at 8.0P.M. The life-boat put out again at7.20. Wind and sea were increasing;the steamer might break up; and thelife-boat was asked to stand by. Aftercruising round for a time she anchoredin Alum Bay in sight of the steamer.She remained there until about 1.30next morning. It was then nearly

low water, the steamer was no longerin danger, and the life-boat returned toYarmouth at 2.30 A.M. Four hourslater another message came from thecoastguard that the crew of the steamerwished to leave her at once, and forthe third time the life-boat put out, at6.25 A.M. Seas were breaking overthe steamer. The life-boat went along-side, but several times the lines securingher to the steamer parted before shehad taken off the whole crew of thirty-five men, the salvage officer and apilot. The life-boat finally returned toher station at 9.20 A.M.—Rewards,First service, £16 5s. 6d.; Secondservice, £18 1.9.; Third service, £8 15s.A letter of thanks was also sent to theCoxswain, S. Smith.

SICK MAN ON A LIGHT-VESSEL

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, Norfolk.—At 11.47 in the morning of January6th, 1947, a message was receivedthrough the coastguard from theTrinity House superintendent, that akeeper aboard the Gorton Light-vesselwas very ill. The superintendent askedthat the life-boat should go out as theTrinity House boat could not leavebefore 4.0 in the afternoon. A south-easterly gale was blowing, with a veryrough sea. The motor life-boat LouiseStephens was launched at 12.2 P.M.,and brought the sick man back to Yar-mouth at 1.25. The cost of the servicewas paid by Trinity House.—Rewards,£14 15.5. 6d.

THREE LIFE-BOATS TO A TRAWLER'SHELP

Peterhead, and Fraserburgh, Aberdeen-shire, and Buckie, Banffshire.—At 3.5 inthe afternoon of Jaimavy 6th, 1947,the coastguard telephoned to thePeterhead life-boat that the steamtrawler St. Stephen, of Hull, was sixty-five miles to the north-east of Peter-head, leaking badly with her pumpsout of order. A sixty-miles-an-hourgale was blowing from the south-eastand the seas were very heavy. Theywere running up the slipway right intothe boathouse when the motor life-boatJulia Park Barnj, of Glasgow, waslaunched at 3.30. The coxswain


brought her skilfully into the open sea,and he had run on an east-north-eastcourse for about eight hours when hewas recalled by wireless, as H.M.Destroyer Ulster was making for thetrawler. As Peterhead Bay was toodangerous to enter he was instructed,to make for the Moray Firth, andarrived at Macduff at 4.30 in the morn-ing of the next day, January 7th.There he waited until the weathermoderated and brought the life-boatback to her station on the 10th.Meanwhile, at 9.15 in the morning ofJanuary 8th, the Fraserburgh life-boatmechanic had picked up a wirelessmessage from the St. Stephen that sheneeded a doctor and a pilot from Fraser-burgh. No doctor was available, andthe motor life-boat John and CharlesKennedy put out at 10.30 in charge ofCaptain A. Stephen, the joint honorarysecretary, as the coxswain was absentfrom the station. A strong south-eastbreeze was then blowing, with a roughsea, and the weather got worse later.The life-boat found the trawler at11.45 in the morning in AberdourBay to the west of Rosehearty, andanother trawler, the Cape Cleveland.One of the St. Stephen's crew wasinjured. As she could only make fourknots and would have to steam througha heavy head sea, it would be impossibleto reach Fraserburgh in time for thetide, so the life-boat advised her to makefor Macduff and offered to pilot her.A message to this effect was sent bywireless to Macduff, but an answercame that it was impossible to enterMacduff harbour, so the life-boatcarried on to Buckie with the St.Stephen following her, accompanied bythe Cape Cleveland. There they arrivedat 5.0 in the afternoon and the life-boat,leaving the St. Stephen outside theharbour, brought the injured manashore. When it had become knownat Buckie that the St. Stephen wasmaking for that port the crew of theBuckie motor life-boat K.B.M. hadassembled, and at ten o'clock theyand some of the Fraserburgh crewwent out in the Fraserburgh life-boat,put a pilot on board the St. Stephen,and escorted her into the harbourat 12.45 next morning.—Rewards,Peterhead, £39 14*.; Fraserburgh.£30 17s.; Buckie, £4.

TAKING OUT A PILOT

Aith, Shetlands.—At 9.30 in themorning of January 10th, 1947, theharbour-master at Lerwick telephonedthat Wick Radio had transmitted a'message from the S.S. Irish Fir, ofDublin, which was storm-bound in St.Magnus Bay, asking for a pilot. Afull south-easterly gale was blowingwith a rough sea, and visibility waspoor. As no ordinary boat could putto sea in that weather the harbour-master asked the Aith life-boat totake out a pilot, if one were sent fromLerwick, and The Rank-in left withhim at 10.7, put him on board thesteamer, and returned at 12.25 in theafternoon.—Rewards, £8 15.s.

REFLOATING A STRANDED STEAMER

Caister, Norfolk.—At 12.30 in theafternoon of January llth, 1947, asteamer was seen to have stranded onthe Caister Shoal, half a mile east bysouth of the life-boat station. Shemade distress signals. The coxswainwas away and the motor life-boat JoseNeville was launched at 12.45 P.M. incharge of the second coxswain. Theweather was foggy, with a fresh tostrong south-westerly wind and amoderate sea. The steamer was theEwell, of London, a collier, bound fromSunderland to London with 2,000 tonsof coal. The life-boat stood by fortwelve hours while tugs tried, withoutsuccess, to refloat the steamer, andcame ashore at 1.0 next morning. Sixhours later she put out again, this timein charge of the coxswain, but againall efforts to refloat the steamer failed

. and the life-boat came ashore at 2.15in the afternoon. On the following dayshe made her third trip to the Ewell,leaving at 10.0 in the morning withshipping agents on board, and returnedat 4.0. At 11.45 that night, January13th, the steamer was refloated.—Property Salvage Case.

STEAMER ABANDONED IN HEAVY SEA

Barrow, Lancashire.—At 10.35 on thenight of January llth, 1947, informa-tion was received, through the Hoylakecoastguard, from the Morecambe BayLight-vessel, that a vessel was indistress, and the motor life-boat N.T.


was launched at 11 o'clock, with thesecond coxswain in command, and thetown clerk of Barrow as one of the crew.A moderate breeze was blowing fromthe west-south-west, but the sea washeavy. About four miles east of thelight-vessel the life-boat found ninemen in a ship's boat. They were thecrew of the S.S. Firethorn, of London,on passage from Garston to Belfast,and had abandoned their ship whenshe had developed such a heavy listthat it was impossible to feed thefurnace. The life-boat took the menon board and arrived back at herstation at 3.0 next morning. TheFirethorn was eventually picked upby the fishery protection vessel CharlesMclver, and taken to Fleetwood.—Rewards, £12 2s. 6d.

DUTCH VESSEL TOWED THROUGHROUGH SEA

Weymoutb, Dorset.—At 6.10 in themorning of January 12th, 1947, areport was received from St. AlbansHead, through the Wyke Regis coast-guard, that a vessel was burning distressilares about six miles to the south-south-west. A fresh and increasingwesterly wind was blowing, with arough sea. The motor life-boat Williamand Clara Byland was launched at6.25, and at nine o'clock she foundthe Dutch motor vessel Elisabeth, ofRotterdam, about three miles south-south-west of Chapman's Pool. TheElisabeth was bound for Plymouth,laden with timber. She carried a crewof five. Her engine had broken downand she had drifted for a time, but wasat, anchor when the life-boat found her.The life-boat took her in tow andbrought her into Weymouth Harbourat 3.45 that afternoon.—Property Sal-vage Case.

A LIFE-BOAT AS HEARSE

Valentia, Co. Kerry.—At 12.15 in theafternoon of January 12th, 1947, theCivic Guard asked that the life-boatshould put out to Great Blasket Islandand bring back the body of a man.A strong south-westerly breeze wasblowing, with a rough sea, and theweather was too bad for an ordinary boatto put out. The motor life-boat C. and

S. was launched at 12.40 in charge ofMr. T. R. Stewart, the honorary sec-retary of the station, and brought thebody from the island, arriving back ather station at 3.0 in the morning ofthe 13th.—Rewards, £24 14*.

FOOD TO A STARVING ISLAND

Aith, Shetlands. — For nearly threeweeks the island of Papa Stour had beencut off from the mainland and theislanders were starving. On Januaryllth, 1947, the food executive officerfor Shetland asked for the help of thelife-boat and this was promised assoon as the weather made it possible.Stores were delivered to the life-boatstation, and, at 2.0 in the afternoon ofSunday, the 12th, the motor life-boatThe Rankin put out in a strong andincreasing S.W. breeze, with a roughsea. The weather was very cold, withsqualls of sleet. Shortly after the life-boat had left, Dr. Hamilton, of Walls,telephoned that a boat had come fromPapa Stour, at great risk, to fetch himas he was urgently needed, but that hecould only go if he was assured ofgetting back. As the weather wasworsening and the boat from, the islandwould not be able to bring hint back,he was told to go in her to the islandand return in the life-boat. She de-livered the food and brought back thedoctor, arriving at 7.10 that evening.—Rewards, £14.

PLEASURE PARTY RESCUED

Troon, Ayrshire.—At 6.50 in the even-ing of January 12th, 1947, the pilothouse telephoned that a boat to thenorth of Lady Isle was making flares.A strong north-easterly breeze wasblowing, with a rough sea. The motorlife-boat Sir David Richmond of Glasgow,was launched at 7.15 and found themotor fishing boat Enterprise of Troon.She had been on a pleasure cruiseround the island, her engine hadbroken down, and she had been unableto sail back against the ebb tide. Thelife-boat took off eight of the party often who were on board and towed theEnterprise to the harbour, arrivingback at her station at 8.40 P.M.—Rewards, £7.


By courtesy of] [Mr. H. H, Tansley, Grower

A HAPPY MEETING.H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent, President of the Institution,

and Coxswain Henry Blogg, G.C., B.E.M., of Cromer.

THE HENRY BLOGG.The new Cromer life-boat, of the 46-ft. Watson cabin type, with steering amidships Built in 1945.


FISHING BOAT TOWED INNew Brighton, Cheshire.—-At about 4.45

in the afternoon of January 13th, 1947,the Hoylake coastguard reported thata fishing boat had put out from Hoy-lake and had not returned. A boat,apparently in difficulties, could be seenclose to a lee shore off Harrison Drive.The No. 2 motor life-boat Edmund andMary Robinson was launched at 5.25.A strong north-westerly breeze wasblowing and the sea was moderate.The life-boat found the motor fishingboat Lilian, of Fleetwood, with herengine broken down, making headwayunder sail up Rock Channel. The life-boat escorted her to New Brighton,took her in tow, placed her on moorings,and then took on board her crew of twomen and returned to her station,arriving at' 7.45 that evening.—Re-wards, £9.

LAUNCH BROKEN DOWN IN A HEAVYSEA

Lowestoft, Suffolk. — At 4.0 in theafternoon of January 15th, 1947, thecoastguard reported that a vessel,believed to be an ex-naval motor launch,was drifting five miles south of thecoastguard station. A south-westerlybreeze was blowing, with a heavy sea.The motor life-boat Michael Stephenswas launched at 5.10 and found themotor launch, with a crew of four-teen, anchored near the south-eastNewcombe buoy. Her engines haddragged her anchor. The life-boatstood by while she repaired them, andat 6.30 piloted her to a navigablechannel, returning to her station at8.0 P.M.—Rewards, £10 17s.

BRINGING A WOMAN WITH CHILDTO HOSPITAL

Lerwick, Shetlands.—At 10.21 in themorning of January 18th, 1947, adoctor at Mid Yell telephoned that hehad a woman with child on the island ofFetlar who must be brought to hospitalat once and there was no suitable boat.A moderate N.W. breeze was blowingwith a choppy sea when the motorlife-boat Lady Jane and Martha Rylandwas launched at 11.8. She reachedHubie, Fetlar, soon after 2.0 in theafternoon, took the patient on boardon a stretcher, accompanied by her

husband and a nurse, and reachedLerwick again at 6.0 in the evening.An ambulance met the life-boat andthe patient was taken to LerwickHospital. The services of the life-boatsaved her life. The cost of the servicewas paid by the Department of Healthfor Scotland.—Rewards, £17 145.

FISHING BOAT OUT OF PETROL

Lytham-St. Annes, Lancashire.—At 8.0in the evening of January 19th, 1947,the Lytham police reported thatthe fishing boat Helen, of Liverpool,with a crew of three aboard, was inneed of help. The wind from the east-south-east was light, but the sea wasrough and there was a thick fog. Themotor life-boat Dunleary was launchedat 8.35 and found the Helen nearthe Bar Buoy. She had run out ofpetrol, and the life-boat towed her toLytham Pier, arriving at 12.15 nextmorning.—Rewards, £11 4s.

STANDING BY FOR 22 HOURSDunbar, Haddingtonshire.—At 12.24 in

the afternoon of January 20th, 1947,the coastguard telephoned that a vesselhad run aground on the Black Rocksone mile south-east of Dunbar in athick fog. The weather was calm.The motor life-boat George, and, SarahStrachan was launched at 12.30 andfound the S.S. Skoghaug, of Haugesund,bound for Leith laden with pit-props.She was damaged below the water-lineand making water. The master askedthe coxswain to stand by, and the life-boat did so for twenty-two hours untila salvage vessel arrived. She thenreturned to the station, arriving at10.45 A.M. on the 21st.—Rewards,£43 15s.

ANOTHER MATERNITY CASE

Tobermory, Argyllshire.—On January20th, 1947, a doctor telephoned askingfor the life-boat to convey to Oban awoman with child, who was dangerouslyill. The only hope of saving her lifewas to get her to Oban immediately,and from there to Glasgow for an opera-tion. She was the sister-in-law of thelife-boat's motor mechanic. Theweather was fine, with a south-easterlywind and a moderate sea. The motor


life-boat Sir Arthur Rose left for Obanat 3.15 in the afternoon with the patientand two nurses on board, and landedthem at Oban at 6.40 in the evening.She got back to her station at 11.45 thatnight. The cost of the service waspaid by the Argyll County Council.—Rewards, £10 11s.

TAKING A DOCTOR TO A LIGHT-VESSEL

Llandudno, Caernarvonshire.—OnJanuary 21st, 1947, while the WesternLight-vessel was being towed to anotherposition, the wire tow-rope parted,one of the light-vessel's crew wasseriously injured, and at 3.30 in theafternoon the Mersey Docks and Har-bour Board telephoned to the life-boatstation asking if the life-boat couldtake out a doctor. A moderate windwas blowing from the south-east andthere was a swell when the motor life-boat Thomas and Annie Wade Richardswas launched at four o'clock with thedoctor on board. She found the light-vessel sixteen miles off Great Orme'sHead, and after the doctor had attendedto the injured man brought him back,arriving at 10.0 that night. The MerseyDocks and Harbour Board expressedtheir thanks and paid the cost of theservice.—Rewards, £27 8*.

FISHING BOAT WITH FOULEDPROPELLER

Stromness, Orkneys.—At 4.27 in theafternoon of January 27th, 1947, afishing boat was seen making distresssignals near the Kirk Rocks in HoySound. The breeze, from the south-west, was light, but there was a heavyground swell. The motor life-boatJ.J.K.S.W. was launched at 4.37, andfound the fishing boat Bertha Jane, ofKirkwall, with three men on board.Her fishing line had fouled her propellerand she had anchored in a dangerousposition. The life-boat towed her in,arriving back at her station at 6.15 P.M.—Rewards, £6 16s.

DRIFTING TOWARDS THE ROCKS

Wicklow.—At 4.30 in the afternoon ofJanuary 28th, 1947, the lighthousekeeper at Wicklow Head telephonedthat a fishing boat was flying distresssignals half a mile south-east of the

Head. A strong north-easterly breezewas blowing, the sea was rough, and itwas snowing heavily. The motor life-boat Lady Kylsant was launched at4.45 P.M., and found the Anastatia, ofArklow, with four men on board, halfa mile north-east of Wolf Rock, driftingtowards it. The life-boat towed herin, arriving back at her station at 7.30in the evening.—Property Salvage Case.

AMERICAN STEAMER AGROUND

Falmouth, Cornwall. — Shortly after1.0 in the morning of February 1st,1947, information was received fromthe coastguard that a steamer in theharbour was showing signals of distress.A south-east gale was blowing with arough sea and heavy rain. The motorlife-boat Crawford and 'Constance Cony-beare was launched at 1.30, and fifteenminutes later found the S.S. HenryMiddleton, of New York, ashore atTrefusis Point, Falmouth Harbour.She was a steamer of over 4,300 tons,bound from Cherbourg for the UnitedStates. At the master's request thelife-boat took a hawser to the tugNorthgate Scot, and about an hour laterthe tug refloated the steamer. As thesteamer had no pilot, the life-boat'ssecond coxswain and bowman wentaboard, and, accompanied by the life-boat she went to the Cross Channel,and there anchored. The life-boatwaited some time until it was certainthat the steamer was not making anywater, and returned to her station,arriving there at 5.30 in the morning.—Property Salvage Case.

MOTOR LAUNCH BROKEN DOWNSelsey, Sussex.—At about 8.40 in the

morning of February 6th, 1947, thecoastguard reported that two motor'launches were flying signals two mileseast-south-east of Selsey Bill Towerand it .was thought that they neededhelp. A moderate easterly breeze wasblowing, with a choppy sea. The motorlife-boat Canadian Pacific, was launchedat 8.55 and found the motor launchFlying Christine, of Shoreham, with acrew of two. She had broken a fuelpipe. The life-boat towed her toLittlehampton and returned to herstation, arriving at 3.30 in the after-noon.—Rewards, £23 4s. lOd.


BRINGING A SICK MAN ASHORE

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, Norfolk.—At 9.25 in the evening of February7th, 1947, information was receivedthrough the coastguard that the motorvessel Jim M., of London, which wasanchored about three miles N.E. fromGorleston Pier, needed a doctor for asick man. A moderate east by southgale was blowing, with a rough sea anda heavy swell. The motor life-boatLouise Stephens, with a doctor, waslaunched at 9.57 P.M., but it -was onlywith difficulty that she put him onboard the JimM., and she was damagedin doing so. In that heavy sea it wastoo risky to transfer the sick man to thelife-boat so she brought the doctor back,arriving at 11.0 at night. Next morn-ing the weather was still so bad thatthe Jim M. could not enter harbour toland the sick man, so the life-boatwent out at 10.10 with the doctor.This time she was able to take thesick man on board, and landed himsafely at 11.27.—Rewards, First ser-vice, £11 8s.; Second sendee, £14 4s. 6d.

ANOTHER COLLIER IN DIFFICULTIES

Port Erin, Isle of Man.—At 11.15 inthe morning of February 8th, 1947, thelife-boat's honorary secretary saw theS.S. Topaz, of Glasgow, run on tothe submerged breakwater. She was acollier, bound, laden, from Silloth toDublin, carrying a crew of twelve.An easterly gale was blowing with amoderately rough sea. The motorlife-boat Matthew Simpson was launchedat 11.30 and stood by the Topaz untilshe refloated. She then put her secondcoxswain on board to pilot her intothe bay, and escorted her in, as shewas holed in the forepeak. Later shebrought the captain of the steamerashore to communicate with hisowners, and then took him back again,returning to her station at 3.0 P.M.—Rewards, £17 105.

LONDON SHIP IN DISTRESS OFFNORFOLK

Wells, Norfolk.—At 7.45 in the even-ing of February 8th, 1947, the coast-guard reported that a ship had beenseen, anchored, about two and ahalf miles north-east of the harbour,and might need the life-boat. Just

after midnight she wirelessed for alife-boat to stand by her, and at 12.48the coastguard reported that she wasdragging her anchors. A strong east-erly breeze was blowing with a veryrough sea. The motor life-boat CecilPaine was launched at 1.35 and foundthat the ship was the motor vessel Spi-rality, of London. She had three anchorsdown, and the life-boat stood by heruntil a tug arrived at six o'clock, tookher in tow, and made for King's Lynn.The life-boat returned to her station,arriving at 8.30 in the morning.—Rewards, £38 15,?.

COLLIER HELPLESS IN A HEAVY SEA

Lowestoft, Suffolk.—At 4.50 in themorning of February 10th, 1947, thecoastguard telephoned that North Fore-land Radio had picked up a call forhelp from a vessel in the Lowestoft area.A strong easterly gale was blowing withvery heavy seas, and it was bitterly cold,with showers of hail. The motor life-boat Michael Stephens was launched at5.40 and found the s.s. Cambrian Coast,of Liverpool, five miles east-south-eastfrom Lowestoft, bound from Newcastlefof London with coal, carrying a crewof eighteen. She was at anchor, rollingheavily, swept by the heavy seas, witha heavy list, her wireless out of orderand her engine disabled, but her pumpsworking. After standing by for atime the life-boat came in at 10.30in the morning to get a tug, and laterthe Cambrian Coast was towed intoharbour.—Rewards, £8 15s.

DOCTOR TO A SCALDED MAN

Donaghadee, Co. Down.—At 2.30 inthe afternoon of February 12th, 1947,a firm of shipping agents in Belfast tele-phoned requesting the help of the life-boat to take a doctor out to a vessel atanchor in Carrick Roads, Belfast Lough,as they were unable to get a tug. Astrong south-east wind was blowing witha heavy sea, and it was snowing. Themotor life-boat B.A.S.P., on temporaryduty at the station in place of the CivilService No. 5, was launched at 2.50.She picked up a doctor at Bangor,took him to the S.S. Sylvqfield, of New-castle, which had on board a badlyscalded man, and brought him back toBangor. She arrived at her station again


AT THE ANNUAL MEETING IN 1946: THE SEVEN MEDALLISTS.

By courtesy of] [P. A.—Renter

Back row: Coxswain James Watkins, of Angle; Coxswain William Peters, of St. Ives; CoxswainJohn Murt, of Padstow; and Robert Harland, of Whitby

Second row: Coxswain Duncan Newlands, of Campbeltown, and Coxswain Harry Murfield,of Whitby. In front: Coxswain Thomas Bloom, of Walton and Frinton.

By courtesy of\ [Dominion Press

The Right Hon A. V. Alexander, C.H., M.P., Minister of Defence, and Coxswain WilliamPeters, of St. Ives, who won the silver medal for rescuing the crew, a man and his wife, of the

Bideford ketch Minnie Flossie, on October 20th. 1945.


at 7.50 that evening. The cost of theservice was paid by the owners of thesteamer.—Rewards, £14 4s.

FISHING BOATS ESCORTED IN

Whitby, Yorkshire. — Early in themorning of February 19th, 1947, twofishing boats, the Pilot Me and the Gem,put to sea in moderate weather. Laterthe sea became heavy, making it verydangerous for boats to enter the har-bour, and the motor life-boat Mary AnnHepworth was launched at 12.45 in theafternoon, in charge of the second cox-swain. She met the Gem one and ahalf miles north of Whitby, escortedher into harbour, went out again,found the Pilot Me .two miles off andescorted her in, arriving back at 2.45in the afternoon.—Rewards, £8 4s.

LAUNCHERS' ORDEALHastings, Sussex. — At 5.32 in the

evening of February 20th, 1947, thecoastguard telephoned that the Bexhillpolice had reported flares about fivemiles south of Bexhill. An easterlybreeze was blowing with a moderatesea and it was very cold. The motorlife-boat Cyril and Lilian Bishop waslaunched at 7.15. It was low waterand the crew and forty launchers hadthe greatest difficulty in getting herover a sandbank. They were workingfor half an hour up to their waists inthe icy - cold water. The life-boatsearched for two hours, but foundnothing and returned to her stationat 9.24 that evening.—Rewards: Anincrease in the usual money awards onthe standard scale was made to thecrew and helpers. Standard rewards,£47. 4s. 6d.; additional rewards,£10 10s.; total rewards, £57 14s. 6d.

ATTEMPTING TO SALVE A DUTCHSTEAMER

The Humber, and Bridlington, Yorkshire.—At about 10.30 in the morning ofFebruary 21st, 1947, the master of themotor vessel Vrede, of Rotterdam, whichhad gone ashore four miles north ofWithernsea, asked if the life-boatwould stand by his vessel while effortswere made by a tug to refloat her. Afresh easterly gale was blowing, with avery rough sea, and it was snowingheavily. The motor life-boat City of

Bradford II was launched at 2.35 inthe afternoon, but the weather wasworsening, and when she reached theVrede the master of the tug postponedthe attempt. The life-boat returnedto her station, arriving at 11.35 thatnight. A message came asking if thelife-boat would come at eleven nextmorning. A failure in an engine pre-vented her going, and instead, at therequest of the coastguard, the Brid-lington motor life-boat Stanhope Smartwent out at 11.30 in the morning. Thesea was very rough, and a strongeasterly wind was blowing, with snowshowers. When the life-boat reachedthe Vrede at 2.0 in the afternoon, shefound the Dutch tug Hudson there.The life-boat took on board a ropefrom the tug and then fired a line tothe Vrede with her line-throwing gun,by means of which the Vrede hauledthe rope on board. She then stood bywhile the tug attempted to haul thesteamer afloat. The life-boat wasshipping heavy seas, and ice wasforming on the clothing of the life-boatmen, but she stood by until highwater at six o'clock. She then re-turned to her station but could not behoused owing to the ice on the slipway.Next morning she put out at seveno'clock, reached the Vrede at 10.0 andagain got a connecting tow-rope to her.She then stood by until 7.0 in theevening, but all efforts to refloat thesteamer were unsuccessful and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at10.0 P.M.—The Humber, permanentpaid crew; Bridlington, Property Sal-vage Case.

St. David's, and Fishguard, Pembroke'shire.—At about 2.30 in the afternoonof February 21st, 1947, the coastguardreported that the S.S. Empire Dolphin,of Glasgow, a tanker of 7,000 tons,with six men on board, was driftingout of control two miles north-eastof St. David's Head. A fresh breezewas blowing from east-north-east, witha moderate sea, and it was bitterly cold.The motor life-boat Civil Service No. 6was launched at 2.50 and found thetanker with the motor vessel Gartwoodstanding by. The tanker had been intow of a tug, but the tug had had toleave her owing to trouble with herboiler. The life-boat helped to fix a


"WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAMME WITH A GALE WARNING."

From the drawing by Mr. David Langdon, reproduced by courtesy of the artist andThe Evening Standard.


tow between the tanker and the motorvessel and the latter started to towtowards Milford Haven, with the life-boat standing by, but the tow-ropeparted and the life-boat then took offthe tanker's six men and arrived ather station at midnight. The Fish-guard motor life-boat White Star alsoput out twice but was not wanted andfinally arrived back at her station at9.0 in the morning of the 22nd. TheEmpire Dolphin was later towed toSwansea.—Rewards, St. David's £21;Fishguard, £11 125. and £25 4*.

BOY TRAPPED ON A CLIFFAberystwyth, Cardiganshire.—At 9.5 in

the evening of February 22nd, 1947,the police telephoned" that a boy wasstranded on the cliff-face north ofAberystwyth and that the NationalFire Service had failed to find him.The weather was fine with a smoothsea and light north-easterly wind.The motor life-boat Frederick Anguswas launched at 9.45. Mr. GeorgeWilliams, the honorary secretary ofthe station, was on board her. Shetook a powerful spot-light, and had asmall boat, with a crew of three, intow, for getting ashore under the cliff.In response to the spot-light, flickeringsparks were seen from the cliff, but noreply was made to the shouts of thecrew. Taking the spot-light, the smallboat worked close inshore and hercrew were then able to speak to theboy, who said that he was on a narrowledge, and afraid to move. Two menthen landed from the small boat withthe spot-light, and one of them at-tempted to climb the cliff, but fromthe shore the spot-light was not soeffective, so the life-boat put back andreturned with an acetylene gas flare,and with Mr. Bowker and Mr. J.Andrews, of the St. John's Ambulance.The gas flare was transferred to thesmall boat. By its light the boycould be clearly seen and it was possibleto direct him down the cliff and alonga sheep-track to a place where men ofthe National Fire Service met him,and from there by a path to thepromenade. When it was known thathe was safe the men ashore were, withsome difficulty, taken into the smallboat, and with her in tow the life-boat

made for her station, 'which shereached at 11.30 that night.—Rewards,£24 9*.

DUTCH SHIP TOWED INAmble, Northumberland.—At noon on

February 24th, 1947, the coastguardreported that a vessel was flying dis-tress signals eight miles south-east ofCoquet Island. A fresh north-westerlybreeze was blowing with a moderatesea. The motor life-boat Frederickand Emma was launched at 12.35 andfound the motor vessel Van Gelder, ofRotterdam, with her engine brokendown. She was a ship of 420 tons witha crew of seven, and was bound forAberdeen laden with bricks. The life-boat towed her to Blyth, and arrivedback at her station at 9.30 that night.—Property Salvage Case.

IRISH AND GREEK SHIPS ASHORE IN ABLIZZARD

Campbeltown, Argyllshire.—At 7.20 inthe morning of February 26th, 1947,the Southend coastguard telephonedthat the motor vessel Royal Ulsterman,of Belfast, was aground on Arran. Shewas on her usual run from Belfast toGlasgow with passengers, and had goneashore in a blizzard. A strong breeze•was blowing from east-north-east, thesta was very rough and visibility waspoor when the motor life-boat City ofGlasgow was launched at 7.51. She wentround the north end of Arran. Ov\her way she received wireless messagesfrom the Royal Ulsterman that anothersteamer and two tugs were standingby her and that she was betweenBrodick and Lamlash. There thelife-boat found her, about 12.45 in theafternoon. The tugs could neitherget near the Royal Ulsterman in theshallow water nor launch boats in theheavy seas, so the life-boat carriedropes between them, and eventually theRoyal Ulsterman was refloated and ableto go on her way. After an eleven-hours' service in very trying conditionsthe life-boat reached her station againat 6.0 that evening.—Property SalvageCase.

Cullercoats, and Tynemoutb, North-umberland.—On the same morning,February 26th, 1947, the Greek


steamer Zephyros, of Argostoli, a vesselof 4,000 tons, bound, in ballast, fromRouen to the Tyne, was driven ashoreduring a blizzard at Brown's Point,Cullercoats. The news was passed toCullercoats by the Blyth coastguardat 7.20, and twenty minutes later themotor life-boat Westmorland waslaunched in a strong south-easterlygale, with very rough seas and thicksnow. Mr. J. J. Ingledew, the hono-rary secretary of the station, went withher. The steamer was among dangerousrocks, the tide was falling, and the life-boat could not get alongside. Shereturned to her station at nine o'clock.At low tide the steamer's crew ofthirty-five were able to walk ashore.

The life-boat's crew remained inreadiness, and when tugs arrived to tryand tow the steamer off the life-boatwent out again at about 2.0 in theafternoon to help. The Greek crewalso returned to their ship. The attemptto refloat her failed and with twentyof the Greeks on board, the life-boatcame back at six o'clock. On thefollowing day others of the Greek crewwanted to come ashore again, but nosmall boat could make the journey.The life-boat herself was launched forthe third time at 1.30 that afternoon,and after a further unsuccessful attemptby tugs to get the steamer afloat, shereturned at 4.30 bringing ashore twoof the steamer's crew.

The Tynemouth motor life-boatHenry Frederick Swan was alsolaunched, but as the tide was ebbingand the steamer in no immediatedanger, she returned to her station.—Rewards, Cullercoats, First service,£28 2s. Gd.; Second sendee, PropertySalvage Case; Third service, £25 15s.;Tynemouth, £13 16s.

LIFE-BOATS USED BECAUSE ROADSWERE BLOCKED

Lerwick, Shetlands.—Just after 10.0in the morning of February 27th, 1947,when all roads were completely blockedby snow, information was received fromthe Gilbert Bain Hospital that a girlof twelve at Vidlin had to be taken toLerwick for an immediate operation.Would the life-boat take her by sea?At 10.40 the motor life-boat Lady Janeand Martha Ryland was launched.

She reached Vidlin at 1.15 P.M., andtook the girl on board with her motherand another relative. An easterly galewas blowing, with heavy snow showers,and the temperature was below zero.The life-boat arrived at Lerwick at3.55 in the afternoon, and the girl wastaken to the hospital.—Rewards, £14.

Lerwick, Shetlands.—At midnight ofFebruary 27th, 1947, a doctor tele-phoned that he was needed for an urgentmaternity case at Quarff, and snowprevented him going by road. Heasked for the life-boat's help. Themotor life-boat Lady Jane and MarthaRyland was launched at 1.35 A.M. withthe doctor and a nurse on board. Itwas very cold. The breeze from thesouth-east was moderate, but the seawas rough, and the life-boat arrived atQuarff to find that it was too heavy forpeople on shore to launch a small boatto land the doctor and nurse, so shehad to bring them back, reaching Ler-wick again just before 4.0 in the morn-ing.—Rewards, £8 19s.

FISHING BOATS IN A SNOWSTORM

Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 5.30 in themorning of February 28th, 1947, threemotor fishing boats put to sea in mod-erate weather. By ten o'clock a strongeasterly wind was blowing, with snowshowers, the sea was breaking heavilyacross the harbour entrance, makingit dangerous, and the motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepri'orth was launched.She met the Provider one and a halfmiles to the north and escorted her in.About an hour later she put out again,this time in a snowstorm, found theGalilee near the Rock Buoy, andescorted her in. She waited thenfor news of the third boat, the PilotMe, and when she learnt that shewas coming home went out for thethird time, met her two and a halfmiles north of Whitby, and cameinto harbour with her at 3.0 in theafternoon.—Rewards, £13 13s. 6d.

ANOTHER FISHING BOAT IN DANGER

Scarborough, Yorkshire.—At 3.3 inthe afternoon of February 28th, 1947, areport was received that a fishing boatwas lying about a quarter of a mile east


of Castle Hill, in a dangerous position.A strong breeze was blowing from thenorth-east, with a heavy sea breakingacross the bay and harbour entrance.It was dead low water, and the boatwas waiting for the rising tide in orderto come in. The motor life-boat HerbertJoy II was launched at 4.10, andfound the boat to be the Floreat, witha crew of five. She escorted her intoharbour, arriving at 5.20.—Rewards,£27 19*.

The following life-boats werelaunched, but could find no vessel indistress, or were not needed. Thefigures in brackets are the rewardspaid:

Fraserburgh (£14 18*. 6d.); Portrush(£8 4*.); Tynemouth (£15 8*. 6d.);Tobermory (£7 18s. 6d.); Helvick Head(£10 0,9. 6rf.); Padstow (£5 17*.); Dona-

ghadee (£7 8s.); Clacton-on-Sea(£24 I3s.6d.) ;Fenit (£26 15s.); Holyhead(£24 13,9. 6d.); Fenit (£26 15s.); Holy-head (£1310s.); Weston-super-Mare (£1710s.); Dungeness (£39 7s.); Margate(£49 2s.); New Brighton (£7 15s.),- TheHumber (permanent paid crew); Selsey(£28 17s.); Troon (£10 19s.); Stornoway(£5 8s.); Margate (£40 14s.); Salcombe(£9 12s.); The Humber (permanentpaid crew); The Humber (permanentpaid crew); Fowey (£10 10s.); Torbay(£7 16s.); Skegness (£19 2s.); GreatYarmouth and Gorleston (£17 Os. 6d.);The Humber (permanent paid crew);Wicklow (£16 Os. 6d.); Skegness(£23 12s.); Ramsgate (£5 13s.); Filey(£14 2s. 6d.); Sunderland (£31 10s.);Montrose (£10 12s.); Kilmore(£341s.6d)

Eighteen crews assembled, but foundit unnecessary to launch. (Rewards,£61 Is. 6d.).

Increased RewardsTHE Institution has substantially in-creased the annual retaining fees whichit pays to the officers of its life-boats,and others who have regular duties toperform. The coxswain's fee, whichvaried from £24 to £32 a year accordingto the size of the life-boat, will now befrom £52 to £60. The second cox-swain's, which varied from £610s. to £8,will now be from £24 to £28, and thebowman's is increased from £2 10s. to£10. Increases have also been made inthe retaining fees of those with regularduties on shore—the shore signalman,the shore attendant, the head launcher,the winchman, the lightman, and thetractor driver, and in the paymentsto crews and launchers for exerciselaunches.

A new scale of rewards for coxswains

and crews has also been drawn up. Infuture the minimum reward in summerwill be 15s. for the first two hours, orpart of two hours, and 4s. an hour foreach additional hour. In winter theminimum will be £l, with 5s. for eachhour after the first two. Previously thescale varied from 12s. 6d. for a serviceon a summer day to £2 16s. 6d. for aservice in the winter when the life-boatwas out for part of the day and night.

These changes do not, of course,affect the practice of the Institution ofgiving increased money rewards for anyservices which have been speciallydifficult or arduous. It is estimatedthat they will add about £10,000 ayear to the payments which the Insti-tution makes to its coxswains, crewsand launchers.

Medals for Gallantry in 1946FOUR medals for gallantry wereawarded by the Institution in 1946,two silver and two bronze. The silvermedals were won by Coxswain JohnMurt, of Padstow, and Robert Harland,

a member of the Whitby crew, andthe bronze medals by CoxswainHenry Murfield, of Whitby, andCoxswain Duncan Newlands, of Camp-beltown.


" Storm on the WatersStorm on the Waters^- is the story of

the Life-boat Service in the war of1939-45. The full story cannot betold in the compass of a small book,but if Mr. Vince has had to omit muchthat we should like to see included, hehas given us a vivid, accurate, andenthralling picture of the working ofthe service in its greatest hours. Irecommend all readers of this journal tobuy a copy, and if this is impossible,since printing restrictions have severelylimited the number of copies produced,to ask for it at their libraries.

To me, the book recalls the mostactive and interesting years I spent inthe Institution's service. It is good tolook back on those years, and to seeagain, in the admirably reproducedpictures, some of the life-boatmen, andone woman, who, as they would be thefirst to declare, are typical specimens ofthose ordinary men and women who justdid the job that needed doing, and tookwhat came to them, in those grim years.At least as much as those in the disci-plined forces,they made victory possible.

1 Storm on the Waters: The Story of the Life-boat Service in the War of 1939-45, by CharlesVince, Hodder & rttoughton, es. Copies can beobtained from the Institution.

No one could read this book withoutbeing more than ever convinced thateven in the stress of war a Life-boatService is. best when controlled andmanned by volunteers, united in spirit,but not shackled by the ties of rigiddiscipline. Mr. Vince gives detailedinstances of official control and inter-ference ; sometimes no doubt necessary,but never helpful, and often delayingor .hindering the work of life-saving.In these years of uneasy peace, we shall,I think, be very unwise, in any aspectof national life, to place our relianceon a regimented population, and toset aside the genius for voluntary co-operation that Englishmen, Scotsmen,Welshmen and Irishmen have provedthat they can show the world. Nothingtypifies this genius more finely than theLife-boat Service, and this little bookshould be read by all who would under-stand the ordinary people of theseislands; their quiet courage, their en-durance, their humour and cheerful-ness ; and the ideals which, though theymay not trouble to formulate them inmanifestoes or proclamations, lie deepin their souls.

C. R. S.

A Disaster of 63 Years Ago RecalledAMONG the names of honorary workersto whom awards have been made thisyear is Mrs. Ellen Surman, who fortwenty-seven years has been an hono-rary worker at Neath, Glamorganshire.

In accepting the reward, Mrs. Surmanreminded the Institution that she wasone of the children made orphans bythe capsizing of the life-boat of The

Mumbles on 27th January, 1883, whenfour of her crew lost their lives. Allher family were members of the crew.Her grandfather had been coxswain,and of the four men who lost then-lives in this disaster one was her father,the bowman, and two were her uncles,the second-coxswain and a memberof the crew.

The "Winston Churchill"THERE are at present on the coast sevenmotor life-boats which have been givenand endowed by the Civil ServiceLife-boat Fund. An eighth is to beadded to them before the end of theyear, the 46-feet Watson cabin life-boatwhich is now being built for Blyth, inNorthumberland; and Mr. WTinston

Churchill, who is a vice-patron of thefund, has agreed to the fund's requestthat she shall be named after him.Since the fund was started in 1866, ithas given and endowed twenty-fourlife-boats (not including this new boat),and they have rescued over 2,000lives.


ObituaryLord Souttborough

THE LORD SOUTHBOROUGH, G.C.B.,G.C.V.O., K.C.S.I, P.C., who died inJanuary, 1947, at the age of eighty-six,after an astonishingly full life of publicservice, had been a member of theCommittee of Management since 1926,and was appointed a vice-president ofthe Institution in 1930. For thirty-fouryears he had been the chairman andhonorary treasurer of the Civil ServiceLife-boat Fund, and the Margate life-boat (one of seven life-boats now onthe coast which have been built andendowed by the fund) is named afterhim. He took a close and personalinterest in the fund's work, and whenhe was dying he was in correspondencewith Mr. Winston Churchill, whosename he was most anxious should begiven to the new Civil Service boat nowbeing built for Blyth. That was, hesaid, "his final act" for the Civil ServiceLife-boat Fund.

Mr. H. Arthur BakerBY the death of ME. H. ARTHURBAKER, on llth December, 1946, theCommittee of Management have lost acolleague whose devoted services theyfeel that they can ill spare. Hebecame a member in 1925, and wasappointed a vice-president in 1943.He served on the Finance Committee,the General Purposes and PublicityCommittee, and the EstablishmentCommittee. As chairman of theEstablishment Committee in particular,he gave himself without stint to theoften complicated and difficult detailsof the work, and for all that he did onthis committee not only his colleaguesbut the officers and staff of the Institu-tion will gratefully remember him.

Alderman Lady Reed, of ExeterALDERMAN LADY (EMILIE WARD) REED,who died in February, 1947, was for

nearly forty vears actively associatedwith the Exeter branch, and she foundtime, in the midst of many other publicduties, to give it always her personaland enthusiastic help. She was at onetime the honorary secretary of thebranch and, at the time of her death,chairman of both the branch and theLadies' Life-boat Guild. It is verylargely to her inspiring work that thebranch and the guild in Exeter owetheir success.

Lady Reed was awarded the Institu-tion's gold badge, given only fordistinguished honorary work, in 1930,and in 1935 was appointed an honorarylife-governor, the highest honour whichthe Institution can give to an honoraryworker.

Mr. Perceval S. FarrantMR. PERCEVAL FARRANT, who died on13th March, 1947, was one of the mostsuccessful organizing secretaries whomthe Institution has ever had. He wasin its service for thirty-seven years, andfor twenty-eight years of that time he•was responsible for the whole of theSouth-Western District from Berkshireto Land's End. He had the gift ofcommunicating to others his owndeep interest in the work, and hundredsof honorary workers in his district willshare with his colleagues at the In-stitution in grief for his death andadmiration for his work. In the fiveyears before his appointment to theSouth-West of England, the district'saverage contribution was under £7,000.In his first complete year of work heincreased it to nearly £11,000. In hislast year it was over £26,000, and in itsrecord year, 1944, it was over £33,000.Those figures speak for themselves of thesuccess of his -work. He continued itthrough a long and painful illness, anddid not give it up until almost the end

Dr. Joseph Soar, M.B.E., of St. David'sIN the New Year's Honours Dr. JosephSoar, Mus. Doc., F.R.C.O., A.R.C.M.,the organist of St. David's Cathedral,and for twenty-one years the honorarysecretary of the life-boat station at St.

David's, was made a member of theOrder of the British Empire in recog-nition of his work for the Life-boatService. He holds the Institution'sbronze medal for gallantry.


A District ConferenceA conference of the branches of the

Outer London District was held at theoffices of the Institution on March10th. Commodore the Earl Howe,C.B.E., V.D., P.C., A.D.C., R.N.V.R.,deputy chairman of the Institution,presided, supported by Sir JohnGumming, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., a vice-president, Colonel A. D. BurnettBrown, M.C., T.D., M.A., secretary,Mr. John Terry, M.A., district organ-

izing secretary, and other officials ofthe Institution.

Representatives were present fromUxbridge, Mitcham, Potters Bar, EastSheen, Harrow, Bexlcy, St. Albans,Welling, Beddington, Wellington andCarshalton, Wimbledon, Southend-on-Sea, Richmond and Kew, Radlett,Sidcup, Cobham, Anerley and Penge,Sutton and Cheam, Claygate, Hornsey,Ewell and Stanmore.

Life-boat Flag Days in 1946IN 1946 flag days were held by 808 of theInstitution's branches, and 7,919,000people contributed. This was overtwo million more than before the war,but three million fewer than in the

record year of 1944. The sum con-tributed in these street-collections was£86,683. That again, though £45,146less than in 1944, was twice as muchas before the war.

Awards to Coxswains and Life-boatmenTo JAMES E. BUMBLE, on his retirement,

after serving for twenty-two years as cox-swain of the Sheringham life-boat, a cox-swain's certificate of service and an annuity.

To DAVID ARTHUR, on his retirement, afterserving for sixteen and a half years as cox-swain and two and three-quarter years asbowman of the Ferryside life-boat, a cox-swain's certificate of service and an annuity.

To MURDO SINCLAIR, on his retirement,after serving for fifteen and a half years ascoxswain of the Barra Island life-boat, acoxswain's certificate of service and anannuity.

To CHARLES A. JOHNSON, on his retirement,after serving for thirteen years as coxswainof the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat, a coxswain's certificate of service andan annuity.

To PETEH.MCPHEE, on his retirement, afterserving for thirteen years as coxswain of thePort Askaig life-boat, a coxswain's certificateof service and an annuity.

To THOMAS H. BLOOM, on his retirement,after serving for ten and three-quarter yearsas coxswain, six and a half years as secondcoxswain and thirteen and three-quarteryears as bowman of the Walton and Frintonlife-boat, a coxswain's certificate of serviceand an annuity.

To JOSEPH O'HANLON, on his retirement,after serving for seven years as coxswain andeight years as second coxswain of the DunLaoghaire life-boat, a coxswain's certificateof service and an annuity.

To WILLIAM ARTHUR, on his retirement,after serving for six and a half years as cox-swain, two and three-quarter years as secondcoxswain and one and three-quarter years asbowman of the Lerwick life-boat, a coxswain'scertificate of service and an annuity.

To JOHN J. TYRRELL, on his retirement,after serving for five years as coxswain andthirty-seven and a half years as a memberof the crew of the Arklow life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of service and a gratuity.

To JAMES RAFFAN, on his retirement, afterserving for one year as coxswain, six and ahalf years as assistant motor mechanic andthree and a half years as a member of thecrew of the Whitehills life-boat, a life-boat-man's certificate of service.

To SAMUEL ADAIR, on his retirement, afterserving for nineteen years as second cox-swain and twenty-five years as a member ofthe crew of the Cloughey. life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of service and anannuity.

To WALTER POWER, on his retirement, afterserving for seventeen years as second cox-swain, six years as bowman and eighteenyears as a member of the crew of the Kilmorelife-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of ser-vice and an annuity.

To ARTHUR J. H. SWAN, on his retirement,after serving for nine years as second cox-swain, one year as bowman, and forty yearsas a member of the crew of the Lowestoftlife-boat, a life-boatman's certificate ofservice and an annuity.


To WILLIAM P. HENDER, on his retirement,after serving for eight years as second cox-swain, seven years as bowman and thirty-six years as a member of the crews of theBeaumaris and Penrnon life-boats, a life-boatman's certificate of service arid anannuity.

To JOHN MC!NTYRE, on his retirement,after serving for two and three-quarter yearsas second coxswain and thirty-one and aquarter years as a member of'the crew ofthe Campbeltown life-boat, a life-boatman'scertificate of service.

To HENRY TONKIN, on his retirement, afterserving for fifteen and one-third years asbowman of the Falmouth life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of service and anannuity.

To GEORGE T. PATTON, on his retirement,after serving for twelve and a half years asbowman and twenty-nine and a half yearsas a member of the crew of the Runswick

life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate ofservice.

To JACK RIMMER, on his retirement, afterserving for eight and three-quarter years asbowman and thirty and a quarter years as amember of the crew of the Blackpool life-boat, a life-boatman's certificate of serviceand a gratuity.

To SWEENEY MCGEACHY, on his retirement,after serving for two and three-quarter yearsas bowman and twenty-three and a quarteryears as a member of the crew of the Camp-beltown life-boat, a life-boatman's certificateof service.

To WILLIAM B. MACKIE, on his retirement,after serving for fifteen years as assistantmotor mechanic and eighteen years as amember of the crew of the Margate life-boat,a life-boatman's certificate of service.

To PHILIP FARROW, on his retirement, afterserving for thirty-nine years as a member ofthe crew of the Walton and Frinton life-boat,a life-boatman's certificate of service.

Awards to Honorary Workers.Made Since January 1st, 1947.

Honorary Life-Governor.The following have been appointed Hono-

rary Life-Governors of the Institution andwill be presented with a copy of the voteinscribed on vellum and signed by H.R.H.the Duchess of Kent, President of theInstitution :

MRS. R. BEVAN JOHN, in recognition of thevaluable help she has given as honorarysecretary of the Llanelly Ladies' Life-boatGuild.

THE LADY FRANCIS GODOLPHIN OSBORNE,in recognition of the valuable help which shehas given for forty-five years, especially asPresident of the Berwick-on-Tweed branchand Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

SIR CHARLES J. H. McREA, J.P., in recog-nition of the valuable help which he hasgiven for twenty years, especially as chair-man of the City of London branch since1935.

Thanks of the Institution on Vellum.The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed

On Vellum has been awarded to:MR. DAVID J. JONES, J.P., on his retire-

ment after over five years as honorary sec-retary of the Rhyl station.

MR. JOHN MANNERS, R.V.O., 1st Class,*onhis retirement after twenty-three years ashonorary secretary of the Blyth station.

MR. DONALD MITCHELL on his retirementafter over nine years as honorary secretaryof the Tobermory station branch.

MR. AMBROSE PUDSEY-DAWSON on hisretirement after over eight years as honorarysecretary of the Tenby station.

*A Swedish decoration,. Knight of the Orderof VASA.

Gold Badge.The Gold Badge has been awarded to:MRS. STANLEY BELL, honorary secretary,

Wigan and Standish Ladies' Life-boat Guild.BAILIE THOMAS BIMSON, J.P., honorary

secretary and treasurer, Irvine branch.Miss D. F. CHANDLER, honorary organizer

of life-boat days, Seaford branch.Miss H. COTTON, honorary secretary,

Kidderminster branch.MRS. MARSDEN, honorary secretary, Hud-

dersfield Ladies' Life-boat Guild.Miss W. F. SHAND, honorary secretary,

Lymm and district Ladies' Life-boat Guild.CAPTAIN HERBERT TURNBULL, M.B.E.,

chairman, Grimsby and Cleethorpes branch.MR. R. A. WETHERALL, honorary secretary,

Swansea and Mumbles branch.MRS. D. J. WILKES, honorary secretary,

Llandudno Ladies' Life-boat Guild.ARCHDEACON HAROLD S. WILLIAMS, chair-

man, The Mumbles life-boat station.

Binocular Glass.The Binocular Glass, with an inscription,

has been awarded to the following honorarysecretaries of life-boat stations in recognitionof valuable services:

The REV. W. CARROLL, M.A., Hon. C.F.,Arklow.

MR. FRANK H. GARON, Southend-on-Sea.

Statuette of a Life-boatman.The Statuette of a Life-boatman has been

awarded to MRS. BLAKE, honorary worker,Ballycotton branch.

JUKE, 1947] THE LIFE-BOAT 31

Record of Thanks.The Record of Thanks has been awarded

to:MRS. ASCOUGH, honorary worker, Bir-

mingham branch.MRS. A. ASHWORTH, honorary secretary,

Mottram and Broadbottom Ladies' Life-boatGuild.

Miss E. J. BAKER, honorary treasurer,Orrell Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MB. H. E. W. BALLANCE, honorary sec-retary, Leigh Branch.

MR. & MRS. BARNES, honorary workers,Birmingham branch.

MRS. BARRETT, honorary treasurer,Mumbles Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. BAXTER, honorary treasurer, Hindleybranch.

MRS. BEARD,, joint honorary secretary,Dukinfield Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. CECIL BENTHAM, president, PoyntonLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. J. WARD BINKS, chairman, Applebybranch.

MRS. BIRCHALL, honorary worker, RhylLadies' Life-boat Guild.

CAPTAIN J. H. BLINSTON, M.M., honorarysecretary, Haydock branch.

MRS. BROWN, honorary worker, Ludlowbranch.

MRS. JOE BURGESS, honorary secretary,Brierfield Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. A. BURTON, chairman, BrierfleldLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MR. S. CAMPBELL, honorary secretary andtreasurer, Kelso branch.

MR. C. CATLOW, chairman, Holmes Chapeland Cranage branch.

MRS. O. CHRISTIE-MILLER, president, CreweLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. CLARKSON, honorary secretary, Conis-borough Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. J. NEVILLE CLEGG, president, Tar-porley branch.

MRS. N. COOKE, honorary treasurer,Dukinfleld Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. M. COWAP, honorary secretary, Tar-porley branch.

MRS. P. M. COWI.E, honorary secretary,Penarth Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. COWPER, honorary worker, LymmLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. PAIGE Cox, vice-president, ChesterLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MR. A. CUTHBERT, honorary treasurer,Anstruther branch.

MRS. W. M. DAVIES, honorary treasurer,Barry Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. E. M. DEDERICK, honorary secretary,Atherton Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. DICKINSON, honorary treasurer,Standish section of the Wigan and Standishbranch.

MRS. N. DIXON, honorary treasurer,Withernsea Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. EDLUND, honorary worker, South-port Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

Miss ELDON, honorary worker, BeverleyLadies' Life-boat Guild.

Miss ELMES, B.Sc., honorary worker,Dublin branch.

MRS. FAIRCLOUGH, honorary secretary,Millom Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

Miss A. GARDINER, honorary organizer oflife-boat day at Clayton Green.

MRS. H. GARLAND, honorary assistantsecretary, Barrow Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. GODDARD, honorary secretary, Hol-lingworth branch.

MRS. GRANT, honorary worker, Ludlowbranch.

MR. F. J. GREEN, honorary worker, Bir-mingham branch.

Miss NORA GUY, honorary worker, DunLaoghaire branch.

Miss V. HAAS, A.C.R.A., honorary worker,Dublin branch.

Miss HAGUE, joint honorary secretary,Dukinfield Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. GARRATT HARDMAN, honorary worker,-Dublin branch.

MRS. V. HARRISON, honorary worker,Sunder land branch.

MRS. J. HARTLEY, president, Earby anddistrict Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MR. A. J. HAWKES, vice-president, Wiganand Standish branch.

MRS. H. HESLOP, honorary secretary,Mottram and Broadbottom Ladies' Life-boatGuild.

MRS. L. HINTON, honorary secretary,Northwieh and district Ladies' Life-boatGuild.

Miss HIRST, honorary worker, Holmflrthbranch.

CAPTAIN H. K. HOLE, chairman, Watchetbranch.

MRS. HOOK, honorary secretary, Wellingbranch.

MRS. HOPE-JOHNSON, president, Hindleybranch.

Miss N. HURST, honorary treasurer, Staly-bridge Ladies' Life-boat Guild'.

Miss E. C. INGLIS, honorary secretary,Leven Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. GEOFFREY JENKINS, honorary worker,Dublin branch.

MRS. D. T. JONES, honorary secretary,Haverfordwest Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. L. JONES, honorary treasurer, Mot-tram and Broadbottom Ladies' Life-boatGuild.

MRS. W. O. JONES, honorary secretary,Bettws-y-Coed branch.

MRS. KAYE, honorary secretary, Earby anddistrict Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. H. L. KIRK, honorary secretary,Macclesfleld Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. D. LANYON, honorary secretary,Wellington (Salop) Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. LAYCOCK, honorary treasurer, Hud-dersfleld Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. G. P. LLOYD, honorary secretary,Leominster branch.

MRS. MACNAMAHA, president, BurnleyLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. MANNING, honorary treasurer, Earbyand district Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MR. F. F. McKAY, honorary secretaryand treasurer, Galashiels branch.

Miss J. MITCHELL, honorary secretary,Tarbert Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. T. D. NEIL, president, BarrheadLadies' Life-boat Guild.


Miss P. C. NICHOLLS, honorary worker,Sunderland branch.

Miss OSBORNE, honorary secretary, Milfordbranch.

MRS. F. PAPE, honorary worker, BeverleyLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. R. W. M. PARFITT, honorary worker,Porthcawl branch.

MRS. PAHNELL, honorary worker, Bir-mingham branch.

ENGINEER REAR-ADMIRAL H. L. PARRY,C.B., O.B.E., honorary worker, Birminghambranch.

MRS. PARSONAGE, honorary worker, Lud-low branch.

MRS. PEARSON, honorary treasurer, Conis-borough Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. DAVID PHILLIPS, chairman, NeathLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. K. RADCLIFFE, honorary secretary,Stalybridge Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MR. T. RAMSBOTTOM, honorary treasurer,Ramsbottom branch.

MRS. W. REID, vice-president, LevenLadies' Life-boat Guild.

Miss M. RHIND, honorary secretary,Drogheda branch.

MRS. CONLY RILEY, honorary secretary,Accrington Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MR. JOHN ROBERTS, honorary treasurer,Llanfairfechan branch.

MRS. J. ROGERS, honorary worker, Don-caster branch.

MRS. SALE, honorary worker, Rhyl Ladies'Life-boat Guild.

Miss SANDERSON, honorary worker, Holm-firth branch.

MRS. F. SHACKLETON, president, RochdaleLadies' Life-boat Guild.

Miss E. SHELDON, J.P., honorary worker,Macclesfield Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. SKIDMORE, honorary worker, Bir-mingham branch.

MRS. SMETHURST, president, ConisboroughLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MR. H. W. STEPHENSON, B.A., M.R.S.T.,honorary worker, Birmingham branch.

MRS. T. R. STOCKDALE, honorary secretary,Melton Mowbray branch.

COUNCILLOR W. H. STOKF.HILL, honoraryorganizer of life-boat day, Bridlington branch.

MRS. W. SURMAN, honorary worker, NeathLadies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. ARTHUR SUTCLIFFE, president, Tod-morden Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. G. R. CRAIG TANNER, honorary sec-retary, Shrewsbury branch.

MRS. THOMAS, honorary secretary, AVake-fleld Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. THOM^POSTLETHWAITE, chairman,Whitehaven and district branch.

MRS. THORNTON, honorary treasurer,Northwich and district Ladies' Life-boatGuild.

MRS. VEITCH, honorary secretary, Cowden-beath Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. VIVIAN, chairman, Mumbles Ladies'Life-boat Guild.

MRS. H. TREVOR WANKLYN, vice-president,Leyland branch.

MR. W. AVATSON, honorary secretary,Whitehaven and district branch.

MRS. B. WEDD, president, Wellington(Salop) Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. WHATMOUGH, honorary treasurer,Hollingworth branch.

MRS. K. C. WILBY, president and honorarysecretary, Saddleworth Ladies' Life-boatGuild.

MR. A. C. WILSON, honorary treasurer,Hyde branch.

MRS. L. WOOD, honorary treasurer, WhaleyBridge Ladies' Life-boat Guild.

MRS. N. WOOD, honorary worker, LymmLadies' Life-boat Guild.

NoticeAll contributions for the Institution should be sent either to the honorary secretary

of the local branch or guild, or to Colonel A. D. Burnett Brown, M.C., T.D., M.A.,the Secretary, Royal National Life-boat Institution, 42, Grosvenor Gardens, London,

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

The next number O/THE LIFE-BOAT mil be published in October, 1947.

the life-boat - microsoft...the life-boat [june, 1947 a record year the work of the life-boat...

Documents