the life-boat...mr. punc ohn th life-boae servict e this article by mr. p. r. boyle, with...

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

VOL. XXXIII SUMMER, 1950 No. 354

THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET154 Motor Life-boats

1 Harbour Pulling Life-boat

LIVES RESCUEDfrom the foundation of the Life-boat Service in

1824 to July 31st, 1950 - 76,938

Mr. Punch on the Life-boat ServiceThis article by Mr. P. R. Boyle, with illustrations by Mr. Norman Mansbridge,

appeared in "Punch" on January 25th, 1949, under the title "Eleven Lives a Week"and is reproduced by very kind permission of the proprietors of " Punch.'" The articlewas written after visits to the station at Newhaven and to the Institution's depot atElstree, and the pictures were drawn at Newhaven.

THE Cecil and Lilian Philpott sits verysolidly in her cradle, the way you see herin the picture. With the tall ladder be-side her you might think she had beenset up there permanently for exhibitionpurposes or as some sort of memorial.But it is the work of a moment to castoff those chains; and then the touch of

a hand on a lever will tilt her forwardhydraulically, cradle and all, and at oneblow of a hammer twenty tons of boatwill go silently down the slipway. Afine smother of foam, followed by asurging climb of the stemhead towardsthe sky, and before you can say " Do itagain " Coxswain Harvey will have spunhis wheel, and the Newhaven life-boatwill be heading for the open sea. Mr.Punch's artist will be wiping the sprayoff his sketchbook.

True, on this occasion there are " nowrecks and nobody drowned," but thereis no difficulty at all in understandingthat for a short time we are moving ina new and but dimly imagined world.For one thing we are surrounded byobvious signs of this fact. Life-boatswhen one is aboard them have a way ofceasing to look like money-boxes, andafter a century and a quarter of steady

42 THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMER, 1950

evolution this is not surprising. Thefamiliar red-white-and-blue boat, thatlooks so small on a stormy ocean, is theproduct of all that ingenuity has beenable to devise for one purpose and onepurpose only—the saving of life at sea.This is the sole object for which theRoyal National Lifeboat Institutionexists; it treats all sea-borne personsalike, in war and peace impartially, andin this connection its attitude towardssalvage is noteworthy.

It is sometimes possible for a crew tobring in the vessel whose people theywent out to save, and then they are

entitled, if they choose (and often theydo not), to claim salvage, which can bea very rewarding thing. Such a claimis notified to the Institution, whichimmediately washes its hands of thewhole thing and becomes strictlyneutral. The crew is allowed the useof the life-boat, paying only for thefuel it uses and for any damage doneto the boat. Single-minded people, theR.N.L.I., and their attitude to wreckingsomething removed from that of theScilly Islanders of olden times, whoused the prayer "We pray Thee, OLord, not that wrecks should happen

SUMMER, 1950] THE LIFE-BOAT 43

but that if they do happen Thou wiltguide them into the Scilly Isles for thebenefit of the poor inhabitants."

And yet if the life-boats are designedfor one purpose only the men who manthem are not. With the exception ofthe motor mechanic, an occasional cox-swain and three or four crews at isolatedstations, all are amateurs. Even thestation secretaries are Hon. They haveother fish to catch—though they are byno means all fishermen and many workashore at jobs that have no connectionwith the sea. Fishmonger or pawn-

broker, the life-boatman must workreasonably near to his boat and beready to drop everything and run at thefirst shattering whisper of the maroon.He may be in bed and asleep or sittingdown to his Christmas dinner, but hewill pull on his boots, gum, thigh,mutter some disgraceful words and go.This in spite of the fact that he hasno signed agreement and is under noobligation of any sort beyond the one thathe imposes on himself. Add to this thefact that the life-boat expects to put tosea when everything else is strugglingto safety, and something rather breath-taking emerges.

Asked to account for this, a bowmanexplained the heroic enterprise in thewords: "Well, we like it, I suppose."

Pinned into a corner (between thestarboard engine control wheel andthe Schermuly pistol) and pressed todescribe just how much he liked beingup to his waist in water for eight hoursin a winter gale in the Channel, he wasunderstood to say that he loathed itlike poison. But he will be there nexttime, and so will his seven comradesand the helpers on the beaten shore.

So it goes with eight score motor life-boats, of varying types and sizes, readyat a moment's call all round the coast-lines of the British Isles, includingIreland. True, there are rewards, ac-cording to the circumstances of a call,but they represent little if any gain.To see the mainspring that keeps the

whole thing ticking you must go not tothe coast or the head offices in GrosvenorGardens but to the depot at BorehamWood. This is where everything comesfrom, except things that must go directto the boats, such as petrol and oil.Walk round with Commander Upton,the superintendent. (He keeps a care-ful eye on one, alas!) Here is every-thing that a life-boat uses, a matter ofsome forty-five thousand different items,some made on the premises and someby contract to R.N.L.I. specifications,all tested, indexed and ready for imme-diate issue.

Immediate issue. Suppose a boatcomes in from service at three of aSunday morning and telephones to the

THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMER, 1950

depot to ask for a new mast, a micro-phone for the radio telephone and somemore rum. All these desirable require-ments will leave the depot within thehour, for that is the maximum timeallowed for any dispatch. Here is ropeby the mile, from light heaving-line tosuperlative ten-inch manila hawser.Here ultra-reliable lifebelts are beingmade. This crowded scene of lathesand pensive men—life-boatmen also ina very real sense—is the machine shop.Elsewhere are spare rudders for everytype of boat, over there some of thefifty thousand collecting-boxes are beingpainted, and that canvas-shroudedmound on which you barked your shinso carelessly is £2,500 worth of Dieselengine. (They design their own en-gines, you know. They will run underwater but stop when upside down, be-cause it would be so tiresome for thecrew of a self-lighter to find themselvesbobbing in the water while their boatturned right side up again and chuggedaway without them.)

These people buy their own trees too,and eventually cut them down and sendthem off to be made into boats, foreven builders are not allowed to choosetimber for the boats. When gear issent to a builder at, say, Cowes it ispacked tenderly into a van that takes itover in the ferry and delivers it rightin the yard. No bumping about intrains. One has the impression that ifa propeller-shaft or a consignment ofsparking-plugs is not wrapped in cottonwool it is only because none sufficientlyserviceable can be obtained.

And how feel the men who know theyhave only to ask for what they want inorder to receive, by return, somethingthat is the best of its kind in the worldand made regardless of expense? Ifyou cannot imagine, ask anyone who"has ever tried to get something impor-tant but unavailable in a hurry from apurser's or quartermaster's store.

Biscuits and chocolates are free; themanufacturers provide them perpetu-ally for nothing. Everything else ispaid for by those who feel so inclined.It costs nearly £800,000 a year, and is inno way dependent on the Government.

"In the past twenty years life-boatshave been out on service over ninethousand times. They have rescuedover twelve thousand lives." (Averagefor the whole hundred and twenty-fiveyears: eleven lives a week.) " In theseservices over ninety thousand life-boat-men have taken part, and of thoseninety thousand life-boatmen fifty-sixhave lost their lives. That is to saythat one man in every sixteen hundredhas lost his life and one life has beenlost for every two hundred and thirteenlives saved. Those figures show thequality of the men and their boats."

They certainly do. We can surelyspare a thought—at the very least-—forthese men who of their own courage andgoodwill go lightheartedly, down slip-ways and across open beaches, outinto the cold and terrible violence ofthe sea.


Mr. Punch in 1883

My Lads, lend ear! There's a yarn to spinon an old but honest text.

When round our cliffs and our headlandshoar our winter seas are vext,

When the waves are lashed by the wind-flouts wild that come with the condor sweep

Of their hurrying wings like harpy-flightsthat prey on the troubled deep:

And perchance some souls of a softer strainmay feel some tenderer thrill.

Well, Gentlemen, neither cheers nor sneerswill the Life-boat coffers fill.

The time of tempest is on us now, 'tis thehour for succour steady;

The Life-boat Man at his post is found—British Public are you ' Ready '?

READY! A BUSINESS-LIKE BALLAD

From Punch, February 10th, 1883

Reproduced by kind permission of the proprietors of PUNCH. (The stanzasquoted are the first and last of eleven}


Mr. Punch in 1892

MR. PUNCH TO THE LIFE-BOATMAN

From Punch, February 13th, 1892, on the occasion of the wreck of the Eider

Reproduced by kind permission of the proprietors of PUNCH


Mr. Punch in 1919

THE THREAT

'Nah then, Augustus, just you keep in yer depth there, else you'll 'ave the life-boat after yer.

Reproduced by kind permission of the Proprietors of PUNCH

Owing to Internal reasons the above gentlemen are for the moment taking an unfavourable viewof the sea and all its works

Reproduced by kind permission of the Proprietors of PUNCH

THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMEE, 1950

Ten Years AfterThe Pilgrimage to Dunkirk, 4th June, 1950. By Commander J. M. Upton, R.D., R.N.R.

THE Margate life-boat Lord South-borough glided down the slipway ateleven in the morning on Saturday, the3rd of June, to repeat, after ten years,the passage to Dunkirk.

There was a great similarity in theweather, light airs, a calm sea, visibilityabout three miles. The Margate andRamsgate men who formed the crewall remarked on the almost identicalcondition of the sea. The only differ-ence was the welcome waiting on theshores of France.

We were a party of eleven on board—•Mr. Linton Thorp, K.C.* a member ofthe Committee of Management, myselfin command with Mr. J. W. B. Hepper,the Institution's inspector of machinery,in charge of the engines, the Margatecoxswain, second coxswain, bowmanand mechanic, three other members ofthe Margate crew and one member ofthe Ramsgate crew.

The Men of Ten Years AgoOf our party, four had gone to Dun-

kirk ten years before, in the Margateand Ramsgate life-boats, and had helpedto bring off the beaches over 3,000 men.They were D. Price, now coxswain atMargate, H. Morris, now bowman atMargate, W. Hopper, a member of theMargate crew, and J. Hawks, a memberof the Ramsgate crew. Of the otherMargate men who went in the LordSouthborough ten years ago, five weredead, and Coxswain Edward DrakeParker, who won the DistinguishedService Medal, was not well enough tomake the journey. Of the Ramsgatemen who had gone to Dunkirk in thePrudential, ten years ago, one was dead,one seriously ill, and for CoxswainHoward Primrose Knight, who won theDistinguished Service Medal, ill health,the after-effects of an air-raid (in whichsix of the crew were wounded), un-happily made the journey impossibletoo.

Mr. Hepper and I had gone to Doverten years ago and had volunteeredfor Dunkirk, but we were told thatthere was more urgent work for us atDover. Six other mechanics of the

• Mr. Linton Thorp died suddenly five weeks later.

Institution joined us and we acted asa repair and maintenance party forall boats as they returned from Dunkirk.

Such was the party that set out fromMargate to take part in the pilgrimageof the little ships ten years later.

The Dunkirk life-boat and H.M.S.Bleasdale had arranged to meet us offGravelines at 4.30, and the life-boat wasto escort us into harbour. Good timewas made on the passage, during whichwe called at the North Goodwin Light-ship and took off their mail, and as weslowed down at Gravelines, about fouro'clock, the form of the Bleasdaleloomed up astern. We went alongsidefor a few minutes, and then the Dunkirklife-boat was sighted coming down theChannel. The two boats came together,Mr. Linton Thorp joined the Frenchboat and one of the French coxswainscame aboard us to act as pilot.

H.M.S. Bleasdale having gone ahead,we followed astern of the Dunkirk boat,and found incidentally that we were thefaster. On entering the harbour wewere met by a Press boat from Rams-gate, belonging to the Ramsgate cox-swain, and photographs and a filmwere taken. The devastation of theharbour is still very apparent, and theblock ships sunk in the channel have sofar defied all efforts to remove them.

Welcome at the CustomsWhen we came alongside the quay

at 5.40 Commandant Raoul and othermembers of the Dunkirk crew werethere to meet us, and we received agreat welcome from everybody. We wereprovided with a clearance, a Laissezpasser passport, but the officers of theDouane merely shook our hands, smiledand waved us away. We had arrived.

I attended a meeting on H.M.S.Bleasdale for final arrangements for theSunday ceremonies directly on myarrival. Here I met the representa-tives of the Navy, Army, Air Force,Merchant Navy, Sea Cadets, Tugs, theBritish Legion and the Little Ships.Commandant Raoul and LieutenantArtry of the French Navy, acted asliaison officers for the French.

The programme arranged was as


follows: The British religious servicewas to be at 8.30 in the morning at thePlace de Minck. At the conclusion ofthe service, the British contingent wouldmarch to the Place de la Gare and jointhe French procession at 9.30. TheFrench insisted that the British shouldtake the place of honour and lead themarch to the beaches, halting at theHotel de Ville for an address by theMayor of Dunkirk, and for the FrenchNavy and Army to lay wreaths on theWar Memorial. The main French cere-money was to be held at the beach head.

At 9.30 that night Mr. Linton Thorp,Mr. Hepper and I were guests of theMayor and Councillors of Dunkirk at adinner. About 250 sat down to thisdinner and various speeches were made.

At 8.15 on Sunday morning, June4th, we assembled at the Place deMinck for the Divine Service. Theparade was in the form of a square,with the standard bearers in line behindthe altar and clergy on the west side.The Institution's House Flag was borneby W. Hopper, of Margate. On thenorth side were assembled the crews ofthe Little Ships, Merchant Navy, Tugs,and Sea Cadets; on the south side theNavy, Air Force, Army and BritishLegion; on the east side the officialrepresentatives, and life-boat crew.

The service opened with the adventof the clergy, preceded by Lieut.-

I Commander Ashforth, D.S.C., R.N.,I commanding officer of H.M.S. Bleas-j Me, Captain W. H. Coombs, C.B.E.,| president of the Dunkirk Pilgrimage

Committee, and a cross fashioned fromthe oars of a ship's life-boat, one oarvertical with two looms horizontal.The service was conducted by the VeryBev. A. T. A. Naylor, D.S.O., O.B.E.,' )ean of Battle, who was Deputy Chap-

,J8in General to the B.E.F. in 1939 and;|940, and the Rev. Canon F. N.

lobathan, O.B.E., R.D., Vicar ofi Brighton.

. The King's Message

A message from His Majesty theag was read:"In all the long story of our sea-

race there has never been anventure of chivalry more stirringit hat which the little ships answeredwillingly and so gallantly on that

er morning ten years ago.

"So long as the English tongue isspoken it should be commemorated withthankfulness and pride, and those wlw>brought it to sq triumphant a conclu-sion should be held in honour by allwhose freedom they helped to pre-serve."

After this message came the Bidding.Then the service was held. The musicwas played by the Kingston Sea CadetBand; the lessons were read by Lieut.-Commander J. Ashforth, D.S.C., R.N.,and Commander C. H. Lightoller,D.S.C., R.D., R.N.R., of the MerchantNavy; and the address was given by theVery Rev. A. T. A. Naylor. The still-ness of the air, the blazing sun, were soreminiscent of ten years ago that itadded to the impressiveness of thesolemn service. To those of us whohad helped in our small way in 1940this pilgrimage was well worth while.

Wreaths on the Sea

After the service, the British con-tingent joined the French at the Placede la Gare and marched to the beaches,stopping at the war memorial and theHotel de Ville for an address by theMayor of Dunkirk. At the beach thelife-boat crew followed, the standardbearers of the Merchant Navy, and tookpart in the ceremony of throwingwreaths into the sea. While this wastaking place, the Little Ships came outof harbour and along the beach whilethe R.A.F. flew over in formation, verylow in (slute.

This concluded the official cere-monies, but in the afternoon Mr.Thorp, Mr. Hepper and I were guestsat a lunch given by the French Re-turned Soldiers Association, whichabout 750 persons attended.

The passage back to Margate onMonday, 5th, was made in the sameweather. Shortly before reachingGravelines we passed close to oneof the wreaths, the flowers stillblooming. We reached Margate at sixin the evening.

So ended a visit that not only keptalive the memory of a great operation,but cemented a firm friendship betweenthe life-boat crews of Dunkirk andMargate. During our stay Com-mandant Raoul and his crews werekindness itself. Their hospitality andfriendship we shall long remember.


Life-boatman Goes OverboardSHORTLY before noon on the 17th ofApril, a fishing boat, with two men onboard, half a mile off Selsey Bill, wasseen from the shore to capsize. Amoderate wind was blowing from thesouth-west, and there was a steep,choppy sea. Within ten minutes theSelsey life-boat Canadian Pacific hadbeen launched, and ten minutes latershe was alongside the overturned boat.One of the men was clinging to her.The life-boat rescued him. The otherman, holding to one of the bottomboards of the boat, was strugglingtowards the shore. He was alreadyin water too shallow for the life-boat.One of the life-boat's crew, W. Arnell,at once asked for, and was given, thecoxswain's permission to jump over-board to his help. He went over,wearing his life-belt, and had nearlyforty yards to swim. He reached theman to find him helpless and drowning.The seas were breaking over them, and

it was only with great difficulty, andat danger to his own life, that Arnellsucceeded in dragging the man ashore.He himself was exhausted and the res-cued man was unconscious, but hewas revived by artificial respiration.

The Institution has awarded to T.ARNELL its thanks inscribed on vellum,£2, in addition to the reward on theordinary scale of 15s. and £l fordamage to his clothes.

To the coxswain and each of theother members of the crew it hasawarded 15s. Total rewards to crewand helpers, £14 12s.

While Arnell was swimming from thelife-boat a young sailor, Michael JamesClayton, of H.M.S. Boxer, was swim-ming out from the shore. The Institu-tion brought his action to the noticeof the Royal Humane Society and theofficer commanding the Boxer; he hasbeen commended by the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.

Brothers to the RescueON the morning of Easter Sunday amedical student and a nursing sisterwent out in a canoe from Bognor Regis.When they were half a mile off shorethey capsized. The wind, from thewest, was strong, the sea rough, andthe tide was carrying the canoe away.

Four men saw the accident and wentat once to the rescue. Two of them,Mr. R. G. Pennicott, aged twenty-one,and his brother, Mr. S. H. Pennicott,aged sixteen, of Craigwell, near Bognor,launched a ten-feet dinghy and rowedout. Two other brothers, Lieut.-Col.A. C. Stacker and Major P. Stocker,launched a still smaller boat, an eight-feet dinghy, but she was swamped inthe breakers, and they had to wadeashore. The first dinghy got safely

through them, but the two young menin her were in evident danger. Itlooked as if, at any moment, they wouldcapsize, and the police asked three mento go out in a fishing boat. This theydid, but the Pennicotts handled theirboat with great skill, and before thefishing boat reached them they hadreached the man and woman and takenthem on board their dinghy. Theybrought them ashore without mishap.

The Institution awarded its thanksinscribed on vellum to each of the tworescuers, MR. R. G. PENNICOTT, andMR. L. H. PENNICOTT. To Lieut.-Col.Stocker and to Major Stocker, it sentletters of thanks, and a letter ofthanks to the three men in the fishingboat.

Portrait on the CoverThe portrait on the cover is of

Second-coxswain William J. Bailey, ofWalmer, Kent. He joined the crew in

1917 at the age of twenty-four. Hewas appointed bowman in 1942, andsecond-coxswain in 1945.


The Institution's Expenditure at a Glance.

How each £100 of the Institution's Expenditure was paid out in 1949.

£ s. d.

32 9 0 _^^_^___i—^^_ New Construction.

39 9 10 _»^_M^_^B«^M.I^^__- Maintenance of Life-boats andStations (including Depot).

14 13 8 «^K«^^_ Payments to Life-boat Crews.

3 11 6 ™» Administration.

9 16 0 ^^^^^ Propaganda and Publicity at Headquarters and 1046Branches.

£100 0 0

(For full Statement of Expenditure see pages 72 and 74.)

The Institution's Income at a Glance.

How each £100 of the Institution's Income was obtained in 1949.

£ s. d.

26 6 6 ̂ •^^^•M^MW^ Subscriptions, Donations, Collecting Boxes,

and Special Efforts,

15 1 9 ^^^^K^^K Life-boat Days and House-to-House Collections.

11 11 5 ^^^^^_ Income from Investments.

45 0 11 ^̂ ^HM^̂ M^MM^̂ HM^̂ ^̂ BB̂ ^

1 3 0 — Special Gifts.

16 5 m Other Sources.

£100 0 0

(For full Statement of Income seepages 73 and 75.)

THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMER, 1950

The Annual MeetingTHE Annual Meeting was held at theCentral Hall, Westminster, on the 26thof April, 1950, with Sir Godfrey Baring,Bt., chairman of the Committee ofManagement, in the chair.

H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent, Presi-dent of the Institution, presented themedals for gallantry and other awards,and gave her presidential address.

His Excellency The Lieutenant•Governor of Jersey (Lieutenant GeneralSir Edward Grassett, K.B.E., C.B.,D.S.O., M.C.) proposed the resolutionof gratitude to the coxswains and crewsof life-boats, the honorary officers of thestations, and the honorary officers of thefinancial branches and Ladies' Life-boatGuilds.. The Duke of San Lucar LaMayor, Spanish Charge d'Affaires,seconded the resolution.

The Right Hon. Lord Winster, P.C.,a member of the Committee of Manage-ment of the Institution, proposed thevote of thanks to the Duchess of Kent,and it was seconded by Lord Saltoun,M.C., a member of the Committee ofManagement.

Supporting the Duchess of Kent onthe platform were the Mayor andMayoress of Westminster, the Mayorsand Mayoresses of over forty otherLondon boroughs, the chairman of theUrban District Council of Holyhead,representatives of the Ministry ofTransport, the Coastguard, the CivilService Life-boat Fund, and the Ship-wrecked Mariners' Society, vice-presi-dents and honorary life-governors ofthe Institution, donors of life-boats ortheir representatives, members of theCommittee of Management, and mem-bers of the Central London Women'sCommittee. After the meeting the Com-mittee of Management entertained to teathe speakers and other principal guests.

The Chairman's AddressOnce again I have the very great pleasure,

on this warm, genial spring day, of welcomingHer Royal Highness, The Duchess of Kent.(Applause.) On behalf of the whole Life-boat Service I can assure her how deeplywe value her personal interest in our work.Since our meeting last year Her Royal High-ness has visited the depot at Elstree and hasseen every part of the great system of repairand supply which lies behind our life-boatstations.

We also give a very hearty welcome to two

very distinguished speakers, General SirEdward Grassett, the Lieutenant Governorand Commander-in-Chief of Jersey (Applause)and The Duke of San Lucar La Mayor,Spanish Charge d'Affaires.

We welcome them all the more becauseboth of them take a special and personalinterest in this meeting. Of the fifteenmedals won last year for gallantry no fewerthan nine were won by life-boatmen of Jersey,including the first Gold Medal to be awardedsince the war. Two of the other medalswhich Her Royal Highness will present werewon for the rescue of the lives of twenty-fourSpanish sailors. (Applause.) The presenceof the Duke of San Lucar La Mayor is a tri-bute which we greatly value to the help whichwe are able to give to the ships of othernations and a testimony to the friendshipwhich has always existed between all Life-boat Services.

I want also most heartily to welcome theMayor and Mayoresses of over forty Londonand other boroughs who are sitting on theplatform. (Applause.) Their presence, Ithink, shows more clearly than anything elsehow great is the interest which the Britishpeople take in the work of the Life-boatService.

The report and accounts are before you.There are two facts in them to which I wouldcall your special attention. The first is thatlast year the Institution set up a new record.Its life-boats went out to the rescue moreoften than ever before in time of peace. Thesecond fact is that last year our income fell.I will say that again. The second fact is thatlast year our income fell. Each year fornine years it has been a record. We cannotexpect a record every year, but the cost ofthe Service is mounting and we must feelsome concern that last year our income wasdown by over £100,000. I am sure that,with this figure before them, our branches,with their thousands of voluntary workers,will help us by making a very special effortthis year.

I now formally move the adoption of thereport and accounts for 1949.

The Report and Accounts and ElectionsThe report and accounts for 1949 were

adopted, and the President, vice-presidentsand treasurer and other members of the Com-mittee of Management, and the auditorswere elected.

Presentation of MedalsThe Secretary read accounts of services by

the life-boats at St. Helier, Jersey; Ilfracombe,Devon; Appledore, Devon; and Holyhead,Anglesey; and the Duchess of Kent presentedthe medals for gallantry.

To COXSWAIN THOMAS J. KING, OF ST.HELIER, JERSEY, the Gold Medal for con-spicuous gallantry in rescuing the crew offour of the yacht Maurice Georges of St.Helier, which he found at midnight, deepamong the rocks, where a heavy sea wasbreaking, on 14th September, 1949.


To PHILLIP BOUTELL, ACTING SECOND COX-SWAIN, the bronze medal for the same service.

To KENNETH S. GUBBEY, ACTING MOTORMECHANIC, the bronze medal for the sameservice.

To DAVID R. TALBOT, ACTING ASSISTANTMOTOR MECHANIC, the bronze medal for thesame service.

To GEORGE STAPLEY, the bronze medal forthe same service.

To REGINALD J. NICOLLE, the bronze medalfor the same service.

To CHARLES G. KING, the bronze medalfor the same service.

To MR. LIONEL P. STEVENS, HONORARYSECRETARY OF THE Si. HELIER STATION,the bronze medal for the same service inwhich he took part as a member of the crew.

To ACTING COXSWAIN SILVER H. UERICHE, OF ST. HELIER, JERSEY, the bronzemedal for rescuing the crew of three of theketch Hanna of Poole, in heavy breaking season the night of the 19th of November, 1949.

To COXSWAIN CECIL G. IRWIN, OF ILFRA-COMBE, DEVON, the silver medal for rescuingtwenty-three lives from the Spanish steamerMonte Gurugu, which had sunk in the mouthof the Bristol Channel in a heavy gale on the13th of November, 1949.

To COXSWAIN SYDNEY CANN, OF APPLE-DORE. DEVON, a clasp to the bronze medalwhich he had won in 1944, for rescuing oneof the Monte Gurugu's crew after an arduoussearch.

To COXSWAIN RICHARD JONES, OF HOLY-HEAD, ANGLESEY, a clasp to the bronze medalwhich he had won in 1943, for the rescue ofseven men from the Liverpool steamer May-flower in a whole gale in the early hours of themorning of the 26th of October, 1949.

The Duchess of KentLast year was a year of the greatest

bravery since the war, and I am very pleasedthat I have been able personally to presenttwelve medals this afternoon, and that Ihave had this opportunity of meeting thegallant men, of whose courage in the face ofgreat hazards, the Royal National Life-boatInstitution, and all who have its interestsat heart, may well feel proud.

It is now five years since, for the first time,I presented awards at this meeting, andduring these years men have come to thisbail from the coasts of Cornwall, Devon,Dorset, Sussex, Lancashire, Yorkshire,Anglesey, Argyllshire, and Jersey. As I seenew men on this platform each year, andhear the stories of their deeds—unchangedin tradition, however different in their details—I am full of admiration for the braverywhich brings them here.

I spoke last year of the clause in the founda-tion of the Institution which enjoined thatthe subjects of all nations should look to theInstitution for help in times of difficulty anddistress at sea. I am glad to say that thattradition has been nobly upheld, and that in1949 no fewer than fifty-six ships and aero-planes, of sixteen different countries, havereceived our help. (Applause.)

You have heard this afternoon how twomedals were won in rescuing twenty-four

lives from a Spanish ship, and of the longand arduous search, in heavy seas, beforethese men were found. Soon after thisrescue, some very beautiful flowers weresent to me at my home, and with them amessage which I would like to read to you:

" The survivors of the Spanish ship MonteGurugu, present these flowers to the Presidentof the Royal National Life-boat Institution,and request you to accept them as an expres-sion of their gratitude for the magnificentbehaviour of the crews of the Ilfracombe,Appledore and Colvelly life-boats, thanks towhom we are still alive."

I was very deeply touched by this kindmessage, and I thought it was fitting thatthe gratitude of the survivors, expressed inthis charming way, should be made knownto all those who serve the Institution onland or at sea. (Applause.)

In our gratitude to the crews who man thelife-boats, we should not forget those whoseuntiring and unselfish help on land, in theInstitution's branches throughout thecountry, enables the Service to continue itswork. That the Service is equal to theincreasing calls which are made each yearupon it is due to the inexhaustible courage ofour crews, the devotion of owe honoraryworkers, and the generous support of theBritish people. (Applause.)

The Lieutenant-Governor of JerseyI regard it as a very great honour to be

asked to propose the following resolutionwhich stands in my name: That this Meeting,fully recognising the important services of theRoyal National Life-boat Institution in itsnational work of life-saving, desires to recordits hearty appreciation of the gallantry of thecoxswains and crews of the Institution'slife-boats, and its deep obligation to the localcommittees, honorary secretaries, and hono-rary treasurers of all station branches, andto the honorary officers and hundreds ofvoluntary members of the financial branchesand of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild in thework of raising funds to maintain the service.

As an old soldier who has served in manyparts of the world and seen something ofthe sea services all over the world, I amdelighted to have this opportunity of payingmy great tribute to this great service whosereputation is world-wide. In addition Ihave been a resident of Jersey for some yearspast, and feel very proud to have beeninvited to take part in the meeting at whichthe Life-boat Service, its workers and itsguests have given such a warm-heartedwelcome to the Jersey life-boatmen. Thepeople of Jersey are naturally very proud oftheir crew, and that they have been able tomaintain the standard of duty which isinvariably shown by all the life-boats of theService. I can assure Your Royal Highnessthat not only the men who had the honourof being presented to you this afternoon, andwho were also presented to you on the occa-sion of your very memorable visit to Jerseytwo years ago, but all the people of Jerseywill be pleased at the honour which youhave done them to-day, and they will sharemy pleasure that I have been able personally


to thank Your Royal Highness and the Life-boat Institution for this honour.

All of you here to-day are associated withthe Service and it is difficult for me to sayanything that you do not already know, butperhaps I may be permitted to make a briefobservation on one or two points. The firstis that last year there was a record number oflaunches. Your boats were called out on anaverage of not less than twelve times a weekthroughout the whole year, and twelve timesa week is an awful lot. You rescue between400 and 500 lives every year, again a veryhigh figure. An outsider like myself wouldhave expected that science, which has doneso much for navigation and the safety oftravel at sea, would have reduced the needfor the Life-boat Service and made the callsfor help much fewer, but this is not the case.The Service in all the 120 years of its historyis busier to-day than ever before, and Ithink it is important that the people of GreatBritain and, indeed, the outside world, shouldrealise this.

Another point which I think is of particularinterest is the position regarding your income.No one will be surprised that the Service iscosting twice as much as before the war.All of us are very painfully conscious that ourmoney does not go very far these days, butyour boats, the finest in the world, have to bereplaced and modernised in every way andprovide year by year greater safety for thecrews and greater efficiency in rescue work.It is remarkable that your revenue has, untillast year, kept pace with mounting expendi-ture, and this is clearly due to the splendidwork of your branches and your honoraryworkers. They do, indeed, deserve thethanks which will be given to them whenwe pass this resolution.

The demands which the State has madeupon us for the last ten years and which itmay well continue to impose, do make itremarkable that the Institution is able,simply by asking the public voluntarily togive, to obtain the Increasing income that theLife-boat Service needs. I am told that,during the war, in those towns and areaswhich were the worst damaged and the worstafflicted, the subscriptions to the Institutionwere not only maintained but were increased.I can give you another little example fromJersey: When the Germans occupied theisland they took over the life-boat and theyused it partly for rescue work and partlyfor not such creditable work. They misusedit. But during the war the people in Jerseywho were locked up continued to subscribeto the Institution although with no possi-bility of the money being utilised at thattime. (Applause.) I think that those areindications of the generosity of the Britishpeople of all classes in adversity.

I have not yet mentioned the courage andthe efficiency of the men and their high senseof duty. Like all other brave men, theyprobably feel that the less said about thatfrom their point of view the better, but youhave seen some of the men to-day and heardaccounts of what they did. We are all veryimpressed by the extent of the work of theLife-boat Service, by its efficiency, by itsorganisation, by the devotion of thousands

of over-burdened people who support it,but the foundation of the success of the wholeService is the courage and skill of the crewswhich, of course, we take for granted.(Applause.)

The Life-boat Service is part of the per-manent structure of Great Britain. It hasgained by its long record of duty at sea theadmiration of the world and the gratitudeand confidence of all the mariners that sailin our waters. This is due to the devoted,unassuming and efficient work by those onland and the courage and skill ot' the crewsat sea. In peace and war, in good times andin bad, the work of the life-boats carries onwith the same object, in increasing efficiency,as it did when founded 126 years ago. Ithas a unique position of confidence, respectand affection in the hearts of the people, andI believe that, come what may, there willbe no change in the high record of everyonein this very magnificent Service. (Applause.)

The Spanish Charge d'AffairesThe reason why I am here to-day, and have

the honour of addressing you is, indeed, agood one, the best one could ever have forsaying a few words in public. On the 13thof November last a dramatic event occurredwhich called for the services of the gallantmen who belong to the Royal NationalLife-boat Institution. You know what hap-pened and how some of my compatriots weresaved by you, the rescuers, who are with ushere to-day. I will, therefore, not repeatthe story, but what I will repeat, and themore often the better, is the gratitude, theemotion and the deep feeling of those in mycountry who, to begin with, went through theordeal, others who heard about it later and,finally, the people of Spain who got to know,as they know to-day, how these Englishmenmade every effort, took every risk andstrained every nerve to save those men.(Applause.)

If there are virtues in this world which areunderstood by every man or woman withdecent instincts, admired by every people andnation, consecrated by every religion andmoral code, they are called courage andgenerosity. In the present case what oc-curred off the western shores of Englandduring that wild and wintry night was themost straightforward brave and generousact of human companionship that one couldhope for, even more than could be expectedfrom the exceptionally brave. In a worldriddled by mediocrity, limited by regulationsand partial agreements, it is the sort of thingwhich soars above all contentional considera-tions. It is pure gallantry, the instinctivegenerosity of strong men, the spirit of com-panionship and mutual help among fellowbeings, in two words, comradeship andcourage, in the daily battle of life so necessarvto us all, but which require almost super-human strength when danger is upon us.(Applause.)

There are many ways of saying "Thankyou" in this world, and when the survivorsof the Monte Gurugu recovered from the firstshock of their ordeal, though they hadonly a few hours in this country, beforereturning to Spain, they found the time to


send me a message suggesting, in the firstinstance, giving some proof, they knew notwhat, of their respect and admiration towardsyou all. At that moment they could merelydo something symbolic, and on their owninitiative they decided to send a bouquet offlowers to Her Royal Highness the Duchess ofKent, the President of the Institution.(Applause.) This was done in the few hoursduring which they found themselves in Lon-don. It was a small but sincere token ofgratitude. When they got back to Spain,however, the whole episode was studiedcarefully and the Sociedad Espanola daSalvamenta de Naufragos decided that thiscase of heroic efficiency should receive specialrecognition, and as a result, the followingawards have been given by the Spanish Life-saving Society. I have the honour ofannouncing the names of those who will lateron receive the medals and diplomas which Ihope to give them personally on anotheroccasion:

SILVER PRIZE MEDAL to Mr. C. G. Irwin,coxswain of the life-boat of the Ilfracombestation; Mr. S. Cann, coxswain of the life-boatof the Appledore station; Mr. G. Lamey,coxswain of the life-boat of the Clovellystation; Mr. P. J. Crummey, Station Officerof the Croyde Coastguard Station.

SILVER MEDAL for co-operation to CaptainG. P. J. Burfitt, harbourmaster, Ilfracombe,and Mrs. G. P. J. Burfitt.

DIPLOMA OF MERIT to the crews of thethree life-boats of Ilfracombe, Appledoreand Clovelly respectively.

OFFICIAL LETTERS OF THANKS to Mr. andMrs. Smith, who put their hotel at the dis-posal of the survivors; the municipal author-ities of Ilfracombe; Dr. A. Mathison, of theTyrrell Hospital, Ilfracombe; Sister fitton,of the Tyrrell Hospital, Ilfracombe; Dr.Harper, of the North Devon Infirmary,Barnstaple; Sister Serba, of the North DevonInfirmary, Barnstaple; Mrs. Stevenson, ofWestcombe Torrs Park, Ilfracombe.

These awards are the tangible proof of thegratitude so well earned by the persons men-tioned, and I am indeed happy to be able toannounce them to-day.

I would like now to say one word about thevery special admiration and respect that weall feel for the Life-boat Institution. As aforeigner but also, may I say, as a friend, Iam ready to affirm that there are threeremarkable characteristics in your organisa-tion: First, efficiency, which is outstandingand recognised by everybody everywhere;secondly, the voluntary contribution whichis equally an admirable trait, thoroughlyBritish and in the best tradition of thiscountry; and, thirdly, that very distinctivecharacteristic which is visible in all youractivities, a characteristic at once human,simple and effective, which is to my mind theresult of your belonging to a country ofsailors. There is much which is peculiar tothe inhabitants of an island, and in this casethe behaviour and conduct of all those whobelong to the Life-boat Institution correspondquite definitely to a people who know the sea,love and fear the sea, having to face it in bothcalm and stormy days, sometimes as anattractive friend, sometimes as a cruel enemy.

It is to these brave men who are nowquietly standing amongst you, it is to yourRoyal Highness, who has honoured us withher presence here to-day and who has alsobeen so brave in recent years, it is also to thewhole Life-boat Institution, it is to thepopulations of Ilfracombe and Barnstaple,whose kindliness and generosity gave phy-sical and human warmth and moral supportto the survivors of the Monte Gurugu, it isto all those I say "Thank you" from thebottom of my heart. Finally, may I say,Madam, what an honour it is for me and thecountry I represent to be able to second thisresolution of hearty thanks so eloquentlyproposed by the Lieutenant-Governor ofJersey. (Applause.)

THE CHAIRMAN: You have heard theresolution been moved and seconded inspeeches which, I am sure, have won yourreal admiration. In a long experience ofannual meetings of the Institution I havenever heard speeches more perfectly adaptedto the resolution which was being proposed.I will not read the resolution because it wasread by the mover, and I absolutely declineto ask if anybody votes against it.

The Resolution was carried by acclamation.

Presentations to Honorary WorkersSince the last annual meeting three hono-

rary workers have been appointed honorarylife governors of the Institution. This is thehighest honour which it can confer on anhonorary worker, and the Duchess of Kentpresented a vellum, signed by herself asPresident, to the only one of the three whowas able to come to the meeting:

MR. WILLIAM MARSHALL FRISKNEY, OFTEESMOUTII.

The gold badge, which is given only fordistinguished service, has been awarded tothirteen honorary workers, and the Duchessof Kent presented the badges to eight whowere at the meeting.

MRS. NOYCE, OF ANDOVER.MRS. J. CARR, OF HORWICH.MRS. POPPE, OF ISLE OF SHEPPEY.MRS. HULTON, OF JERSEY.MRS. J. F. L. FORMBY, OF FORMBY,

LIVERPOOL.MR. C. E. D. ARCHER, OF NORTHAMPTON.MRS. EDGAR JENKINS, OF PONTYPRIDD.MRS. W. J. KlNSEY, OF ROMILEY.

Vote of ThanksA vote of thanks to the Duchess of Kent

was proposed by Lord Winster and secondedby Lord Saltoun. Three cheers were thengiven for Her Royal Highness.

After the MeetingAfter the meeting the coxswains of Ilfra-

combe and Appledore were entertained to teaat the House of Commons by BrigadierC. H. M. Peto, D.S.O., member of Parliamentfor the Barnstaple division of Devon. In theevening the St. Helier crew appeared in thepicture page of the television programme,introduced by Commodore the Right, Hon.Earl Howe, C.B.E., V.R.D., P.C., R.N.V.R.,the deputy chairman of the Institution.The other medallists were taken to theVictoria Palace to see "Knights of Madness."


Services of the Life-boats in March, April and May, 1950

58 Lives Rescued

DURING March life-boats went out onservice 26 times and rescued 4 lives.

REFLOATING A STEAMER

Cloughey, Co. Down.— About threeo'clock in the morning of the 7th ofMarch, 1950, information was receivedfrom the Tara coastguard and a farmerthat a vessel was on the rocks near theSouth Rock Lightvessel. The life-boatHerbert John was then launched at 3.38in a slight sea with a moderate south-erly breeze and fog. She found theS.S. Elmfield, of Liverpool, hard andfast inshore from the lightvessel. Hermaster asked the life-boat to go ashoreand get into touch with the owners,which request she carried out. Thenshe stood by the steamer. Shortlybefore high water, she ran out a kedgeanchor for the Elmfield, and when sherefloated, piloted her clear of the rocks.She returned to her station at 2.30 inthe afternoon. The owners made adonation to the Institution and a giftto the crew.-—Rewards £42 Is. 6d.

A DAMAGED RUDDER

Portrush, Co. Antrim.—About 12.20 inthe afternoon, on the llth March, 1950,the coastguard reported that a motorfishing boat appeared to be in diffi-culties in Skerry Roads. At 12.26 hereported that the boat was flashing alight; at 12.30 the life-boat Lady Scott,Civil Service No. 4 was launched. Thesea was rough and a moderate breezewas blowing from the west. The life-boat found a local motor fishing boatat the east end of the Skerries with acrew of four. Her rudder was dam-aged. The life-boat therefore towedher to Portrush harbour and reachedher station again at 1.35.—Rewards,£8 4,s.

SUFFERING FROM EXPOSURE

Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.—At 2.15 inthe afternoon on the llth of March,1950, the coastguard telephoned that asmall vessel was showing a distress

signal two miles east of Collieston. At2.30 the life-boat Julia Park Barry, ofGlasgow, was launched in a rough seawith a westerly gale and snow. Shefound the motor fishing boat Ruby, ofCollieston, two and a half miles east-south-east of Collieston with one manon board. Her engine had brokendown; and the man was suffering fromexposure and drenched through baling.The life-boatmen gave him rum, andthe life-boat towed the Ruby to Col-lieston, reaching her station again at6.30.—Rewards, £14 7s. Od.

ON ESCORT DUTY

Whit by, Yorkshire.—About ten o'clockin the morning, on the 13th of March,1950, the No. 1 life-boat crew assembledas three fishing vessels were approachingthe harbour in bad weather. At 10.50the life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth waslaunched in a rough sea with a strongnortherly breeze. She first came upwith the Success, which was makingheavy weather, and escorted her in.Then she saw the Provider A and accom-panied her to the harbour. Finallyshe met the Pilot Me II and escortedher in across the bar. She arrived backat her station at 1.16 in the afternoon.—Rewards, £11 Os. 6d.

A TOW GIVEN

Dunmore East, Co. Waterford. — Ateleven o'clock on the night of the 13tnof March, 1950, the Hook Tower light-house keeper reported that a boat wasmaking flares two miles south-west ofHook. The flares and S.O.S. signalson the boat's lights were also seen fromDunmore. At 11.10 therefore, the life-boat, Duke of Connaught, on temporaryduty at the station, was launched.The sea was moderate, with a south-westerly breeze. She found the localfishing boat St. Joseph, carrying a crewof three, with her engine broken down;and having towed her to DunmoreEast harbour, reached her station againat 11.50.—Rewards, £6.

SUMMER, 1950] THE LIFE-BOAT

LIFE-BOATMEN IN LONDON

57

By courtesy of] [Fez Photos

THE TWELVE MEDALLISTS

From St. Helier, Ilfracombe, Appledore and Holyhead

By courtesy of]

TWO WEST-COUNTRY COXSWAINS

Cecil Irwin of Ilfracombe, and Sydney Cann of Appledore

[Fox Photos


By courtesy of] [Plane! \ac-s. Ltd.

THE DUCHESS OF KENT AND COXSWAIN SYDNEY CANN

SUMMER, 1950] THE LIFE-BOAT

By courtesy of}

THE FIRST GOLD MEDALLIST FOR FIVE YEARS

Coxswain Thomas J. King of St. Helier, Jersey

60 THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMER. 195O

THE PILGRIMAGE TO DUNKIRK

By courtesy of] [Sunbeam Photos, Lid. Margate

READY TO SET OUT

On the right is Mr. Linton Thorp, K.C., on the left Mr. J W. B Hepper and Commander J. M.Upton, R.D., R.N.R.; in the centre. Coxswain Dennis Price of Margate (with binoculars), and

Mr. A. C. Robinson, the Margate honorary secretary

By courtesy of] [The B.D.C. Teln-isiai .Yra'S Reel

THE STANDARD BEARER OF THE LIFE-BOAT SERVICE

Mr. W. Hopper, one of the Margate crew which went to Dunkirk in 1940


A LIGHTHOUSE-KEEPER DROWNEDDonaghadee, Co. Down.—About three

in the morning on the 15th of March,1950, the Orlock Head coastguard tele-phoned that red flares had been seento the eastward. A quarter of an hourlater the life-boat Civil Service No. 5left her moorings in a choppy sea witha southerly wind blowing. On her wayshe saw a flare in the direction of MewIsland, and on getting into touch withCopeland Island Lighthouse learnedthat one of the keepers had met withan accident. The life-boat could notgo close in to the lighthouse, so shewent back to Donaghadee for a smallboat and a relief keeper. On herreturn it was discovered that the keeperhad fallen into an old gas holder andbeen drowned. The life-boat thereforeput the relief keeper on the lighthouseand landed the body at Donaghadee byeight o'clock. The Commissioners ofthe Irish Lights expressed their thanks.—Rewards, £16 15s. Od.

DRIFTING IN A NASTY SWELLDover, Kent.—At 10.35 in the morn-

ing of the 15th of March, 1950, thesignal station at the eastern arm ofDover Harbour reported a small motorboat drifting about a mile and a halfoff Dover, with her crew of two wavingfor help. At 10.50 the life-boatSouthern Africa was launched, in amoderate sea with a light southerlywind blowing. She found a smallFolkestone fishing vessel rolling badlyin a nasty swell, and took her crewaboard. Then, with the broken downboat in tow, she arrived back at herstation at 12.5.—Rewards, £7 5s.

SICK MAN LANDEDKilmore, Co. Wexford.—At 2.5 in the

afternoon on the 19th of March, 1950,a message was relayed by the Valentiaradio station from the Coningbeg Light-vessel. She asked for the life-boat as aman on board the lightvessel was sick,suffering from a perforated duodenalulcer. Accordingly the life-boat AnnIsabella Pyemont was launched at 2.15,in a ground swell with a light south-westerly breeze. She took the sickman ashore to a waiting ambulance,and reached her station again at 5.5.—Rewards, £18 11s.

IN DIFFICULTIES OFF CULLERCOATSCullercoats, Northumberland.—-At 4.45

in the afternoon of the 19th ofMarch, 1950, the Tynemouth coast-guard telephoned that two men ap-peared to be in difficulties in a rowingboat two and a half miles to the east-ward. At 4.50 the life-boat West-morland was launched. The sea waschoppy with a strong breeze blowingfrom the south-west. She rescued themen and towed the boat back to herstation, arriving at 5.38.—Rewards,£16 5s.

ON RELIEF WORKValentia, Co. Kerry—On the 24th of

March, 1950, the Commissioners of theIrish Lights asked the life-boat torelieve the Skelligs Rocks and Inish-tearaght Rocks Lighthouses as, byarrangement with the Commissioners,she had been made available for emer-gency calls while their S.S. lerne wasbeing repaired. Accordingly, at teno'clock in the morning the life-boatB.A.S.P. left her moorings and tookher boarding boat to get close to thelighthouses. There was a very roughsea with a moderate south-easterlygale blowing. She -relieved Skelligs,but the weather was too bad to relieveInishtearaght. She therefore returnedto her station, arriving at 6.30 thatnight. At 9.45 in the morning of the26th, the Inishtearaght Lighthouse wire-lessed that weather conditions werenow favourable; so three minutes laterthe life-boat put out. There was aheavy swell. She had embarked arelief keeper and food, and took theboarding boat once again. The keepershe transferred to the lighthouse, thenput the food ashore and brought theother keeper to Valentia, finally reach-ing her station again at 4.15 in theafternoon. The Commissioners ofIrish Lights made a donation to theInstitution.—Rewards: 1st service,£26 6s. 6d.; 2nd service, £21 5s. 6d.

The following life-boats went out onservice, but could find no ships indistress, were not needed or could donothing:

Swanage, Dorset.—March 5th.—Re-wards, £22 11s.

Weymontb, Dorset.—March 5th.—Re-wards, £22 17s.


Donaghadee, Co. Down.—March 6th.—Rewards, £10 12s.

St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—March 8th.—Rewards, £21 3*.

St. Helier, Jersey.—March 8th.—Re-wards, £10 19s. 6d.

Dover, Kent.—March 8th.-—Rewards,£14 10s.

Dover, Kent.—March 16th.—Rewards,£7 5s.

Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. — March16th.—Rewards, £19 18s.

Skegness, Lincolnshire.—March 16th.—Rewards, £27 16s.

Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.-—March 19th.—Rewards, £16 12s.

The Lizard, Cornwall.—March 19th.—Rewards, £37 19s. 6d.

Cloughey, Co. Down.—March 20th.—Rewards, £22 Is. Gd.

Pwllheli, Caernarvonshire..—March 24th.—Rewards, £7 10s.

Selsey, Sussex.—March 29th.—Re-wards, £12 6s. 6d.

St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—March 30th.—Rewards, £8 11s.

APRIL

During April life-boats went out onservice 54 times and rescued 23 lives.

ESME'S ENGINENewhaven, Sussex.—At 8.15 in the

morning on the 1st of April, 1950, thecoastguard telephoned that a small boatwas in difficulties and making distresssignals in Seaford Bay. Accordingly at8.38 the life-boat Cecil and LilianPhilpott was launched. There was aheavy swell with a strong westerlybreeze blowing. She found the fishingvessel Esme, of Shoreham, with a crewof two, two miles south of Seaford Head.Her engine had broken down. Thelife-boat towed her to Newhaven Har-bour and reached her station again at9.50.—Rewards, £7 16s.

A HELPLESS YACHT

Yarmouth, Isle-of-Wight. — At 8.20 inthe evening of the 1st of April, 1950, afisherman at Lymington telephonedthat a yacht needed help. He said hehad already towed her from a position

off Christchurch to Lymington Spitbuoy, but that she was dragging heranchor. At 8.50 the life-boat S.G.E.was launched in a rough sea with amoderate west-south-west gale blowing.She found the auxiliary ketch Fortis, ofPortsmouth, off Beaulieu, with herengine broken down, draggingtowards Stone Point. Her crew of fivecould not weigh the anchor. A life-boatman therefore boarded her, andbetween them they got the anchor up.The life-boat then towed her to Yar-mouth, arriving at 12.10 the nextmorning.—Property Salvage Case.

A LIGHTHOUSE-KEEPER IS INJUREDNewcastle, Co. Down.—At 12.30 in

the afternoon of the 2nd of April, 1950,the Cranfield coastguard telephonedthat the Haulbowline lighthouse wasflying a flag asking for help; and shortlyafter a message came that it was sig-nalling for a doctor. The weather wastoo bad for a shore-boat to put out, soit was decided to launch the life-boatWilliam and Laura. The life-boat waslaunched at 12.45 and at one o'clockembarked a doctor in the harbour.Then she made for the lighthouse.There was a rough sea, with a strongnorth-westerly gale blowing; and thedoctor had to scramble over dangerousrocks to get ashore. There he foundthat a man in the lighthouse had injuredhis spine. The tide was too low to gethim into the life-boat, so the doctormade him comfortable and re-embarked.The life-boat took him to Greencastle,where he arranged for an ambulance;and at eight o'clock that evening thelife-boat left for the lighthouse againwith a relief keeper. The injured manwas taken aboard, brought to Green-castle and transferred to the waitingambulance. The life-boat then re-turned to her station, arriving at 1.40the next morning. —• Rewards,£29 14s. 6d.

PASSING LIFE-BELTSWhitby, Yorkshire. — At 3.45 in the

afternoon on the 2nd of April, 1950,fishermen reported that the fishingcoble Jean and Valerie was makingvery heavy weather about four milesto the south. Accordingly at 4.10 theNo. 1 life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was


launched in a rough sea with a strongnortherly breeze blowing. On comingup with the coble, she passed life-beltsto her crew of two, and escorted her toharbour. She reached her stationagain at 5.20.—Rewards, £7 4s.

ANOTHER ENGINE FAILS

Sunderland, Durham.—At 9.30 in themorning, on the 3rd of April, 1950,the coastguard telephoned that a motorfishing vessel was flying distress signalsone mile to the north east. Accord-ingly at 9.50 the life-boat Edward andIsabella Irwin was launched, in amoderate sea with a moderate westerlybreeze blowing. She found the motorfishing coble Cornucopia, carrying acrew of three, with her engine brokendown. Thereupon she towed her toharbour and reached her station againat eleven.—Rewards, £8 9*.

BROKEN DOWN NEAR THE GOODWINS

Dover, Kent.—At 12.43 in the morn-ing, on the 6th of April, 1950, theSandgate coastguard reported that theS.S. Shepperton Ferry had wirelessedthat a fishing vessel had broken downtwo and a quarter miles south-east ofthe South Goodwin Lightvessel. Atone o'clock the life-boat Mary Scott,on temporary duty at the station, lefther moorings in a moderate sea witha light south-westerly breeze blowing.She found the fishing vessel Bread-winner, of Rye, three miles south of theEast Goodwin Lightvessel, with a crewof two. She was rolling heavily withher engines broken down, and wasmaking water. The life-boat towed herto Dover Harbour, gave the rescued menhot soup and reached her station againat 6.15.—Rewards, £11 2s.

JENNY AND OUR JIM

Dover, Kent.—At 1.30 in the after-noon of the 8th of April, 1950, the life-boat mechanic saw a rowing boat inthe outer harbour in need of help.At 1.40 the life-boat Mary Scott, ontemporary duty at the station, left hermoorings. The sea was very rough,and there was a moderate south-westerly gale blowing. She found therowing boat Jenny and rescued thethree men on board; then took the boat

in tow and landed the men at the dockhead. Then the life-boatmen noticedanother yacht, Our Jim, also with acrew of three, pounding against thePrince of Wales Pier, so, at the skipper'srequest, she towed her to Wellingtondock. This done, she returned to herstation, arriving at four o'clock.—Rewards, £6 185.

YACHT'S DINGHY FULL OF WATER

Walton and Frinton, Essex. — About6.15 in the evening, on the 8th of April,1950, the Walton coastguard telephoneda message from the Felixstowe coast-guard, that a yacht near the BlackStakes, north-west of the Naze, seemedto be in difficulties. At 6.45 the life-boat E.M.E.D. was launched in a roughsea with a strong south-westerly breezeblowing. She found the motor yachtDiana III, of Richmond, on the edgeof the Pye Sands with ten people onboard. Her sailing dinghy, which shehad in tow, was full of water and hadmade the yacht almost unsteerable.The life-boatmen emptied the dinghy,stowed it on the yacht, and, becausethe wind was increasing, towed theDiana III to the River Twissel andmoored her there. The life-boat re-mained in the river for the night, andleft at ten next morning. On her wayback to her station she saw a pontoon-type landing craft, with a crew of two,being blown seawards, her outboardengine having broken down. The life-boat towed her to Kirby Creek and thenmade for her station, arriving at noon.—Rewards: First service, £11 12s.;Second service, £9 15s.

RUM FOR AN EXHAUSTED YOUTH

St. Abbs, Berwickshire.—At 1.38 in theafternoon, on the 9th of April, 1950, amessage was received that a youth wasbeing blown seawards in a rubberdinghy three-quarters of a mile offColdingham Sands. Accordingly, at 1.45the life-boat J. B. Couper, of Glasgow,was launched for the first time onservice. The sea was choppy, with amoderate west-south-west gale blow-ing. She rescued the exhausted youth,and the life-boatmen gave him rum.The J. B. Couper, of Glasgow, reachedits station again at 2.25.—Rewards,£6 4s.


DINGHY CAPSIZED

Dungeness, Kent.—At 4.24 in theafternoon, on the 9th of April, 1950, theLade coastguard telephoned that asailing dinghy had capsized half amile off Littlestone, tipping two peopleinto the sea. At 4.38 the life-boatCharles Cooper Henderson was launchedin a choppy sea, with a westerly galeblowing. She found the dinghy fivemiles north-by-east of the life-boatstation. A motor boat had picked upthe two people and was standing by.The life-boat righted the dinghy andtowed it to her station, arriving at 5.45.The motor boat landed the two personsat Littlestone.—Rewards, £21 17s.

ON HER BEAM ENDSClacton-on-Sea, Essex.—At 3.52 in the

afternoon, on the 12th of April, 1950,the coastguard telephoned that theCustoms at Brightlingsea had reporteda yacht on her beam ends, and high anddry in Ray Sand Channel. At 4.15 thelife-boat Edward Z. Dresden waslaunched in a choppy sea, with a slightnorth-westerly breeze. She found thesailing yacht Dirk II, one mile south-west of Buxey Beacon, and stood byher until she refloated. Then sheaccompanied her clear of the sands,and returned to her station, arrivingat 8.30.—Rewards, £12.

SECURING A DRIFTING MINEIslay, Inner Hebrides.—At 4.45 p.m.

on the 12th of April, 1950, the chair-man of the local life-boat station re-ported a mine drifting south throughthe Sound of Islay directly in the lineof shipping using the sound. Withnight approaching the danger to theshipping was heightened, and there wasalso the danger of the mine beingwashed ashore at any of the villages ofBonahaven, Caol Ila, or Port Askaig.The coxswain, Duncan McNeill, whohad previously taken part in securing amine, was willing to try and secure thisone. At 5.10 p.m. the life-boat Man-chester and Salford, on temporary dutyat the station, was launched in amoderate sea, with a moderate north-westerly wind blowing. She had thecoxswain's own small boat in tow.When the mine was found, the coxswainmanned his own boat and approached

the mine alone. The life-boat stood aquarter of a mile off. He secured tothe mine's mooring cable, a rope of 600fathoms, and the life-boat then towedit to a position south of Port Askaig.Here a party landed, while the life-boatremained half a mile off shore. Puttinga hill between themselves and the mine,the party pulled it ashore and securedit, out of danger to shipping andinhabitants.

The Institution was of opinion thatthe service reflected great credit on allconcerned, especially Coxswain DuncanMcNeill, to whom a letter of apprecia-tion was sent.—Rewards, £6 11s.

MOTOR YACHT DRIFTINGClogher Head, Co. Louth.—At 2.30 in

the afternoon, on the 16th of April,1950, the harbourmaster reported thatthe motor yacht St. Joseph, of Dro-gheda, with a crew of two, had brokendown about two miles north of PortOriel and was drifting seawards. At2.45, the life-boat Mary Ann Blunt waslaunched in a rough sea with a moderatesouth-westerly gale blowing. Shefound the yacht two miles north-east ofPort Oriel. Two life-boatmen boardedher and the life-boat then towed herto Port Oriel, reaching her station againat 4.20.—Rewards, £10 3s.

A PILOT IN THE SEASwanage, Dorset.—• At 3.28 in the

afternoon, on the 16th of April, 1950,the coastguard telephoned a messagefrom the Portland radar station thatan aeroplane had crashed into the sea.The pilot had dropped by parachuteseven and a half miles south of DurlstonHead. At 3.44 the life-boat R.L.P.was launched in a light south-south-east breeze with a calm sea. She wasguided to the pilot, eight miles south-by-west of Durlston Head, by circlingaeroplanes; here she rescued him, trans-ferred him to a motor torpedo boat andreturned to her station, arriving at7.30 that evening.—Rewards, £11 7s.

ANCHORED ON EAST BARNARDS BANKFleet wood, Lancashire.—At 11.45 on

the night of the 16th of April, 1950, thecounty police reported a messagereceived from a returning fishing boat,that flares had been seen in Lune Deep


about four miles west of Wyre Light.At 12.30 in the morning the life-boatAnn Letitia Russell was launched in arough sea, with a strong south-westerlybreeze blowing. However, she sawnothing and at 5.30 returned to herstation to await daylight. At 6.30 thelocal fishing boat Jane was seenanchored on East Barnards Bank. Thelife-boat then put out again and towedher to harbour. It was learned laterthat the flares had been made by thefishing boat Maid of Erin, which hadbroken down but managed to reachharbour.—Rewards, £18 185.

ANCHORED TO A CRAB POT

Salcombe, Devon. — At 9.20 in themorning, on the 17th of April, 1950,the Greystones coastguard reportedthat a motor fishing boat seemed to bein difficulties three and a half mileswest of Bolt Head. At 10.9 the life-boat Samuel and Marie Parkhouse waslaunched in a rough sea with a freshsouth-westerly breeze blowing. Shefound the local motor fishing boatAtlantic, with one man on board,anchored to a crab pot. Her enginehad broken down. The life-boat towedher to harbour and reached her stationagain at 12.30 that afternoon. Thefather of the rescued man made adonation to the Institution.—Rewards,£7 10s.

A VELLUM SERVICESelsey, Sussex.—The Institution's

thanks on vellum and a special awardof £2 were awarded to Life-boatmanW. Arnell for going overboard from thelife-boat on the 17th of April to therescue of one of two men of a capsizedfishing boat. Rewards, £14 12*.

(A full account of this service is givenon page 50.)

TWELVE AGROUND IN A TRAWLERBarra Island, Outer Hebrides.—At 3.30

in the afternoon, on the 18th of April,1950, the police reported that a trawlerwhich had just put out had run ashoreand was blowing her siren. At 3.50,the life-boat Lloyd's left her mooringsin a choppy sea with a strong north-westerly breeze blowing. She foundthe steam trawler George Hastings, ofMilford Haven, with a crew of twelve,

near the east-south-east fairway buoyin Castlebay Harbour. The life-boatpassed a rope to her, refloated her withthe rising tide, and the George Hastingsthen made for Oban under her ownpower. The Lloyd's returned to herstation, arriving at seven o'clock thatevening.—Rewards, £8 Is.

A PASSIVE ROLE

Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 5.56 in themorning, on the 19th of April, 1950,the coastguard telephoned that a vesselwas aground at North Cheek, RobinHoods Bay. At 6.10 the No. 1 life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched.The sea was moderate with a moderatebreeze blowing from the north. Shefound the S.S. Durhambrook, of London,with a crew of twenty, but as she couldnot give any help until the eveningtide, she returned to her station. Atthree in the afternoon she put out again,stood by the steamer until she refloatedat 6.25. Then, as the Durhambrookstill needed no help, she returned to herstation, arriving at 8.35 that evening.—Rewards, £24 14s.

TWO FISHERMEN ADRIFT

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, Norfolk.—At 9.12 in the morning, on the 19th ofApril, 1950, the coastguard telephonedthat a fishing boat was flying a distresssignal. Accordingly at 9.15 the life-boat Louise Stephens was launched.The sea was smooth, with a freshnortherly breeze blowing. She cameup with the fishing boat Cadj, of GreatYarmouth, with a crew of two, one anda half miles to the southward. Herengine had broken down; and, at theskipper's request, the life-boat towedher to harbour. She arrived back ather station at 10.8.—Rewards, £8 15s.

A ROCKET TO THE RESCUE

St. David's, Pembrokeshire.—At 3.30in the afternoon, on the 23rd of April,1950, the coastguard telephoned thatthe police had passed on a messagefrom Strumble Head that a boat wasdrifting in St. Bride's Bay. At 10.50that night it was reported that she wasthe yacht Eligug, of Solva, which hadlast been seen off Point Castle abouteight o'clock. Because of the weather,anxiety was felt for the safety of the

66 THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMER, 1950'

owner and his two children, who werein the yacht. So, at 1.5 next morningthe life-boat M.O.Y.E., on temporaryduty at the station, was launched.There was a rough sea with a moderatewest-north-west gale blowing. Withthe help of a rocket fired by the coast-guard, she found the Eligug, anchoredoff the castle, and taking off thechildren, towed it to Solva harbour.She reached her station again at 5.15.—Rewards, £10 18s.

TWO MEN IN TROUBLEFalmouth, Cornwall. — About 6.45 in

the evening, on the 23rd of April, 1950,the police reported that a man had beenfound unconscious at St. Just. Whenhe recovered he had told them a com-panion was adrift in the sailing boatShira. At seven o'clock the life-boatCrawford and Constance Conybeare waslaunched, in a rough sea with a strongnorth-north-west breeze blowing. Shefound the Shira, with the other man,ashore at St. Just; and going close in,got a line aboard and towed her clear,when a life-boatman boarded her.Picking up the first man, the life-boatthen returned to her station with theShira in tow, arriving at nine thatnight.—Rewards, £5 13s.

THREE FISHING BOATSIN DIFFICULTIES

Eyemouth, and St. Abbs, Berwickshire.—At 10.7 in the morning, on the 24th ofApril, 1950, the Eyemouth life-boatauthorities received a message from aBurnmouth fisherman that the motorfishing vessel Breadwinner, of Burn-mouth, was in difficulties off Burn-mouth and that two other motorfishing vessels, the Orient and DollyGraham, also of Burnmouth, were atsea in bad weather. At 10.20 the life-boat Frank and William Oates waslaunched, but a heavy sea hit her asshe entered the water and she grounded.Finding it impossible to get her away,the honorary secretary telephoned theEyemouth coastguard; and he informedthe St. Abbs life-boat station. Tenminutes later, the life-boat, J. B.Couper, of Glasgow, was launched.The sea was rough and there was afresh north-north-east gale blowing.Meanwhile, the Breadwinner had man-

aged to reach Burnmouth harbour, andthe life-boat saw the Dolly Grahamrunning for it, too. She therefore madefor the Orient, which was moving slowly,and escorted in both fishing vessels.She then returned to her station,arriving at 1.5 in the afternoon. TheEyemouth life-boat was refloated at5.15 that evening and was rehoused at5.30.—Rewards: Eyemouth, £15 11s.;:St. Abbs, £8 16s. 6d.

THE ADVENTURES OF LITTLE JOHNMoelfre, Anglesey.—At 1.45 in the

afternoon of the 24th of April, 1950,the Holyhead coastguard telephonedthat a trawler in Moelfre Bay was flyinga signal asking for a boat to stand byher. At 2.15, therefore, the life-boatG.W. was launched. The sea was veryrough with a northerly gale. She cameup with the steam trawler Little John,of Milford Haven, with a crew of thir-teen, at anchor east of the life-boatstation, and making water through herpropeller shaft. At the request of theskipper, the life-boat escorted theLittle John to the Menai Straits. Shethen returned to her station, arrivingat 8.15 that evening.—Rewards, £16 5s.

ANOTHER PILOT IN THE SEA

Walton and Frinton, Essex.—At 4.55in the afternoon, on the 25th of April,1950, the Walton coastguard telephonedthat a man could be seen waving onwhat appeared to be a submerged aero-plane between one and two miles south-east of the Naze. At 5.5 the life-boatE.M.E.D. was launched in a slight sea,with a light north-north-east breezeblowing. She found a submergedglider, rescued the pilot and then tookit in tow and beached it. The life-boatmen gave the pilot rum and dryclothes, and then returned to theirstation, arriving at 7.20 that evening.—•Property Salvage Case.

DRIFTING OFF ST. MARTIN'S POINT

St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—At 9.50 onthe night of the 27th of April, 1950,lights, believed to be flares, were seenfrom the signal station. At 10.15 thepolice confirmed seeing them from St.Martin's Point. At 10.45 the life-boatHearts of Oak, on temporary duty atthe station, was launched in a moderate


sea with a moderate north-westerlybreeze blowing. She found the localmotor boat, Doreen, with one man onboard, drifting one mile east-south-eastof St. Martin's Point. She took theman on board. A life-boatman thenboarded the Doreen and the life-boattowed her to her station, arriving at12.10 the next morning.—Rewards,£5 16«.

TEN MEN RESCUED

Douglas, Isle of Man.—At 12.30 in themorning, on the 30th of April, 1950,the Ramsey coastguard telephoned thatflares had been seen off Onchan Head.At 12.45 the life-boat Millie Walton waslaunched in a thick fog with a heavyground swell and a fresh south-easterlybreeze. She found the steam trawlerMary Heeley, of Lowestoft, fast on asubmerged rock, with a crew of ten.She rescued the men and returned toher station arriving at 2.45.—Rewards,£10 2s. .

The following life-boats went outon service, but could find no ships in•distress, were not needed or could donothing:

Bembridge, Isle of Wight.—April 2nd.—•Rewards, £15 13s.

St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly.—April 2nd.—Rewards, £22 3*.

Ferryside, Carmarthenshire.—April 2nd.—Rewards, £12 17s.

Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.—April 3rd.—Rewards, £9 Is.

Dover, Kent.—April 7th.—Rewards,£5 10s.

Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—April 8th.—Rewards, £15 6s.

Selsey, Sussex.—April 9th.—Rewards,£11 12s.

Rhyl, Flintshire. — April 10th.—Re-wards, £25 13s.

Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—April 10th.—Rewards, £12 8s.

Longhope, Orkneys.—April 13th.—Re-wards, £8 18s. 6d.

Ramsgate, Kent. — April 13th. — Re-wards, £9 4s. 6d.

Dungeness, Kent..-—April 15th.—Re-wards, £25.

Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.—April 16th.—Rewards, £7 Is. 6d.

Fowey, Cornwall.—April 18th.—Re-wards, £8 Is.

Amble, Northumberland.—April 20th.—Rewards, £7 12s.

Tenby, Pembrokeshire.—April 20th.—•Rewards, £23 19s.

Ramsgate, Kent.—April 22nd.—Re-wards, £5 18s.

Stromness, Orkneys.—April 23rd.—Re-wards, £20 8s.

Rhyl, Flintshire. — April 23rd. — Re-wards, £12 14s.

St. Helier, Jersey.—April 23rd.—Re-wards, £4 17s. 6d.

Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.—April 27th.—Rewards, £14 8s.

Walmer, Kemt. — April 28th. — Re-wards, £12 11s. 6d.

Lowestoft, Sussex.—April 30th.—Re-wards, £16 14s.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk.—April 30th.—Re-wards, £36 13s. 6d.

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, Norfolk.—April 30th.—Rewards, £18 7s. 6d.

MAY

DURING May life-boats went out enservice 43 times and rescued 31 lives.

S.O.S. FROM A SMACK

Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire.—At 11.5on the night of the 4th of May, 1950,the coastguard reported that a flashinglight, believed to be a S.O.S. signal, hadbeen seen between four and five milesnorth-west of the coastguard station.At 11.59 the life-boat Lady Harrison waslaunched. The weather was calm.With the help of her searchlight, shefound the fishing smack, Quest, of NewQuay, with a crew of two, betweenthree and three and a half miles to thenorth. She was at anchor and hadrun short of fuel. Two life-boatmentherefore boarded her and helped weighthe anchor; and the life-boat towed herto the harbour. She reached herstation again at 1.25 the next morning.—Rewards, £13 17s.

THREE MEN AND A BOOM

Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—At 5.20 inthe evening, on the 5th of May, 1950,the Cementation Company said that a


boat was in danger of drifting out tosea with a large section of the boom offShoeburyness. It had three of theirmen aboard, who were engaged in dis-mantling the boom. At 5.40 the life-boat Greater London, Civil Service No. 3,was launched in a choppy sea with afresh northerly breeze blowing. Shefound the boat two and a half miles offShoeburyness. It was too large forthe men to control, so the life-boattook them off and towed the boat toSouthend pier. She reached her stationagain at 6.35.—-Rewards, £8 11s.

ADRIFT WITHOUT LIGHTSDover, Kent.—At 9.40 on the night

of the 6th of May, 1950, the Sandgatecoastguard passed on information fromthe Seabrook police that a small sailingcraft was drifting without lights offSeabrook. At ten o'clock the life-boatSouthern Africa was launched in amoderate swell with a light westerlywind blowing. She found the yachtWendy, of Gillingham, disabled by anengine breakdown only four hundredyards from the shore. At the requestof her master, who was alone on board,the life-boat took her in tow for Dover,and when they arrived at hah0 pastthree in the morning the yacht wasberthed in the Wellington Dock.—•Property Salvage Case.

A STEAM TRAWLER AGROUNDLowestoft, Suffolk.—At 3.51 in the

afternoon, on the 9th of May, 1950, thecoastguard reported a vessel off theharbour blowing for help. At fouro'clock the life-boat Michael Stephensput out in a thick fog. The sea washeavy with a light northerly windblowing. A quarter of a mile east ofthe harbour the life-boat found thelocal steam trawler Loddon, which hadput out half an hour earlier, with a crewof ten. She was aground. At theskipper's request the fife-boat stood byuntil a tug refloated the trawler, whenall three vessels returned to harbour.They arrived at half past five.—Rewards, £6 Is.

THREE SOLDIERS AFLOATHolyhead, Anglesey.—At 5.15 in the

evening, on the 13th of May, 1950, thecoastguard telephoned that three men

in a rubber dinghy were drifting sea-wards off Ty-Croes. At 5.25 the life-boat A.E.D. was launched in a calmsea with a light easterly breeze blowing.She found the dinghy two and a halfmiles south of Rhoscolyn Beacon, andrescued the three men, who weresoldiers from Ty-Croes Camp. Thenshe returned to her station, arriving at9.5 that night.—Rewards, £6 18s.

FOUR MEN RESCUED

Ramsgale, Kent. — At 6.39 in theevening, on the 14th of May, 1950, thecoastguard telephoned that a small boatwas making heavy weather half a mileoff Dumpton Gap. At 6.45 the life-boat Mary Scott, on temporary duty atthe station, was launched. A fresheast-north-east breeze was blowingwith a rough sea. She found the boatBev, of Broadstairs, at anchor near therocks, with four men on board. Soonafter the life-boat had rescued theexhausted men she sank. The life-boatmen towed her clear, got the waterout of her and lifting her on to the life-boat, returned to harbour. Theyarrived at 7.35.-—Rewards, £6 13s.

EXHAUSTED CREW RESCUEDWicklow. — On the evening of the

17th of May, 1950, the local fishing boatC. S. Parnell, with a crew of four, leftfor the fishing ground five miles southof Wicklow. The weather grew bad,a fresh north-easterly wind causing arough sea. The coxswain kept a look-out from one o'clock in the morningand when, two hours later the boat wasstill out, it was decided to launch thelife-boat. Accordingly at half pastthree the Lady Kylsant put out tosearch. At 4.20 she found the boattwo miles south of Wicklow Head, andmaking no progress. The crew, veryexhausted, were taken into the life-boat,which with the fishing boat in towarrived in harbour at 5.30.—Rewards,£8 5s. 6d.

TO A KEEPER'S HELPKilmore, Co. Wexford.—At four o'clock

in the afternoon on the 18th of May,1950, the Inspector of the Irish Lightstelephoned to ask the life-boat to goto the Coningbeg Lightvessel and


bring ashore a lightkeeper whose fatherwas dying. Accordingly, at half pastfour the life-boat Ann Isabella Pyemontwas launched, in a smooth sea witha light south-easterly wind blowing.She got back again with the keeper at7.30 in the evening.—-Rewards, £14 16s.Repaid by the Commissioners of IrishLights.

WAVE OF THE CRESTThurso, Caithness-shire.—At half past

eight in the evening, on the 19th ofMay, 1950, a telephone call from PortSkerra reported a fishing boat flyingdistress signals. At 8.45 the life-boatH.C.J. was launched in a rough sea witha strong north-easterly breeze blowing.She found the fishing boat Crest, ofThurso, with a crew of four aboard,disabled by an engine breakdown, andtook her in tow to Scrabster Harbour.They arrived at 1.45 next morning.—•Rewards, £16 18s. 6d.

MULTIPLE INJURIESRamsgate, Kent. — At 3.20 in the

afternoon on the 20th of May, 1950,the coastguard telephoned to say thata small yacht was in distress in PegwellBay. The two men on board werewaving an oar with a flag attached.At 3.28 the life-boat Mary Scott, ontemporary duty at the station, left hermoorings in a moderate sea with asouth-westerly breeze blowing. Shefound the auxiliary yacht Marie, dis-abled with engine failure and a smashedrudder. Two life-boatmen were putaboard and the Marie, together withher crew, was brought into Ramsgateharbour at 3.55.—Rewards, £6 12s. Qd.

TAKING OUT A RELIEF KEEPER

Holyhead, Anglesey. —• On the after-noon of the 20th of May, 1950, it waslearned through the Trinity HouseDepot that a boat was needed to fetcha sick man from the Skerries lighthouse.The Trinity House vessel was notavailable, and so at 4.30 the life-boatA.E.D. left her moorings, with a reliefkeeper on board. There was a groundswell and a north-easterly breeze.Keepers were exchanged and the life-boat returned to Holyhead at 6.25.—Rewards, £4 15s. Repaid to theInstitution by the Trinity House.

CREW REPAIR ENGINERamsgate, Kent. — At 9.5 on the

night of the 23rd of May, 1950, thecoastguard telephoned a message re-received from Sandwich that a fishingboat was drifting on a lee shore amile north of Guildford Hotel. Fiveminutes later, the life-boat Mary Scott,on temporary duty at the station,put out in a moderate north-easterlybreeze with a rough sea. She foundthe local motor fishing boat Mary Ann,whose crew of four were repairing anengine break-down. Consequently thelife-boat was soon able to escort herhome, and reached Ramsgate harbourat 9.55.—Rewards, £6 13s.

A COLLISION IN THE FOGDungeness, Kent.—In the early morn-

ing of the 26th of May, 1950, in a thickfog, the S.S. Cabo Espartel, of Seville,bound for Valentia with a cargo ofammonia, collided with the S.S. Felspar,of Glasgow. About 3.49, just beforeshe sank, the Cabo Espartel made aS.O.S. signal on her siren. She wasthen about two and a half miles east ofDungeness, where her crew of thirty-seven were picked up by the S.S.Fulham, of London. At 4.10 Lloyd'ssignal station reported the S.O.S.message to the life-boat authorities,and twenty minutes later the life-boatCharles Cooper Henderson was launched.The sea was calm with a light northerlybreeze blowing. She came up with theFulham three miles east-by-south ofDungeness, and taking off the Spanishcrew, landed them at her station at 6.10.At the same time, she towed in twoships boats. Meanwhile, the pilotvessel Penleigh, which had been stand-ing by the Felspar, wirelessed for help.The steamer had been badly holed andneeded a tug. The life-boat thereforeput out again at 6.30, and finding theFelspar in tow of a tug five miles tothe eastward, helped to steer her.She remained in attendance until thesteamer reached Sandwich Bay andthen returned to her station, arrivingat 5.35 in the evening.-—-Rewards:1st service, £21 17s.; 2nd service,Property Salvage Case.

ESCORTING YACHTSNewhaven, Sussex. — At five in the

afternoon, on the 27th of May, 1950,

70 THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMER, 1950*

the coastguard telephoned a Brightonpolice report that a yacht was in dis-tress one mile off Saltdean. At 5.12the life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpottwas launched. The sea was rough,with a strong west-south-west breezeblowing. She escorted three yachts toNewhaven harbour, and reached herstation again at 6.20 that evening.However, at 6.45 several other yachtscould be seen to the westward; so thelife-boat again put out at 6.50 andstood by the harbour entrance. Hereshe escorted in two yachts. A thirdyacht, the Moneta, on rounding thebreakwater, had her mainsail ripped toshreds and drifted out of control.The life-boat therefore towed her andher crew of eight to the harbour andarrived back at her station at 7.30.—Rewards: 1st service, £7 16s.; 2ndservice, £9 7s.

ANCHORS DRAGGINGKUmore, Co., Wexford —At 6.25 in

the evening, on the 27th of May, 1950,the motor fishing boat Catherine, ofDunmore East, with a crew of two wasseen flying distress signals three mileseast-south-east of the piers. At 6.42the life-boat Ann Isabella Pyemontwas launched. The sea was rough,with a strong westerly breeze blowing.She found the Catherine at anchor withher engine broken down, havingdragged her anchors a mile. Two life-boatmen boarded her to help weighthem, and the life-boat then towed herto Kilmore. She reached her stationagain at 8.5.—Rewards. £11 5s.

LOST RUDDERSouthend-on-Sea, Essex.—At 9.55 on

the night of the 27th of May, 1950, amessage came from the Warden PointLook-out that a sailing yacht was indistress two miles off Shoeburyness.At 10.28 the life-boat Greater London,Civil Service No. 3, was launched in avery rough sea with a westerly galeblowing. She found the yacht Pinta,of Gillingham, a quarter of a mile northof West Shoebury Buoy. She hadlost her rudder, shipped a lot of water,and her crew of two were exhausted.After they had been rescued, two life-boatmen were put aboard the Pinta,which was then baled out and taken

in tow. They reached Southend at11,5.-—Property Salvage Case.

AN INTERRUPTED CRUISEWalton and Frinton, Essex.—At 11.39

on the night of the 27th of May, 1950,the Walton-on-the-Naze coastguardtelephoned that the Sunk Lightvessethad reported what it thought to be aflare about two miles south-south-eastof the lightvessel. At 12.3 next morn-ing the life-boat E.M.E.D. was launchedin a moderate sea with a moderatewesterly breeze blowing. The light-ves-sel, reporting that a S.O.S. signal wasbeing made, wirelessed the position asthree to three and a half miles to hereast. Here the life-boat found thelocal auxiliary yacht Mary Ellen. Shewas on a cruise to Holland, with a crewof four, but had gone aground, and lostsome rigging and her mast. The life-boatmen cleared the mast, towed herin, and reached their station again, atten. The owner thanked the life-boatmen.—Property Salvage Case.

LEADING A DANCEGreat Yarmouth and Goriest on, Norfolk.

—At 12.39 in the afternoon, on the28th of May, 1950, the Gorleston coast-guard telephoned that the Smith'sKnoll Lightvessel had reported a yachtburning flares half a mile astern of thelightvessel. At 12.44 the life-boatLouise Stephens was launched. Thesea was rough with a fresh north-north-west breeze blowing; but the sailingyacht Tango, whose sails had blownaway, managed to reach the lightvessel.Here she tied up; and her exhaustedcrew of four were taken aboard. Twolife-boatmen then boarded the yacht,and her crew were transferred to theLouise Stephens; which, with the yachtin tow, returned to harbour. Shearrived at 7.45 that evening.—Rewards,£20 10*.

TANKER AGROUNDSt. Ives, Cornwall.—At 7.40 in the

morning on the 31st of May, 1950, thecoastguard telephoned that a tankerhad been reported aground at Porth-meaor beach. At 8.3 the life-boatEdgar, George, Orlando and Eva Childwas launched, in a slight swell. Shefound the motor vessel Sand Runner,


•of Goole, in no immediate danger, butas the tide was ebbing f

the life-boat...mr. punc ohn th life-boae servict e this article by mr. p. r. boyle, with...

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