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Volume XLVI Number 465 Autumn 1978 25p

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THELIFEBOAT

Autumn 1978

/~^ — y. j. f^Y\ "f c* Notes of the Quarter, by Patrick Howarth 39

North Cornwall . . . visit of The Duke of Kent, president of theInstitution, to five stations in North Cornwall 41

VolUme XLVI Lifeboat Services 42

Number 465Dedication: Offshore—Inshore 49

Central Operations/Information Room, RNLI Headquarters,Poole 52

Chairman:MAJOR-GENERAL R. H. FARRANT, CB Coastguard . . . Lt-Cdr Tim Fetherston-Dilke, the new Chief

Coastguard, talks of the re-organisation taking place withinDirector and Secretary: the servjce 53CAPTAIN NIGEL DIXON, QBE, RN

Annual General Meeting and Presentation of Awards 55

American Journey by Patrick Howarth 59Managing Editor:PATRICK HOWARTH Shoreline 60

Edltor: Building a Rother Class Lifeboat: Part IX—Closed Circuits 61JOAN DAVIES

Here and There 62Headquarters:Royal National Life-boat Institution, Some Ways of Raising Money 63West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH151HZ (Telephone Poole 71133). Book Reviews 66

Letters 67London Office:Royal National Life-boat Institution, offshore Lifeboat Services, March, April and May 1978 6921 Ebury Street, London SW1W OLD(Telephone 01-730 0031). . , , ... , . „ . .. , . .. , ,. .„_„ _„K Inshore Lifeboat Services, March, April and May 1978 70

COVER PICTURE

British Petroleum and Bristow Helicoptersare combining to provide an airborne searchand rescue service based on BP FortiesField but available to other oil companieswith North Sea operations and indeed toany ship in distress within 100 miles ofForties. Bristow's S-6IN aircraft, one ofwhich is seen here on exercise withAberdeen's 54ft Arun class lifeboat BPForties, make the Forties run daily. Now, inan emergency, they can be diverted to eitherthe Bravo or Delta platform where, within15 minutes, they can be fitted with a winch,refuelled and take on a BP rescue team. Thephotograph was taken by James D.Ferguson, a member of Aberdeen inshorelifeboat crew.

Editorial: All material submitted forconsideration with a view to publica-tion in the journal should be addressedto the editor, THE LIFEBOAT, RoyalNational Life-boat Institution, WestQuay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ(Telephone Poole 71133). Photographsintended for return should be accom-panied by a stamped and addressedenvelope.

Next issue: the winter issue of THELIFEBOAT will appear in January andnews items should be sent by the end ofOctober. News items for the springissue should be sent in by the end ofJanuary.

Advertisements: All advertisingenquiries should be addressed toDyson Advertising Services, PO Box 9,Godalming, Surrey (TelephoneGodalming (04868) 23675).

Subscription: A year's subscription offour issues costs £1.40, including post-age, but those who are entitled toreceive THE LIFEBOAT free of chargewill continue to do so. Overseas sub-scriptions depend on the cost of post-age to the country concerned.

The picture of the St Peter Port service tothe oil rig Orion on our summer cover wastaken by Namemakers Ltd and we thankthem for lending us this photograph.

37

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NOTES OFTHE QUARTER

by Patrick Howarth

THE PROTOTYPE of a new lifeboat tobridge the gap between the smalleroffshore lifeboats and the Atlantic 21ILB is under construction. Among therequirements for the new boat listed bythe RNLI's Executive Committee werethat it should have a maximum lengthof 35 feet and an operating speed of atleast 25 knots; that it should be fittedwith VHF/MF radio, radar and an echosounder; and that it should be capableof being launched by trolley from abeach or, alternatively, lie afloat. Muchof the original design work wasentrusted to the RNLI's inshorelifeboat base at Cowes. A model hasbeen tank tested by the WolfsonMarine Craft Unit, Southampton Uni-versity, and W. A. Souters are buildingthe basic wooden hull. The project isbeing controlled by a working party ledby the RNLI's chairman, Major-General Ralph Farrant.

Twenty years of self-rightingThe new 35 foot prototype is one of a

wide range of new lifeboats which havebeen developed in the past twodecades. An opportunity to examinelifeboat development during that periodwas provided by the Science Museumin South Kensington where the exhibi-tion 'Right Way Up', held from July 6to September 3, told the story of self-righting lifeboats. Among those presentat the opening ceremony were RichardOakley, the designer of the first of theRNLI's modern self-righters, and Wil-liam Sheader, who was coxswain atScarborough when, in 1958, J. Gravesof Sheffield, the first 37ft Oakleylifeboat, went on station there.

The 37ft Oakley depends on thetransference of water for her self-righting capability. So that a computer

generated colour animation film couldbe produced to illustrate the system atthe exhibition, a research programmebeing undertaken by Harley Quilliam atthe University of Surrey, Guildford,and planned to take a year was com-pressed into six weeks. Thus the filmused at the lifeboat exhibition was thefirst to be produced by a revolutionarynew system.

The exhibition was opened by JimmySavile, the television star and honorarylifeboatman, whose words when per-forming the opening ceremony made adeep impression on everyone presents:

'People like us,' he said, 'find it easyto stand on steps and say a few wordsand open exhibitions like this, but it is anhonour to do so, because of the tre-mendous work done by lifeboat crews.We couldn't come up to the ankles, orkneecaps, let alone stand shoulder toshoulder with the men that go out inthese boats at any hour of the day ornight to save people they don't know, nomatter what creed, colour or race.'

Lift-boatman DruidRichard Evans, the former Moelfre

coxswain and the most decorated livinglifeboatman, acquired another distinc-tion recently when he was admitted tothe highest order of Druids. RichardEvans was awarded the RNLI's goldmedal twice. He received the Board ofTrade silver medal and the BEM. Healso received an honorary fellowship ofManchester Polytechnic.

'Right Way Up', the RNLI exhibitionheld at the Science Musuem, Ken-sington, this summer, was opened byJimmy Savile, OBE. He is seen (right)with Richard Oakley, MBE, (r.)designer of the first modern self-righting lifeboat, the37ft Oakley, andWilliam Sheader, BEM, first coxswainof the first 37ft Oakley, which wasstationed at Scarborough . . .

photographs by courtesyof Peter Hadfield

. . . and (below) Jimmy Savile at thehelm of the Atlantic 21 on show witha 'crew' of Scouts.

On the occasion of the dinner givenby the Corporation of the City of Lon-don in the Guildhall to mark the 150thanniversary of the foundation of theRNLI, Richard Evans was asked toreply to the toast to the Institution.When he sat down the guests spon-taneously rose to their feet andapplauded, a distinction accorded toonly two other speakers during the pre-ceding 30 years. They were HaroldMacmillan and Sir Alec Douglas-Home.

International serviceOne of the international services

provided by the RNLI which is notgenerally known is the editing of anannual publication Lifeboat Interna-tional. This restricted circulation pub-lication came into being following theeleventh International Lifeboat Con-ference held in New York in 1971,when it was agreed that there was aneed to bridge the four-year gap bet-ween international lifeboat conferencesthrough a journal which would recordnew technical developments. Thearticles in Lifeboat International from1976 to 1978 will provide the basis forthe discussions at the next Inter-national Conference to be held at TheHague in April next year.

Overseas visitors to the RNLI inrecent months have included CaptainD. W. Batchelor of the CanadianCoastguard, who has been entrustedwith the task of setting up an Auxiliary

39

Coastguard Service on the west coastof Canada.

The next social event to be staged bythe American/British Lifeboat AppealCommittee will be a reception at theFishmongers' Hall in the City of Lon-don on Monday November 13.

St Andrews' lifeboatHenry Longhurst, the famous writer

and television commentator on golfwho died in July of this year, was adistinguished raconteur. He had manygolfing stories. One which, he assuredme, was among his special favouritesconcerned a medal competition held atSt Andrews in the days when StAndrews still had a pulling lifeboat.The competition was held in a gale andwhile it was taking place the StAndrews lifeboat was called out. Oneof the competitors, who had alreadyplayed a few holes, on hearing themaroons fired, dashed off to take hisplace in the lifeboat. When the lifeboatservice was completed he came back tofinish his round, eventually winningwith a score in the high eighties.

Birthday HonoursQBE: Captain Nigel Dixon, RN (Retd),director and secretary of the RNLI.Captain Dixon joined the Institution aspersonal assistant to the chief inspectorof lifeboats in 1967 and was appointedsecretary in 1970.

MBE: John Mathers Drummond-Smith,member, Angus District Council. JackSmith has served on the Montrose sta-tion branch of the RNLI for 40 yearsand has been honorary secretary since1955. He was awarded binoculars in1966.

Anniversary vellumsA centenary vellum has been

awarded to Clacton-on-Sea lifeboat sta-tion on the occasion of the 100thanniversary of its establishment in1878, and vellums have been awardedto Ilfracombe, Holyhead, Barmouthand Peel lifeboat stations on the occa-sion of the 150th anniversary of theirestablishment in 1828.

Both Barmouth and Holyhead cele-brated their 150th anniversaries withservices of thanksgiving and re-dedication attended by many lifeboatpeople and conducted by theArchbishop of Wales, The MostReverend Gwilym Owen Williams,Barmouth on June 27 and Holyhead onAugust 22.

New C of M membersTwo new members joined the Com-

mittee of Management recently: Com-modore James G. Young, CBE DSC VRDDL RNR, who has been actively con-nected with the Institution's appeal toshipping, and Mr L. G. Booen, BSCFICE FI.struct.E, who has been amember of the Institution's BoatCommittee since 1976.

St Peter Port lifeboat crew formed the guard of honour as Her Majesty The Queen embarkedin her barge to rejoin HMY Britannia at the end of her visit to Guernsey on Wednesday June28. Her Majesty spoke to every crew member, asking about the lifeboat, about recent servicesand about what they each did for a living. photograph by courtesy of Brian Green

Calling all Mancunians:Manchester has a long andhistoric connection withthe RNLI. The very firststreet collection was heldin Manchester and Salfordin October 1891, when£5,000 was collected, andover the years Manches-ter's citizens have fundedno less than 31 lifeboats.Recently the Lord Mayorof Manchester, CouncillorTrevor Thomas, seen herewith the Lady Mayoressvisiting an RNLI exhibitionin the new Arndale Shop-ping Precinct, launchedan appeal to fund a 37ft 6in Rother lifeboat to be called Manchester and District XXXII.Contributions from Mancunians 'in exile' in other parts of the country would be welcomedand should be sent to David Jones, district organising secretary (North West), RNLI, PrincesChambers, 26 Pall Mall, Manchester 2; cheques payable to Lord Mayor of Manchester'sAppeal. With the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress are (I. to r.) James Murray, ADOS (NorthWest), David Jones, D. K. Redford, chairman of Manchester and District branch andLeonard Marshall, driver, Northern Depot.

Ramsey ladies' guild gave a special party in July for their president, Mrs Ann Ritchie, duringwhich she was presented with the vellum to mark her election as an honorary life governor ofthe Institution. The presentation was made by Major Keith Groves, OBE, JP, a member ofRamsey branch committee for nearly 40 years, chairman from 1958 and now president.

40

North Cornwall . . .Five lifeboat stations in North Cornwall were visited on June 27 by our president, HRH TheDuke of Kent. Such great interest did His Royal Highness take in all he was shown and in allthe lifeboat people he met—crew members and their wives, station officials and fundraisers—that it proved a very happy and rewarding day. First call was at Port Isaac: (top, left)David Castle, honorary secretary, introduces (I. to r.) Jack Spry, deputy launching authority,and Crew Members Neville Andrews, Clive Martin, Richard Parsons and Harry Privitt(photograph by courtesy of Ray Bishop). The Duke also met the chairman of Cornwall andIsles of Scilly Round Table, donors of Port Isaac's ILB, before watching a demonstrationlaunch. Next Padstow: (top, right) Coxswain Antony Warnock presents (r. to I.) SecondCoxswain Trevor England, Motor Mechanic Eddie Murt and Crew Members Chris Hughes,Peter Poole, Arthur May, Alf Prosser and Ricky Tummon. When inspecting the engine roomof Padstow's lifeboat James and Catherine Macfarlane the Duke was offered cloths to protecthis hands. 'They are quite unnecessary,' he told Eddie Murt, 'this place is so clean.' Afterlunch, the lobster for which was provided by Trevor England, who is a fisherman, on toNewquay (right). Newquay ILB had been called out just before the arrival of the Duke, whoasked each of the crew for the service (I. to r.) Johnny Bennett, Barry Hyde and Paul Morris,what they had been doing when the call came; by the time the third man had answered,'Waiting for you, sir,' everyone was laughing. The Duke also met the chairman of NewquayRound Table, donors of the boathouse. At St Agnes His Royal Highness presented vellums toCrew Members Barry Garland and Roger Radcliffe for the ILB service on July 17, 1977, forwhich Helmsman David Bliss was awarded the silver medal: unfortunately, due to illness,David Bliss could not be present; (below, right, I. to r.) The Duke with Major-General RalphFarrant, chairman of the Instituion, Gerald Simmons, honorary secretary St Agnes, Dr H.Whitworth, branch chairman, and Lt-Cdr Roy Portchmouth, divisional inspector (SW)(photograph by courtesy of Robert Roskrow). The last visit was to St Ives. After inspecting amobile training unit, meeting Geoffrey Kitchen, chairman ofSt Ives Lions Club, donors of theILB, and taking tea with the ladies' guild, the Duke embarked in St Ives lifeboat, FrankPenfold Marshall (below, photograph by courtesy of S. Bennetts).

Duke of Edinburgh AwardWhen HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

visited Ivybridge last May he metmembers of Torbay crew who help toteach young people working for hisAward. In the first half of this year 30Torbay boys and girls won bronze andsilver awards and there are 60 more onTorbay schools' waiting list for thecourse. Instruction on water safety isgiven in six two-hour sessions to smallgroups of children by Second Cox-swain Keith Bower and Crew Member

John Dew helped by Deputy CoxswainArthur Curnow and other crew mem-bers. The final examination is given byCaptain Barry Anderson, station hon-orary secretary.

A kit of codVisiting the early morning wet fish

auction at Hull in July, HRH PrinceCharles bought the first of 1,066 kits onoffer for £44. The kit of cod went to aSailors' Children's Society home; the£44 was given to the RNLI.

A silver plated replica of Chapman Lightmade by Morris Johnson was presented toHer Majesty The Queen in June by ConveyIsland branch; for 106 years the lightmarked Chapman Sands, known as 'the lasthazard' to ships returning to the port ofLondon. When Her Majesty drove past theRNLI stand at Essex County Show, her carwas slowed down so that she could give asmile and a wave to members of ConveyIsland branch who were manning it. Thestand was sponsored by Halcon group.photograph by courtesy of Jackson's Photo

Service

41

Western Division

Drifting on rocksST ANN'S COASTGUARD informed thehonorary secretary of St David'slifeboat station at 1138 on SaturdayMarch 11 that MFV 7, on passage fromFishguard to Pembroke, had enginefailure west of St David's Head.Another vessel, St Aidan, was fivemiles west of the head and standing by.St David's lifeboat, the 47ft WatsonJoseph Soar (Civil Service No. 34), wasplaced on alert.

At 1220 the honorary secretary, hear-ing that MFV 7 had asked for immediateassistance as she was in danger of drift-ing on to the rocks of Carreg-trai,authorised the maroons to be fired andten minutes later the lifeboat launchedand set out at full speed.

There was a gentle to moderatebreeze, force 3 to 4, blowing from northnorth east, a moderate sea and visibil-ity of three miles. It was l'/2 hoursbefore low water springs.

Coxswain William Morris decided togo north of Ramsey Island. It meantdriving against the 6 to 7 knot streamuntil clear of Trwyn Sion Owen, but heknew the casualty was being carriedsouth on a strong spring ebb and thatshe stood little chance of clearingthrough the Bishops and Clerks, agroup of islets and rocks, without beingwrecked. When north of Trwyn OgofHen Head, he sighted MFV 7 driftingrapidly south and heading for Dauf-raich. An interception course was setand the lifeboat came up with the fish-ing vessel about half a mile north ofMoelyn Rock, in heavy overfalls. Thesea was now about ten feet, breakingand confused.

The fishing vessel was lying beam tosea, bow east, and presenting to thecoxswain the problem of Moelyn andGribog rocks. Moelyn was showing butGribog was still covered. CoxswainMorris decided to run down on thecasualty and get a tow line across,keeping clear of Gribog. The drift rateand the nearness of rocks preventedthe use of the line throwing gun. Thefirst attempt to get a line across failed,but on the second run it was passedsuccessfully.

In the overfalls the sea was breaking

inboard on to the crew who were attimes up to their waists in water, mak-ing work on deck difficult. While mak-ing fast the tow, the lifeboat wasthrown sideways by the confused season to the bow of MFV 7 and both boatswere damaged. The lifeboat split herrubber strake and crushed a smallamount of timber just below her anchorstowage. MFV 7 received damage to herbow.

Coxswain Morris, very aware of thedanger posed by Gribog, tried to towthe casualty north but could not moveher. The lifeboat was to the north ofMFV 7, bows north east, while thecasualty's bow was north west; shecould possibly have been on the edge ofGribog at this time. A calculated riskwas taken and Coxswain Morris turnedabout 300 degrees to port, pulling thebow of MFV 7 round, hoping she woulddrift clear of Gribog, and headed southwest out of the overfalls.

A south-east course was then set forSt Brides Bay, keeping clear of theheavy overfalls off Meini Duon. Thesteering on MFV 7 was broken with therudder appearing to be set to starboard.This made towing difficult, and Cox-swain Morris kept down to half speeduntil MFV 7 had repaired her steering;speed was then increased to three-quarter throttle and Coxswain Morrisheaded south to meet the fleet tenderGrassmere for transfer of tow. The towwas uneventful except during passagethrough Wild Goose Race offSkokholm Island. This race had to be

negotiated because of the strong springebb still running, which at that pointswings out to sea well clear of MilfordHaven. Having passed through therace, MFV 7 once again suffered steer-ing gear failure and speed was reduced.

At 1528 the tow was transferred toGrassmere, one mile south ofSkokholm Island. During the return tostation visibility reduced to half a mileand the lifeboat arrived back at StDavid's at 1710. She was once againready for service at 1750.

A rescue helicopter from RAFBrawdy was on scene during theservice.

For this service the bronze medal forgallantry was awarded to CoxswainWilliam T. Morris and medal servicecertificates were awarded to ActingSecond Coxswain Idwal J. Chapman,Acting Motor Mechanic Basil J.Davies, Acting Assistant MechanicColin G. Mills and Crew Members JackPhillips, William G. Davies andTerence K. Williams.

South Western Division

Trawler listingTHE DEPUTY LAUNCHING AUTHORITYof Plymouth lifeboat station wasadvised by HM Coastguard at 1030 onWednesday February 15 that the fish-ing vessel Elly Gerda, ten miles southwest of Rame Head, had taken water in

The bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain William Morris for the service onMarch 11 ofSt David's lifeboat, the 47ft Watson Joseph Soar (Civil Service No 34), to MFV 7.

photograph by courtesy of RAF Brawdy

42

deteriorating weather and reportedherself as in a desperate situation. Thefrigate HMS Sirius was standing by andthe lifeboat was requested to launch.

Maroons were fired and, at 1050,Plymouth's 44ft Waveney class lifeboatThomas Forehead and Mary Rowse IIleft Millbay Docks with ActingCoxswain Patrick Marshall in com-mand. The wind was east south eastforce 6, visibility was fair and it washigh water on a neap tide.

The Coastguard suggested a courseof 238°M to steer from Penlee Point andafter about five miles on this courseHMS Sirius was sighted on the star-board bow. Course was altered tointercept and the lifeboat passed underthe frigate's stern at about 1145 takingstation close on the port quarter of thecasualty. Elly, Gerda had a 10 to 15degree list to port and was awash amid-ships. Hearing by VHP that her skipperwas making for Looe the lifeboatreplied that the forecast was for worse-ning conditions from the south east andbecause the holding ground in LooeRoads was poor and the trawler wouldbe obliged to wait until 2230 beforeentering the exposed harbour over adangerous bar, it would be wiser to setcourse for Fowey. Elly Gerda, how-ever, continued towards Looe at 2 to 3knots. HMS Walkerton now relievedHMS Sirius as 'on scene commander'.

By the time of arrival off LooeIsland, at about 1315, the wind hadreached gale force 8 and, with a depthof water of about 30 feet, the seas weresteep. The lifeboat stood by while thetrawler made her anchor ready for let-ting go and HMS Walkerton departed.

When Elly Gerda had anchored atabout 1440, using 90 fathoms of trawl-ing warp, the lifeboat also tried toanchor; but, with half her cable veered,the anchor failed to hold and so ActingCoxswain Marshall decided to changehis position. The lifeboat was in 16 feetof water and Motor Mechanic CyrilAlcock, who was working the wind-lass, was constantly covered by watercoming over the bow. The wind wasnow bordering on strong gale force 9,with driving rain.

As soon as the anchor was recoveredand stowed the lifeboat asked theCoastguard whether a mooring buoybetween the trawler and Looe Islandwould take the weight of the lifeboatand, on being told it would, secured toit. The acting coxswain set anchorwatch while his crew sheltered below.He was relieved an hour later, at about1600, by Motor Mechanic Alcock and,after another hour, with the wind gust-ing to storm force 10, a very heavy seawas running and the mooring began todrag. The lifeboat therefore slipped andsteamed dead slow into the weather.

Visibility now became very poor inheavy snow and and it was almostdark. The acting coxswain asked theCoastguard to arrange for a cottage onLooe Island to keep a light on all nightso that the lifeboat could use it as a

reference point to keep herself clear ofthe Rennies, rocks which extend southeast from the island. He and MotorMechanic Alcock then took turn abouton the wheel. The wind was now force10 to 11 with heavy snow and it wasvery cold on the upper deck.

At about 1945 the skipper of thetrawler told the lifeboat that his anchorwas dragging and that he intended tosteam south east and anchor again. Thetide was about half flood and ActingCoxswain Marshall warned the trawlerthat she should not go too far south eastbecause of the Rennies. The messagewas acknowledged, but the trawlerstood on. The acting coxswain told hershe should stop her engines and thensteamed to take station on her portquarter as the trawler seemed to altersouth west and still steamed ahead.The lifeboat entered foam and brokenwater coming over the reef as thetrawler ran aground on the Rennies andcalled for the lifeboat to come in andtake off her crew.

Seas breaking over the reef were fal-ling on the casualty's foredeck andwashing in over her port side. All herdeck lights were on but her anchor wirewas trailing out on her starboard quar-ter so that the lifeboat was obliged toapproach on her weather side.

Motor Mechanic Alcock and CrewMember M. Foster positioned them-selves on the starboard foredeck butcould not get anyone off on the firstapproach. On the second approach thebows of the lifeboat struck the trawlinggallows as a sea set her on the casual-ty's quarter. The lifeboat rose aboveElly Gerda's stern and then the flare ofher bow fell on to her bulwarks. ActingCoxswain Marshall kept his port enginehalf ahead, starboard slow astern, withstarboard wheel on, to keep from beingset round the casualty's stern on to heranchor wire. He could not move hisbows further along the trawler's sidefor fear of hitting the rocks himself andof striking his wheelhouse on the gal-lows, so he kept his bows into the gal-lows. He could see nothing of the sternof the trawler because he was dazzledby her afterdeck light and the spray onthe wheelhouse windows.

Motor Mechanic Alcock, holding onwith one arm, hauled one of the casual-ty's crew aboard, then as a large seastruck the lifeboat's port side andthrew the bow against the gallows, hegrabbed a second survivor and hauledhim aboard. The lifeboat's bows hadbeen extensively and deeply dented buttheir watertight integrity had not beenbreached.

Acting Coxswain Marshall took theboat astern again to make a thirdapproach. As Crew Member Fosterbrought the second man aft, however,he said that his skipper had gone over-board. Acting Coxswain Marshallimmediately order parachute flaresto be fired. These revealed no one inthe water but showed that the trawler'sbows were against a vertical rock face.

The skipper then came up on VHP say-ing he was still on board and that heintended to remain there as he thoughthe would wash clear of the rocks. Aftera few minutes he did wash clear andsteamed eastwards, towing his anchor.It was just after 2000 and he said hewould steam around and try to recoverhis anchor before attempting to crossthe bar at about 2200. The seas werevery steep and at times the trawler waslost to view, but she was successfullyguided clear of the rocks by radioedinstructions from the lifeboat. Herskipper then went on deck and hauledon the wire and eventually succeededin recovering his anchor.

The lifeboat pumped oil over the barbefore the trawler started in and thentook up station on her starboard quar-ter. As soon as the trawler was safelyover the bar the lifeboat followed underthree-quarter throttle. Two fishermenboarded the trawler to pilot her up har-bour and the lifeboat then securedalongside her to transfer her crew onboard. It was 2200.

After an hour ashore for muchneeded refreshment, the lifeboatdeparted from Looe at 2315. The southeast whole gale was still blowing andthe lifeboat encountered very heavyseas, especially on the bar and round-ing Rame Head. She entered MillbayDocks at 0020 and, after refuelling,returned to her moorings and wasready for service at 0120.

For this service the bronze medal forgallantry was awarded to Acting Cox-swain Patrick J. Marshall and MotorMechanic Cyril Alcock. Medal servicecertificates were presented to CrewMembers Michael Foster and IvorLovering.

North Eastern Division

Washed off pierA MEMBER of Amble ILB crew, KeithStuart, was on his way home at about1715 on Friday August 19, 1977, whenhe heard a helicopter working in thearea off the south pier. Bystanderswere shouting that a boy was in thewater. He ran to the harbour andlearned that the boy had been washedoff the pier and was missing. The hon-orary secretary was informed and,together with Jeffrey Matthews, KeithStuart launched the ILB.

The wind was north, fresh force 5,and, although at the launching siteinside the harbour the sea was smooth,the harbour bar was at times breakingright across. Visibility was good and itwas four hours after low water.

The ILB set out at 1720 with KeithStuart at the helm. By carefully watch-ing the runs of the sea on the bar hesafely cleared the harbour and roundedthe south pier to the area into which theboy was reported to have gone. The

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helicopter from RAF Boulmer wasalready searching and the ILB made athorough search close in along the pier.The area to the south of Amble Har-bour is very shoal and rocky and adangerous and confused sea had builtup made worse by backwash off thepier. Careful and able handling of theILB was essential.

At 1750 Amble honorary secretarydecided to launch the offshore lifeboatto help and stand by. With CoxswainJohn Connell in command, the 37ft 6inRother Harold Salvesen made for thearea but, because of her draught, had toremain offshore clear of the shallowwaters of the main search area. A quar-ter of an hour later the ILB reportedthat she was returning to harbour andrequested that an additional crewmember be available; Helmsman Stuartconsidered that extra weight wouldhelp to keep the bow down whennegotiating the surf in the very roughseas. Having picked up Crew MemberNorman Rowell, the ILB returned at1817 and continued searching inside thesurf line to the south of the harbour,extending the search further south.

At about 1905 the connector on thefuel line in use parted, so, as a prudentprecaution, Helmsman Stuart returnedto harbour to repair the break, thusensuring that both tanks were avail-able. It was also discovered at this timethat Norman Rowell was in fact recov-ering from an injured knee, and so hewas Jeft ashore to prevent furtheraggravation of the trouble.

The repair made to her fuel line withthe help of an RAF launch alongside,the ILB returned once again to searchclose to the pier and further south. Shewas then informed by Amble lifeboatthat a body had been sighted to thesouth, close under the sea wall belowCliff House. The ILB went straight tothe area, where the very confused seaswere aggravated by backwash.Helmsman Stuart took the ILB inthrough the surf but, caught by a largesea, the boat was picked up and thrownbodily against the sea wall. Keeping avery cool head and with expert hand-ling, Keith Stuart succeeded in keepingthe ILB under control in the adverseconditions and in turning her back headto sea. The boat was almost alongsidethe body and the crew managed to dragit inboard before heading back out clearof the break. The body was transferredto Amble offshore lifeboat and at about2030 both boats returned to harbourwhere an ambulance was waiting.

For this service the thanks of theInstitution inscribed on velium wereaccorded to Helmsman Matthew J.Keith Stuart and Crew Member IanJeffrey Matthews. A vellum servicecertificate was presented to CrewMember Norman A. Rowell and aframed letter of thanks signed byMajor-General Ralph Farrant,chairman of the Institution, was sent toCoxswain John Connell of Ambleoffshore lifeboat and his crew.

South Eastern Division

Engine room fireTHE TRAWLER St Patrick reported tothe Coastguard Channel NavigationService on channel 10 VHP at 1805 onWednesday December 7, 1977, that shewas hove to with smoke coming fromthe engine room five miles south east ofDover Harbour and might need help.Two minutes later her skipper reportedthat the engine room was afire, thechief engineer was suffering from burnsand immediate assistance wasrequired.

At 1812 HM Coastguard telephonedthe honorary secretary of Doverlifeboat station requesting animmediate launch and three minuteslater the assembly signal of electroni-cally fired maroons was made by DoverPort Control. At 1827 Dover lifeboat,the 44ft Waveney Faithful Forester,slipped her moorings in the submarinepens and was on her way.

A strong, force 6, breeze was blow-ing from the south south east producinga moderate to rough sea and swell.Visibility was only fair due to rain. Itwas two hours before high waterDover.

Faithful Forester under the com-mand of Coxswain/Mechanic ArthurLiddon cleared the harbour entranceand set course at full speed for the posi-tion given: bearing 165°M five miles dis-tant from Dover Harbour. By 1835 shehad arrived at the casualty where shefound the ferry Earl Leofric standingby and acting as 'on scene com-mander'. Once alongside St PatrickSecond Coxswain/Assistant MechanicAnthony Hawkins was manhandledaboard and the first of the trawler'screw snatched on to the foredeck of thelifeboat from a pilot ladder.

On board St Patrick Second Cox-swain Hawkins found the chiefengineer suffering from burns andshock and having breathing difficultyas a result of inhaling burning glassfibre fumes. Using the trawler's VHP,he asked the lifeboat to provide a doc-tor and oxygen.

While Second Coxswain Hawkinswas attending to first aid and fire fight-ing on board the trawler, CoxswainLiddon manoeuvred Faithful Foresteralongside on seven separate occasions,on five of which one crew member wasgrabbed from the pilot ladder andbrought safely aboard the lifeboat. Dur-ing one attempt the severe rolling ofboth lifeboat and fishing vessel in therough seas and winds, which had nowrisen to gale force 8, resulted in thewheelhouse top, the guardrail stan-chions and the belting in way of thewell on the starboard side striking theport quarter of the fishing boat, causingdamage.

At 1900 a request was put out overEarl Leofric's public address systemfor any doctor on board to come to thebridge. Dr Sotiris Mantoudis, a Greek

doctor on his way to a sabbatical yearat the Department of Surgery, Univer-sity of South Manchester, reported tothe master. As it was thought toohazardous for the injured seaman to betransferred from the trawler to the fer-ry, Dr Mantoudis agreed to be putaboard St Patrick by the lifeboat.

Wearing a lifejacket and secured to alifeline, Dr Mantoudis descended aboarding ladder rigged over the ship'sside in the continuing gale force windsand driving rain. In this very roughweather it took three attempts to man-oeuvre the lifeboat into the exact posi-tion from which it was possible to grabDr Mantoudis from the pilot ladder onto the pitching foredeck of the lifeboatand with perfect timing the lifeline fromthe ferry weather deck let go. FaithfulForester remained in position whileadditional first aid equipment andoxygen were lowered from the ferrybefore steaming back to the casualty.

At this time a helicopter from RAFMansion carrying a doctor arrived onscene, but she returned to base when itwas clear that it would not be feasibleto transfer the doctor by winch to theheavily pitching and rolling trawler inthe dark with visibility seriously ham-pered by blinding rain.

As it was, it took two attemptsbefore Dr Mantoudis and the medicalsupplies could be transferred to thetrawler. Once aboard, at 1945, the doc-tor immediately examined the injuredchief engineer and decided that it wassafer that he should remain aboard.Second Coxswain Hawkins helped DrMantoudis and then examined theareas adjacent to the engine room againand reported by VHP that the fire wasnow contained; so it was decided bythe Coastguard that St Patrick shouldbe towed into Dover Harbour by thelocal tug Dominant.

Faithful Forester meanwhile tookthe six crew members to Dover andlanded them, returning to resume sta-tion close to the stricken trawler.

At 2055 St Patrick passed betweenDover Harbour breakwater towed byDominant and at 2105 in the shelteredwaters of the harbour the injured sea-man was transferred by Neil Robertsonstretcher to the lifeboat and landed tobe taken to hospital. Two lifeboat crewmembers were put aboard the trawlerto help Second Coxswain Hawkinssecure St Patrick alongside.

For this service the thanks of theInstitution inscribed on vellum wereaccorded to Coxswain/Mechanic ArthurLiddon and Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic Anthony G.Hawkins; vellum service certificateswere presented to Second AssistantMechanic John J. Smith and CrewMembers Mark Smith, Roy W.Couzens and Robert J. Bruce. A spe-cial doctor's vellum was awarded to DrSotiris Mantoudis who has also beenawarded a piece of plate for outstand-ing bravery at sea by the British Sec-retary of State for Trade.

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Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Atlantic 21 was launched on May16 to bring back a diver with a badly cut head who had beeninjured while working on the wrecked oil tanker Eleni V. WhileHelmsman Michael Mitchell set course for the ILB station, firstaid was administered to the injured man by Crew MembersRichard Bell and Kim Edwards.

photograph by courtesy of H. E. Appleton

The 52ft Barnett relief lifeboat Thomas Forehead and MaryRowse, while at Ramsey during a passage from Holyhead toArranmore, launched on the morning of January 23 to take overfrom HMS Soberton the tow of Dutch, a converted ship's lifeboatwith a crew of three, and bring her in to harbour. Dutch, whosepropeller had become fouled in deteriorating weather, had firstbeen taken in tow by the Shaw Savill ship Cairnleader. Thelifeboat's passage crew was augmented by Ramsey crewmembers. photograph by courtesy of Stanley Basnett

South Eastern Division

Beam trawlerON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1977, at2132, the 23-ton beam trawler Jennyreported on Channel 16 VHP that shewas in difficulty and unable to man-oeuvre in heavy weather some eightmiles south south east of Nab Tower.Following the sighting of red flares, arevised position was calculated at 2145,putting the fishing vessel about fivemiles east of the Nab, so at 220 HMCoastguard telephoned the honorarysecretary of Selsey station andrequested that the lifeboat be launched.

The assembly signal was made, thecrew mustered at the boathouse andmade ready for launching, but somedifficulty was experienced in openingthe boathouse doors because of theheavy seas breaking against them.

Nevertheless, at 2214 Selseylifeboat, the 48ft 6in Oakley CharlesHenry, launched down the slipway intoa south-south-westerly gale, force 8,with rough seas and poor visibil i ty indriving rain. It was one hour beforehigh water. Second Coxswain MichaelGrant was in command.

Having set the throttles for maxi-mum speed to clear the slipway, thelifeboat was hove to while radar andaerials were rigged, and then ActingCoxswain Grant set out at about 8knots, the best speed possible in theprevailing weather. The lifeboat wasshipping seas overall, making thealready poor visibility even worse.

A course of 170°M was shaped topass The Mixon Beacon, which wascleared by dead reckoning; sea condi-tions were such that the unlit mark wasneither sighted visually nor by radar.Course was then set 259°M to passthrough the Looe Channel. Neitherchannel buoy was sighted in the rough,near beam sea which caused thelifeboat to roll violently.

Shortly after clearing the LooeChannel, Acting Coxswain Grant askedJenny to fire a red flare as no target inthe datum area was showing on radar.At 2240 a red flare was sighted severalmiles west of the given position, soActing Motor Mechanic Terence Wood

as navigator fixed the lifeboat's posi-tion by radar and course was set for thestricken fishing vessel.

At 2250 Selsey lifeboat reportedbeing one mile from Jenny, the decklights of which were only occasionallyvisible as she was broached to and rol-ling violently. On closing the trawler,Acting Coxswain Grant noted that bothbeams were down—in fact, without theadded stability they gave in the loweredposition the boat might well havecapsized.

Over the previous hour, the weatherhad slowly worsened to give a south bywest strong gale, force 9, with veryrough sea and swell; almost horizontaldriving rain was further reducing visi-bility. In view of the risk in those seasof damaging or fouling the lifeboat inthe beams and ancillary gear hangingaround the fishing vessel, Acting Cox-swain Grant manoeuvred the lifeboatup wind of Jenny and ordered a rocketline to be fired in an attempt to take herin tow. Acting Second CoxswainGeorge Woodland, on deck with twomen holding him, managed to achieve adirect hit with the first rocket and twoof the trawler crew hauled in the rocketline to which was attached the tow line.

It was soon realised that the tow linewas 'bellying' badly due to tide andwind and that the trawler crew werehaving great difficulty in getting itinboard; it was later learned that one ofthe men had an injured hand thus leav-

ing only one man capable of heavingaway. Acting Coxswain Grant there-fore took the lifeboat, with the lineattached and a further one bent on,some 60 feet ahead of the casualty sothat wind and tide would help ratherthan impede the hauling in of the towline. This manoeuvre worked well andwith the lifeboat engines slow astern itwas only a further ten minutes before,at 2340, the fishing vessel crew hadmade fast the tow rope, helped byillumination from the lifeboat.

Acting Coxswain Grant then turnedthe lifeboat and tow 180° to port andheaded for Portsmouth as Selsey couldoffer no protection for the casualty andrecovery on the slipway was clearlyimpossible. The trawler was towedsteadily through the heavy seas, butwith difficulty because her steeringgear was jammed hard to starboard,until a position off Horse Sand Fortwas reached. It was then found that thespring ebb from Portsmouth Harbourhad reduced the speed over the groundto one knot and Acting CoxswainGrant, although concerned lest the towline parted, had to increase speed tomake headway.

Selsey lifeboat entered PortsmouthHarbour at 0225 and by 0310 thetrawler was secured in the Camber.The lifeboat remained at PortsmouthHarbour overnight, returning to stationat 1605 the following day.

For this service the thanks of the

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Institution inscribed on vellum havebeen accorded to Acting CoxswainMichael J. Grant. Vellum service cer-tificates have been presented to ActingMotor Mechanic Terence A. P. Wood,Acting Second Coxswain George E.Woodland, Acting Assistant MechanicJohn D. Cross and Crew MembersDenis W. Warwick, David F. Munday,Gordon Kite, David Crossley and GlynN. Amis.

North Western Division

Skin divers trappedAN INFLATABLE DINGHY with four

people on board, sighted drifting closeinshore north of Fleshwick Bay, wasreported to Port Erin deputy launchingauthority by Ramsey Coastguard, Isleof Man, at 1614 on Tuesday March 28.It was thought that the engine hadfailed and the boat was in danger ofbeing blown ashore on to rocks. Thecrew was assembled and Port Erin's37ft 6in Rother class lifeboat OsmanGabriel slipped at 1631.

A fresh south-south-westerly breeze,force 5, was blowing and the sea wasrough. The sky was partly clouded andvisibility was good. It was two hoursafter high water and the tidal streamwas setting northwards.

Coxswain Peter Woodworth kept thelifeboat about a quarter of a mileoffshore as he headed north easttowards Fleshwick Bay. At about 1705,when one mile north of the bay, some-one was sighted waving from rocks atthe base of a 700ft cliff. The lifeboataltered course to starboard to close theland.

When about 100 yards off, twopeople were sighted standing onboulders clear of the water. A smallboat could be seen high and dry near-by. The lifeboat was manoeuvred towithin 50 yards of the rocks and, usingthe loud hailer, the coxswain was ableto communicate with those ashore. Helearned that they were a party of fourskin divers and that one man had set offup the cliff to get help.

The wind was still blowing from thesouth-south-west but close inshore thesea was moderate because of the shel-tering effect of Bradda Head. A moder-ate swell was running into and breakingover the lower rocks and boulders.

Although the tide was ebbing and thedivers were not in danger of beingdrowned, Coxswain Woodworth con-sidered they would be unable to scalethe steep cliff and decided to attempt arescue using a breeches buoy. Thisinformation was passed ashore over theloud hailer and acknowledged. A situa-tion report was passed to Peel Coast-guard mobile, on high ground to thenorth near The Niarbyl.

At 1715 the lifeboat was anchored 25to 30 yards off the rocks with bowssouth south west, stemming tide andsea and rolling heavily. Gun line and

breeches buoy were made ready butCoxswain Woodworth decided not touse a tail block since it would be dif-ficult to secure it ashore. The gun linewas fired and the breeches buoy hauledashore and set up, the endless whipbeing held and passed hand-over-handby those ashore. The first person, ayoung woman, was hauled to thelifeboat and was safely aboard at 1733.

The people ashore indicated thatthey wished to try to transfer the boatand diving gear to the lifeboat using thebreeches buoy rig. By this time the tidehad fallen leaving the diving boat about15 feet above the water. After mucheffort it became apparent that the boatwas too big and heavy to be man-handled into the water with safety.Meanwhile the weather had deterior-ated and the wind had freshened toforce 6. Seas were beginning to breakand a heaving swell was building up. Tomaintain his position the coxswain wascontinuously manoeuvring OsmanGabriel's engines. At times the boatwas veering dangerously close tosubmerged rocks.

The two divers were advised by loudhailer to abandon their attempts to sal-vage the equipment and make ready tobe pulled off. They apparently failed tounderstand the gravity of the situation,however, and continued to transfertheir equipment to a position above thehigh water mark while the wind wasfreshening to force 6 to 7, strong breezeto near gale. The sky had become over-cast and the light was beginning to fail.Coxswain Woodworth was becomingvery concerned about the safety of thedivers on the rocks, and the deteriorat-ing weather was making it more andmore difficult to keep the lifeboat clearof the rocks just below the water.Eventually he managed to make thedtvers understand, and they preparedto be rescued.

It was about 1915, an hour to lowwater, and there were drying rocks

between the divers' position and thelifeboat. Holding on to the breechesbuoy, one of the men lowered himselfsome six to eight feet into the water anddisappeared from view. Two minuteslater he was sighted on the crest of aswell lying across the buoy, but disap-peared again behind the rocks. After awhile he managed to manoeuvre him-self sideways and could be seen bet-ween two rocks. From there thelifeboat crew managed to pull him clearas he was lifted by a heavy swell. Onceon board the lifeboat he was found tobe exhausted.

The breeches buoy was passed backto the last man, who secured the veer-ing line outhaul around his chest and,holding on to the buoy, slid off therocks into the water and out of sight ofthe boat. He very quickly moved to thegap between the rocks and was pulledclear in the same way as the man beforehim. This last man was recovered at1933, and once aboard all the survivorswere given food and a tot of brandy.During the latter part of the rescue thelifeboat was at times about six to eightfeet off the submerged rocks and wasonly prevented from striking bythe skilful handling of CoxswainWoodworth.

The anchor was recovered at 1949and the lifeboat headed back to PortErin keeping a quarter of a mile off thecoast. During the return passage theboat was heading into very roughbreaking seas, and once outside theshelter of Bradda Head the wind wasfound to be blowing a near gale, force7, still from the south south west. Thelifeboat arrived back at Port Erin at2030 and was rehoused and made readyfor service by 2105.

The survivors were re-united withthe fourth diver, a very experiencedclimber, who had succeeded in climb-ing the cliff and had been found by theCoastguard at 1915. The four peoplehad set out from Fleshwick Bay at

On the night of Sunday May 28 Bridlington ILB launched to go to the yacht Pinkers ablaze inNorth Bay. The yacht's crew of nine had taken to their dinghy but could not propel her andboth boats were drifting together with wind and tide. Despite heat, smoke and fumes, the ILBgot a rope aboard the dinghy and towed her clear. Seven people were taken aboard the ILB,the remaining two being towed in the dinghy until all could be transferred to a motor cruiser,Southwold, and put ashore. photograph by courtesy of Arthur Dick

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about 1520 to go diving but ran intorough seas when only half a mile northof the bay. An attempt had been madeto anchor the boat but the anchorwould not hold and the engine failed.They managed to swim to the rocksdragging the dinghy behind them.

For this service the thanks of theInstitution inscribed on vellum wereaccorded to Coxswain Peter Wood-worth. Vellum service certificates werepresented to Second Coxswain EdwardN. Sansbury, Acting Motor MechanicAlfred P. Maddrell, Acting AssistantMechanic Raymond A. T. Buchan andCrew Members John W. Watterson andDavid T. Woodworth.

Eastern Division

Aground on GoodwinsREPORTS OF SHIP'S LIGHTS in the vicin-ity of East Goodwin Buoy were passedto the honorary secretary of Walmerlifeboat station by Dover Straits Coast-guard at 2130 on Saturday December10, 1977. The East Goodwin Light-vessel crew had given the best infor-mation available but no radio oraccurate visual contact had been estab-lished. After further discussion it wasagreed that the lifeboat should launchto investigate before the weatherdeteriorated further and while the stateof the tide allowed her passage overshoal areas. Maroons were fired at2248.

The wind was south south east,strong breeze to near gale, force 6 to 7,increasing, with steep, high seas andheavy rain. Visibility was poor. Pre-dicted high water Dover was 2237.

At 2258 Walmer's 37ft 6in Rotherlifeboat The Hampshire Rose launchedon service. She immediately had toreduce speed in the heavy seas. Coursewas laid for Deal Bank Buoy andEast Goodwin Lightvessel until Cox-swain/Mechanic Bruce Brown coulduse his radar and echo sounder to navi-gate Kellet Gut. Within 15 minutes,however, the radar developed anintermittent fault and Dover StraitsCoastguard was asked for radar plotinformation. Visibility was reduced toabout quarter of a mile in horizontaldriving rain and, as the lifeboat enteredthe gut at 2320, heavy confused seaswere breaking over the boat makingboth navigation and handling extremelydifficult.

Regular radar positions were passedby the Coastguard as Coxswain Brownworked north east along the southernshoal edge of Kellet Gut. With the echosounder recording erratically in the vio-lent movement of the boat, he foundthat he had to use at least two-thirdsthrottle to gain safe steerage way, butin only eight feet of water he took theboat south of the two wrecks until hesighted a large cargo vessel whichappeared fast on the sands, head south.

Coxswain Brown steered along the

On March 20 in a strong west-south-westerly breeze, Newhaven's 44ft Waveney lifeboatLouis Marches! of Round Table went to the help of the barge Dunord which, on passage fromLowestoft to Poole, was aground one mile west ofBeachy Head with engine failure. On April16 the lifeboat was again called out to Dunord, once more with engine failure; she had brokendown two miles south west of Newhaven. On each occasion the lifeboat towed the bargeinto Newhaven Harbour. photograph by courtesy of 'Brighton Evening Argus'

west side of the vessel, thence east andnorth to come up under her stern toassess the situation. After the lifeboathad flashed her searchlight and fired aparachute flare crew members came tothe rail of the casualty but no radio con-tact could be established.

The casualty had a list to starboardand was anchored. Heavy seas werebreaking over her well decks from theweather side and running in on the leeside from both bow and stern, makingthe lee side an area of heavy brokenwater with waves building on top ofeach other in an unpredictable pattern.A pilot ladder was lowered from thestarboard well deck forward and Cox-swain Brown indicated that he wouldtry to put a man aboard.

A first approach was made to checkthe relative heights of the vessels andthe water movement alongside, afterwhich the boat was taken astern beforeclosing for a boarding attempt. Cox-swain Brown found that by keeping onecrew member as stern lookout he couldhope to lie reasonably in between seasfor a few seconds, and although thisattempt failed because the lifeboat wastoo far from the ladder he again wentastern and made a third approach.

Anxious lest the lifeboat be drivenagainst the ship's side, CoxswainBrown approached on the back of a seawhich was met by another from ahead,stopping the boat and allowing SecondCoxswain Cyril Williams time to grabthe ladder and be helped aboard. CyrilWilliams and three ship's crew wereimmediately caught on deck by a heavysea and washed into the port bulwarkbefore gaining the safety of the bridgestructure. Coxswain Brown drove thelifeboat ahead and circled the ship to lieastern.

Communication on VHP channel 16was now established by Second Cox-

swain Williams on the ship's equipmentand the Coastguard and lifeboat wereadvised that the 4,847 gross ton Greekcargo ship Elmela was laden, bound forAngola from Rotterdam, with a crew of25. The master declined offers to ordertugs or evacuate the crew; he said thatthe ship's main generator fault wouldbe repaired shortly.

Since the tide was now ebbing belowthe level of the surrounding banks, seaconditions eased a little, although thewind was still gusting 60 knots. Cox-swain Brown was having to stem theseas in the gut as he did not wish to gofar from the casualty until the situationwas clarified.

About 0330 it was agreed with theCoastguard and the honorary secretaryof Ramsgate lifeboat station that Rams-gate lifeboat should launch to stand byso that Walmer lifeboat could return tostation to refuel. Accordingly at 0405Ramsgate's 44ft Waveney lifeboatRalph and Joy Swann launched on ser-vice. She arrived on the scene at 0459and after agreeing that Elmela wasfirmly settled until the next rising tide,Walmer lifeboat left for station at 0505.Coxswain/Mechanic Ronald Cannon ofRamsgate took soundings around thestern of Elmela—the forward area wasnow drying sand—to confirm his avail-able sea room if needed, and then putSecond Coxswain/Assistant MechanicDerek Pegden and Crew MemberAnthony Read aboard to help SecondCoxswain Williams. Ramsgate lifeboatthen lay in Kellet Gut in rapidly mod-erating conditions.

At 0610 Second Coxswain Williamsreported that there was up to three feetof water in Elmela's No. 2 hold, withthe ship's pumps just holding the flow,but half an hour later he asked forimmediate close attendance of lifeboatsfollowing ominous sounds of the vessel

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breaking up. The Coastguard scram-bled the RAF helicopter from Mansion.Walmer lifeboat turned back from aposition near Deal Bank Buoy, but at0700 she resumed her course to stationafter the master had assured SecondCoxswain Williams that the noise wasonly cracking steam pipes. He reiter-ated his intention of keeping all crewaboard. Walmer lifeboat beached at0715 and was refuelled, re-launching at0845; only one crew change was made.The Hampshire Rose was back on thescene by 0911.

In rapidly moderating wind, nowsouth force 4 to 5, and easing seas, thesituation aboard the casualty was beingorganised by the three lifeboatmen,Crew Member Read, a Trinity Housepilot launch coxswain, taking com-mand of the bridge. A line was run fromthe ship's bow to Ramsgate lifeboat,lying off to the north east. At 0915 thevessel began to move on the rising tideand the delicate operation was startedof turning her without allowing her todrop back astern on to the northernedge of Kellet Gut. The windlass wasoperating at single speed only and theanchor was got in slowly as the mainengines were put slow ahead andRamsgate lifeboat steamed to the northeast.

By 0945 the casualty was clear of theshoal area and tanks were sounded.Then, escorted by Ramsgate lifeboatshe made her way to Margate Roads,anchoring there at 1121 for a surveyor'sinspection. Ramsgate lifeboat returnedto station at 1215 and was refuelled andready for service at 1241.

Walmer lifeboat had taken SecondCoxswain Williams aboard again by1000. She also returned to station,being refuelled and ready for service at1230.

For this service framed letters ofthanks signed by Major-General Far-rant, chairman of the Institution, weresent to Coxswain/Mechanic BruceBrown and Second Coxswain/AssistantMechanic Cyril Williams of Walmerlifeboat. Letters of thanks signed byCaptain Nigel Dixon, director, weresent to Second Coxswain/AssistantMechanic Derek Pegden and CrewMember Anthony Read of Ramsgate.

Eastern Division

Storm launchA CARGO VESSEL, Gloriosci, making forKings Lynn was reported to the honor-ary secretary of Skegness lifeboat sta-tion by HM Coastguard at 1610 onWednesday January 11, a day of excep-tionally high tides and winds on theeast coast of England. Gloriosa was inposition 110° 1.5 miles from RoaringMiddle Buoy making considerable lee-way and her crew had asked to betaken off.

The 37ft Oakley relief lifeboatCalouste Giilbenkian, on temporary

duty at Skegness, was launched at 1640into very rough seas. The northerlywind was storm force 10 and visibilitywas poor. The tide was half flood.

After she had driven six miles to sea,Calouste Gidbenkian was recalled asGloriosa was successfully makingKings Lynn under her own power. Sosevere were conditions ashore, how-ever, with flooding right over thepromenade, that the lifeboat had tostand off for four hours before, at 2240,with the tide on the ebb, she could besafely beached. She was rehoused andready for service at 0030.

For this service a letter of thanks tothe crew and shore helpers, signed byCommander Bruce Cairns, chief ofoperations, was sent to F. N. Ball, sta-tion honorary secretary, Skegness.

South Eastern Division

OverdueHAYLING ISLAND POLICE received atelephone call from a lady in Berkshireat 0330 on Tuesday January 3 to saythat her husband and son had notreturned from a fishing trip. They hadset out from Northney Marina at 1030and had been due back at HaylingIsland by dusk. This information waspassed to Hayling Island Coastguardwho, at 0334, alerted the acting honor-ary secretary of Hayling Island inshorelifeboat station and requested that theILB be launched to search the area.

Crew and shore helpers wereimmediately assembled. When theyreached the boathouse it was foundthat a combination of tide and severeweather had created shingle banks of asize and gradient never before encoun-tered by Hayling Island and it tookeight people, including the honorarysecretary, deputy launching authorityand honorary treasurer, to launch theboat after three attempts. Despite thedifficulties, the Atlantic 21 waslaunched within 20 minutes of the firstintimation of the casualty from theCoastguard.

Because of the extreme cold,Helmsman Patrick Lamperd decidedthat the long overdue anglers mightwell be suffering from hypothermia andso he embarked the honorary medicaladviser, Dr Richard Newman, as fourthcrew member. It had been agreedbetween the Coastguard, honorarysecretary and helmsman that it wouldbe prudent to search the approaches toChichester Harbour first, so coursewas set for Emsworth Channel.

It was one hour before high waterand the wind was westerly near gale,force 7, with good visibility. There wasa short sea in the harbour and it wasextremely cold. The proposal to searchthe harbour approach in general andEmsworth Channel in particularproved sound as it was only some 11minutes after leaving the station that asmall white light was sighted on the

mud banks immediately south of OarRythe and some quarter of a mile fromthe Thorney Island shore. Using a spot-light it was quickly realised that thelight seen was that of the 24ft cabincruiser Tomey Too.

The casualty, hard and fast aground,was reached at 0410 without difficultyand the young boy aboard transferredto the ILB and wrapped up. After adetermined effort to tow the cabincruiser clear it was decided that shewould have to be abandoned becausethe tide was falling and the weatherdeteriorating. Tomey Too was there-fore anchored amid the mudbanks andher owner transferred to the Atlantic21. By now a full force 8 gale was blow-ing from the west.

The main Emsworth Channel waseventually reached after severalgroundings but by 0545 the ILB hadreturned to station and father and sonhad been landed; they were given hotshowers, warm drinks, dry clothingand transport by the honorary treasurerback to the marina where their own carwas parked.

For this service framed letters ofthanks signed by Major-General RalphFarrant, chairman of the Institution,were sent to Helmsman Patrick Lam-perd, Dr Richard J. Newman, honorarymedical adviser, and Crew MembersFrank S. Dunsterand Brian Quinton. Aletter of thanks signed by Captain NigelDixon, director, was sent to thelaunchers.

South Western Division

Storm searchIN REPORTING the service of the Pads-tow, St Ives and Clovelly lifeboats tothe Danish coaster Lady Kamilla onDecember 24, 1977, in the summerissue of the journal, it was wronglystated that Coxswain Antony Warnockwas in command of Padstow lifeboat.In fact Coxswain Warnock was onleave that day and the lifeboat wasunder the command of Second Cox-swain Trevor England.

Scotland North Division

Engine broken downRED FLARES fired by a vessel about amile south of Boddin Point, four milessouth of the lifeboat station, werereported to the honorary secretary ofMontrose by HM Coastguard at 1310 onTuesday March 28.

There was a flooding tide, fair visi-bility and a strong breeze to near gale,force 6 to 7, blowing from the southeast when at 1320 Montrose's 48ft 6inSolent lifeboat Lady MacRobert slip-ped her moorings and headed at full

continued on page 69

48

;Moelfre: H. L. C. Greig, chairman of H.Clarkson (Holdings) Ltd, strikes out the pinto launch the 37ft 6in Rather HoraceClarkson.

DedicationPupils of Moelfre Community School playeda delightful part, singing to the accompani-ment of their own recorders.

OFFSHORE—INSHORE

MOELFRE, JUNE 17

andBROUGHTY FERRY,

JULY 17BRILLIANT S U N S H I N E and a freshnortherly wind building up whitehorses out at sea gave a sparkling dayfor the handing over ceremony anddedication of Moelfre's new 37ft 6inRother lifeboat, Horace Clarkson, onSaturday, June 17. Guests met on thecliff top behind the boathouse, withmany more wellwishers surroundingthe little field.

Proceedings were opened by SirRichard Williams-Bulkeley, Bt, HMLord Lieutenant for Gwynedd andpresident of Anglesey branch, and thelifeboat was handed over to the RNL1

The dedication of HoraceClarkson by His Grace TheArchbishop of Wales, TheMost Reverend GwilymOwen Williams. With himwere Coxswain WilliamRoberts (r.) and MotorMechanic Evan Jones.

photographs by courtesyof 'North Wales

Chronicle'

by H. L. C. Greig, cvo, chairman of H.Clarkson (Holdings) Ltd. Donated bythis shipping and insurance company tocommemorate its 125th anniversary,Horace Clarkson had been named byMrs Renske Kemp at a ceremony atLittlehampton on June 18, 1977. Thelifeboat is named after the founder ofthe company and now Mr Greig recal-led how, when the firm first came intobeing in 1852, the young Horace Clark-

son had invited his friend LeonBenham to become his partner.Benham, described as 'shrewd butimpecunious', was then living in Car-diff. Undaunted by the fact that he hadno money to make the journey by railor coach, he set out there and then onfoot and walked to London.

The lifeboat was accepted byRaymond Cory, a vice-president of theInstitution, who then gave her into the

Droughty Ferry (Dundee): Before the naming ceremony began a souvenir programme waspresented to the Duke of Kent by Catherine Piggot (right), daughter of Crew Member AlastairPiggot. After the ceremony Coxswain John Jack and his crew took the Duke out in the 52ftArun Spirit of Tayside.

photographs by courtesy of 'The Dundee Courier and Advertiser'

R(49

(Above) Staithes lifeboat station, renamed Staithes and Runswick, wasre-opened when an Atlantic 21 ILB named Lord Brotherton after aformer Lord Mayor of Leeds was dedicated by the Reverend R. W.Barnacle on June 17. The cost of the ILB together with her boathouseand launching equipment has been met from three sources: from thelegacy of Mrs D. U. McGrigor Phillips, Lady Mayoress of the City ofLeeds in 1913 in memory of Lord Brotherton, who was Lord Mayor inthat year; the legacy of R. K. Talbot in memory of his wife Ida; andfrom the people of Leeds in their generous support of the Leeds lifeboatappeal which ran from 1975 to 1977. Staithes Fishermen's Choir tookpart in the service.

(Left) Whitby: At a ceremony of dedication on May 3, Miss GwynaethMilburn watches as Alan Marshall, branch chairman, pours cham-pagne on a new D class ILB, the second lifeboat she has given to thestation; Miss Milburn is also the donor of the offshore 44ft Waveney,The White Rose of Yorkshire. It is by the special wish of the crew thatthe ILB has bee,n named Gwynaeth.

photograph by courtesy of Tindale's

care of Moelfre branch, on whosebehalf she was accepted by ThomasOwens, station honorary secretary.During the service which followed, theArchbishop of Wales was escorteddown to the boathouse by CoxswainWilliam Roberts and Motor MechanicEvan Jones, for the dedication ofHorace Clarkson. She was launched byMr Greig and, while afloat, an amp-lified radio link enabled the crowd tolisten in to messages between thelifeboat and the helicopter with whichshe was exercising. A final message of

Harwich's new Atlantic 21, dedicated onSaturday May 27 by the Reverend J. Chel-ton, the branch padre, was provided byDudley Hunt; Mr and Mrs R. Aitken,members of the family, were present. Alsopresent were members of Harwich andDovercourt Rotary club, which gave £1,450towards the cost of the new boathouse, andLady Norton, MBE, a member of the Com-mittee of Management.photograph by courtesy of Alfred H. Smith

50

Eastbourne: A new D class ILB has been donated by DownlandEastbourne Round Table and about 250 people, including the Mayorand Member of Parliament, were present at the handing over cere-mony on Saturday July I . Dick Barnhoorn fc.j, immediate past chair-man of Downland Eastbourne Round Table, presented a chequefor £2,100 to Leslie Lelliot, honorary treasurer of Eastbournebranch, while Cecil F. Baker, station honorary secretary, looked on.The first £600 was raised by a raft race down the River Ouse fromLewes to Newhaven and the rest by sheer hard work!

photograph by courtesy of Jack Nielsen

Lymington: Wing Cdr Alan Roxburgh (r.), station honorary sec-retary, and Herbert Rand (I.), branch vice-chairman, with ClareFrancis who opened the station's new ILB boathouse on June 2,unveiling a plaque commemorating a gift from Saab (Great Britain)Ltd, which gave the RNL1 a 99 Combi Coupe car for the secondyear running for a summer-long Southern District competition, andother donations; the overall cost of the boathouse was £12,000. MissFrancis, invited to become an honorary member of Lymington crew,was presented with an RNLI jersey. Framed pictures of Lyming-ton's Atlantic 21 were presented to Charles Granger, representingSaab, and to representatives of the Surrey Foresters who donatedLymington ILB in 1974.

thanks and farewell from CoxswainRoberts sent everyone happily on theirway to Moelfre Community School, fortea with the ladies' guild.

With music by Beaumaris TownBand, songs sung by young childrenfrom the school and hymns and ananthem sung by the male voice choir,C6r-y-Traeth, it had been a wonderfulafternoon and a really happy villageoccasion.

* * *

On Monday, July 17 at BroughtyFerry Harbour, Dundee, HRH TheDuke of Kent, president of the Institu-tion, named the station's new 52ft Arunlifeboat Spirit of Tayside after whatwas a somewhat unusual handing overceremony. The cost of the new lifeboathad been largely defrayed by a localappeal which raised the magnificentsum of £226,000. It was, therefore, IanLow, president of Dundee branch, whohanded over the boat to Sir CharlesMcGrigor, Bt, convener of the ScottishLifeboat Council and a member of theCommittee of Management, who thendelivered her straight back again intothe care of Dundee branch for use atBroughty Ferry station. She wasaccepted on behalf of the branch by thehonorary secretary, Captain R. W.Forbes; Spirit of Tayside in name andin very truth.

A service of dedication was con-ducted by the Reverend Dr J. U.Cameron, minister of St Stephen's andWest Church and the Reverend T. P.Robertson, minister of St James'sKirk, both of Broughty Ferry, afterwhich the Duke, following in the foots-teps of his mother, Princess Marina,came forward to name the lifeboat:

'It strengthens a family link,' the Duketold the 1,500 people gathered on thequay, 'in that the previous lifeboat, TheRobert, was named by my late mother 17years ago.'

Congratulating the branch, the Dukewent on to say that, while manybranches contributed towards theirown boat, few successfully met almostthe entire cost, as Broughty Ferry haddone:

'It is a truly remarkable effort, and forMr Low, your president, it is a consider-able personal achievement. This exemp-lifies the way in which our lifeboat ser-vice unites and involves the wholecommunity.

'The voluntary spirit extends to hel-pers, organisers and thousands of sup-porters who make the whole operationpossible and who work jointly with asingle aim—to provide the very best forthe incomparable lifeboat crewmen, withwhom it is a point of pride that at anytime they are ready to go out withoutregard to the risk of their own lives tosave the lives of others.'

After he had performed the namingceremony, the Duke of Kent steppedaboard Spirit of Tayside for a demonst-ration run to sea

* * *In a ceremony on Wednesday July 26

closely linking Edinburgh with Kipp-ford station branch a new D class ILBwas handed over and a newly builtboathouse opened.

The boat had been purchased withmoney raised by Edinburgh ladies'guild's charity shop 'The Lucky Dip'(see THE LIFEBOAT, Spring 1978). Sinceit first opened ten years ago the shophas raised £62,000 and its founder MrsJ. P. Patullo said that no one couldhave foreseen that the dilapidatedbutcher's shop they had taken overwould grow into such a flourishingventure. W. F. G. Lord, a member ofthe Committee of Management andvice-convener of the Scottish LifeboatCouncil, accepted the boat on behalf ofthe Institution and gave her into thecare of Kippford station branch.

Lady Birsay, president of Edinburgh

ladies' guild, then cut the tape to openthe new boathouse, for the building ofwhich there had been considerablelocal help both in gifts of money andmaterial and with the work itself.

* * *An ILB to be carried on board

Clovelly's 71ft Clyde class lifeboat Cityof Bristol was presented to the RNLIby the Ancient Order of ForestersFriendly Society to commemorate theSilver Jubilee of HM The Queen. TheILB was handed over by W, J. Mum-ford to Surgeon Captain F. W. Basker-ville, a vice-president of the Institu-tion, on the old lifeboat slip-way at Clovelly on Sunday May 21. Aswell as representatives of the AncientOrder of Foresters and members ofClovelly crew, branch and ladies'guild, a large number of holidaymakerswere there to watch both the ceremonyand the demonstration launch whichfollowed.

First day coverLerwick branch printed a first day

cover envelope for the naming cere-mony ofSoldian, the station's new 52ftArun class lifeboat, on September 12.These envelopes, including date markand stamps, are available price 50peach from William Kay, c/o D. and G.Kay, Commercial Street, Lerwick.

CorrectionThe photograph of the dedication of

Port Isaac ILB published in the sum-mer issue of THE LIFEBOAT was, weregret, wrongly credited. It was takenby David Dawson and we thank him forlending it to us.

When you have finished withyour copy O/THE LIFEBOAT

PLEASE PASS IT ON ...

51

Cdr Peter Roe, operations room officer, checks a position on the chart while Julie Mannd (I.),assistant boat movements officer, receives a telephone message from a station honorarysecretary and Margaret Pearce, operations room assistant, takes a radio message from alifeboat on trials in Poole Harbour.

photographs by courtesy of Peter Hadfield

Central Operations/Information RoomRNLI HEADQUARTERS, POOLE

CALLERS TO THE CENTRAL OPERA-TIONS/INFORMATION ROOM on thefourth floor of the RNLFs headquar-ters are frequent. During a typicalmorning, the chief of operations maywish to be given particulars of recentlifeboat passages, the trials officer willwant details of the shipping forecast,the director's personal assistant needsto know where a divisional inspector

can be contacted and the computer sec-tion requires information about a newlifeboat going on station. The staffofficer (communications) has, perhaps,an urgent message to be telexed to TheDecca Navigator Company, the sur-veyor of machinery requests that pas-sages on a relief lifeboat are arrangedfor two boat mechanics while the assis-tant public relations officer makes thefirst of two daily visits to check if thereare lifeboat services to report to thepress.

Visitors who are shown round headoffice always like to identify 'their'lifeboat station from the stateboard onthe far wall which not only shows thedeployment of lifeboat stations in eachof the nine divisions throughout GreatBritain and Ireland, but details of theclass of lifeboat, her speed, launchingrequirements, whether she has a self-righting capability and if she carriesradar or navigational aids.

Beneath the seemingly informalatmosphere, however, this room fulfils

Updating information onthe stateboard. Move-ments of head office offi-cials, divisional inspectorsand other coast staff arekept readily available onpegboard (r.).

Staff Coxswain Billy Denthas called in to discuss aproblem with Cdr Roe. Ashort telephone call to thedepartment concernedsoon resolves the query.

an especially important function. Man-ned by three people during office hoursand by a duty officer at other times,here is collated all information relevantto the safe and efficient operation of theRNLI's fleet. Information which maybe needed not only by staff in headoffice or on the coast, but by HMCoastguard and other search andrescue authorities.

Busy telephone lines may bringrequests for stores—anything from thesmallest spare part to a relief engine orinshore lifeboat. Requests are passedto the depot across the road where a24-hour watch is maintained, enablingthe stores to be despatched to the coastin the minimum of time.

Lifeboat services are reported dailyby Coastguard Rescue Headquarters.Complicated services or ones that takeplace in gale force conditions, areimmediately telexed to CO/IR by HMCoastguard. The message can be pas-sed to the divisional inspectors, oralternatively, the situation can be moni-tored by CO/IR. A supply of charts andnavigational publications covering theentire coastline enables the duty officerto plot an incident or casualty and fol-low its progress.

In very bad weather the work canbecome extremely urgent and of thegreatest importance. Last ChristmasEve, Cdr Peter Gladwin, who was dutyofficer, was sleeping in the cabin acrossthe corridor when he was summoned at3 am by the Telex alarm. The Coast-guard at Land's End reported that thePadstow and St Ives lifeboats hadlaunched to the assistance of a Danishcoaster off Trevose Head.

It was only the beginning of a daythat was to result in seven lifeboats,from all areas, answering calls to dis-tressed shipping as severe stormspounded the entire coast. Sadly, it wasthe day a lifeboatman was to lose hislife when Kilmore lifeboat was twicecapsized, and twice righted herself.

Cdr Gladwin was quickly able tocontact the staff required to return tothe office and take action in these cir-cumstances. It was also possible toremain in close contact with the sta-tions and to have necessary informa-tion readily available. Such a possibil-ity had not existed before the setting upof the CO/IR two years ago, after theRNLI's transfer from London to Poole.The decision to set up the CO/IR wasthe outcome of considerable discussionby the Committee of Management fol-lowing the loss of Fraserburgh lifeboatin 1970 and taking into account thechanges which had been occurring inthe pattern of lifeboat services, includ-ing their increased number, over thepast decade. Operational control con-tinues to be exercised locally by stationhonorary secretaries as launchingauthorities and the coxswains while atsea, but the Institution has a morecomprehensive overall view of lifeboatoperations on the coast and so the fa-cility to help when needed. H .D .

52

Coastguard . . .

LT-CDR TIM FETHERSTON-DILKE,the new 'Chief, talks of the re-organisationtaking place within Her Majesty'sCoastguard, emphasising that itslong-standing traditional relationship withthe lifeboat service will go on into the futureunchanged.

ON SEPTEMBER I, 1978. a re-organisation of HM Coastguard cameinto effect designed, by taking advan-tage of modern communications, tomake the best possible use of availableexperienced coastguard officers in theco-ordination of marine search andrescue around the coasts of the UnitedKingdom. It also takes into account theincreasing international co-operationwith neighbouring countries.

Six regions, shown on the mapbelow, are to replace the existing 1 1divisions. In each region there will be aMaritime Rescue Co-ordination Centresupported by Marit ime Rescue Sub-Centres, of which there wil l be 22 in all.Thus, as at present, there will be 28districts but greater concentration ofexperienced coastguards w i l l progres-sively be buil t up at the regional anddistrict centres while the necessarybacking along the coast w i l l be pro-vided by auxiliary coastguards underthe supervision of regular officers.

The re-organisation just started w i l lnecessarily be gradual and there wi l l beconsultation w i t h local interests on thedetails and t iming of changes. Inevita-bly it will take a long time for thesechanges to be ful ly implemented, pos-sibly several years, and it is logical thatthey should be seen through by oneman. So it was agreed that it would besensible for Lt-Cdr John Douglas. OBE,who had been Chief Inspector ofCoastguard since 1970 but who is near-ing the age of 60. to make way for hissuccessor now rather than at theexpected time next year.

HM COASTGUARD

Lt-Cdr Tim Fetherston-Dilke. in thenew post of Chief Coastguard, is takingover from a distinguished predecessor.Lt-Cdr Douglas's period of office wasone of intensive modernisation andexpansion in the role of HM Coastguardincluding much improved radio com-munication and the establishment ofthe Channel Navigation InformationService and the Brixham TrainingSchool. The advances he encouraged inthe spheres of both technical equip-ment and professional skill laid down astrong basis for future development.He worked closely with the lifeboatservice, and. happily, as he is taking upthe new post of Regional Controller.West Scotland, the benefit of hisexperience will s t i l l be available to therescue services.

*• SOUTI

Lt-Cdr Tim Fetherston-Dilke,the new Chief Coastguard,

Lt-Cdr Fetherston-Dilke. his succes-sor, is already well known to lifeboatpeople along the coast from Kent toLincolnshire because he has held thepost of Inspector. Eastern Division,since he joined HM Coastguard in 1966.Talking to the editor of THE LIFEBOAThe explained the coming changes a l i t t l emore fu l ly :

'Perhaps I can summarise it by sayingthat lite relationship between the Coast-guard and the RNLI at all levels—head-quarters to headquarters, and lifeboatstation to the coastguard on thecoast—is not going to change in anyway. We are going to maintain thesedirect links. The coastguard under re-organisation is not disappearing fromthe coast and going in behind high brickwalls at headquarters, although the pre-sence of regulars is going to bediminished at some, relatively few.places while it is augmented elsewhere.

'The main object of the re-organisation is to make better n.se of ourlimited regular manpower and we areenabled to do that by the fact that wehave now in progress the installation of amuch more sophisticated communica-tion system than we ever possessedhe/ore. That in turn means we can co-ordinate operations, perhaps involvinglifeboats and helicopters and our ownresources, from fewer centres than wehave done in the past. Individual lifeboatstations may find that there is no differ-ence at all in the way they work, or theremay be the difference that, initially, theyare talking with someone further away:probably during the progress of theoperation, however, they will still betalking with their same well-known localvoice.

'The working arrangement in the pasthas been that each lifeboat station had acoastguard launching station which, ifyou like, it regarded as its own and withwhich it had a close relationship. Thailaunching station's main function was tobe the link in establishing the need for alifeboat launch and thereafter to keepthe lifeboat authority on shore informed.Now, the initial alerting of lifeboatauthorities and other rescue units islikely to come from one of the 28 rescuecentres, which correspond basically withthe 28 district headquarters already-established. But. while initial communi-cations during an operation will comefrom these centres, local coastguardresources can be alerted within minutesand both regular and auxiliary coast-guards will be concerned in the co-ordination of inshore casualties as theyare now. The local man will still heinvolved.

'With the centre forming the link, thelocal coastguard will be freed to he onthe actual scene in his vehicle, workingwhere necessary with. say. an inshorelifeboat or helicopter, and information tothe lifeboat authority will be routed backthrough the centre.

'It is really no different from whatother emergency services have had todo. Take ambulance control in a county.People in need of an ambulance are usedto dialling 999: they have been answeredfrom the control centre and the ambul-ance has appeared and any other ser-vices necessary have all congregated onthe scene. What we shall be doing issimilar to that.

'No lookout point is being closed orabolished, but the coverage provided bysome lookouts, where there is no longera need for it to be maintained on a 24-hour basis, will be reduced. Our experi-ence during the past eight or nine yearshas been that the way we first hear thatsomeone is in trouble has changed. Thegeneral public is taking greater interestin what is happening off the coast. Wehave now got to the encouraging situa-tion where something like 95 per cent ofall initial information about people introuble at sea tomes to us either fromthe general public, dialling 999, or by-radio from craft already at sea. Theinformation actually coming in from acoastguard's pair of eyes, whether he beregular or auxiliary, is under 5 per cent.Well, we obviously cannot afford to usehighly trained staff—and we only have600 regulars around the coast—just aspairs of eyes. We can use auxiliarieswhere necessarv and we shall maintain

53

Coastguard continuedthe same visual watch policy as we havedone for the past fire years: that is, keep-ing watch when we think there is a needfor it; when the weather is bad or when,for instance, there is a lot of small craftactivity off a particular bit of the coast.

'The advantage in the new system isthat we can in fact produce a quickerresponse to an incident by havingstronger staffs gathered in fewer places.It comes down to a question of how-many pairs of hands a man has. Twelveyears ago, when 1 joined, a coastguardofficer was on his own. He would receivesome emergency information, a 999 callor the sighting of a distress flare. Thenhe had to do everything in the first fiveminutes: that means lifting the telephoneto ring the honorary secretary, lifting thetelephone, perhaps, to ring the RAF,acquainting his superior officer, notify-ing the ambulance service. There is alimit to what one man can do. He did getthrough what had to be done but it tookthat much longer. By augmenting theactual watchkeeping levels, so that twomen are brought together at a centre in-stead of two men each being on theirown, you get the actions going onsimultaneously.

'At a higher level, for major incidentswe have always been very thin on man-power because officers in charge of thedistricts and inspectors in charge of thedivision were scattered all the way roundand no man can be available for 24 hoursa day. By concentrating their efforts, ifthere is a major incident at any timewhich requires more expertise, a seniorofficer will be available.'

Lt-Cdr Fetherston-Dilke has behindhim the experience of twelve years onthe coast and he described the work ofa coastguard inspector as 'a good,broad mix'. An inspector is in charge ofthe coastguard service for his particularstretch of the coast and, equally, isresponsible for the efficiency of searchand rescue co-ordination for the sea offthat coast. With something like 60 regu-lar officers and 500 to 600 auxiliaries ina typical division, much of an inspec-tor's time is absorbed in sheeradministration and in the supervision oftraining. He is concerned with the careof premises and equipment and also

Visitors from HollandON HOLIDAY in England last June,Nicholas Oldenburg, coxswain ofIjmuiden lifeboat, visited Cromerlifeboat station and was taken out onexercise in Ruby and Arthur Reed byCoxswain Richard Davies. CoxswainOldenburg's lifeboat lies afloat andthis was the first time he had experi-enced a slipway launch: 'Fantastic!' hesaid.

Coxswain Oldenburg with hisbrother Gerard and their wives hadbeen staying with Eric and Fred Griceof Stapleford who had been rescued byIjmuiden lifeboat last year when theiryacht lost her rudder. On that occasionMr and Mrs Grice had been entertainedby Mr and Mrs Oldenburg.

with public relations work and liaisonwith the representatives of a widerange of other bodies. The coastguardinspector works closely with the divi-sional inspector of lifeboats for hisarea; then there are other water safetyorganisations; the Post Office (a vitallink of the search and rescue chain);and representatives of search andrescue authorities along the opposingEuropean coast:

'Fairly recently,' said Lt-CdrFetherston-Dilke, 'international co-operation has been increasing apace. Inthe past there was not much cross-fertilisation of ideas between the twosides. We had dealings with each other,of course, but usually it was the coastradio stations which acted as the linkand it did not have the direct touch. Nowwe have both Telex and direct telephonedialling links with our opposite numberin virtually all the countries—certainlyfrom Norway down to France. I havehad the opportunity of meeting searchand rescue officials in Denmark, Ger-many and Holland, and my colleagueson the south coast in their turn have theirlinks with the French.

'The Coastguard is also associatedwith NATO for the military side ofsearch and rescue, and that embracesother countries such as Iceland. Once ayear we have been participating inNATO search and rescue exercises wellout at sea—perhaps 150 miles out in theNorth Sea—and that again hasenhanced our links with the continentalcountries. The North Sea isn't a/I thatbig, in fact. With the rescue resourcesstretched round it, even if you are 150miles out a rescue helicopter from one ofthe bordering countries can reach you inreally a very short time. We have, forinstance, had numerous occasions whenNorwegian helicopters have come overinto what might be called the British sideof the North Sea to take off sick menfrom fishing vessels and the like becausethey happened to he available at thetime. There is a very close relationshipdeveloping.'

Should there be an oil spillage suchas occurred when Eleni V was wreckedoff the coast of East Anglia, in Lt-CdrFetherston-Dilke's area, the localcoastguards will be acting as com-municators and plotters for their col-leagues in the Department of Tradewho are responsible for anti-pollutionmeasures. In fact, Eleni V occupiedLt-Cdr Fetherston-Dilke for 30 days.'That,' he commented, 'was the monthof May written off!' He was also inclose liaison with the Frenchauthorities at Cherbourg during theAmoco Cadiz operation.

On the operational side, the coast-guard inspector has to ensure that theright steps are taken in every incident.In a typical year that means studyingperhaps 650 to 700 reports to check thatall went well or to see if there areany lessons to be learnt. Lt-CdrFetherston-Dilke has himself beeninvolved in a number rescue services:

'Actually being present is very differ-ent from reading a report of an incidentafterwards,' he said. 'No written report

can convey the sense of urgency or a fullappreciation of the problems. Perhapsyou are trying to get hold of someoneand he isn't in. Or you cannot get aresponse from a ship with which youwere in communication five minutesago. There is bound to he tension ifsomebody is in trouble at sea: you havegot the resources going, whether it be alifeboat or another ship or a helicopter,but you don't know for certain whetherthey are going to get there in time andthere is nothing more at that particularmoment that you can do about it. Butthat is the situation which is faced, notby inspectors, but by the average coast-guard officer at any time.

'One thing I have learnt is that thecasualty which starts off looking rela-tively simple is the one which can so eas-ily turn into a difficult situation: while,very often, the one which looks a toughnut to crack miraculously solves itselfwith no difficulty at all.'

Communications, Lt-Cdr Fetherston-Dilke, emphasised, is one field that canmake or break the success of a rescue.It was of the greatest importance thatpeople should communicate correctly,speak the same radio language and thusget the information through, regardlessof race—or even dialect! The Coast-guard, he said, had gone to great painsto improve its RT practice and proce-dure and there had certainly been anequally matched improvement in RNLIcrews.

Lt-Cdr Fetherston-Dilke has foundthat coastguards are accepted through-out the community 'from the bishop tothe bait digger' as helpful governmentofficials who are there to give assis-tance rather than to be law enforcers,and he is convinced that the goodwilland friendship engendered by thisimage is of the greatest importance intheir work among seafaring people.

'That does not mean,' he added, 'thatwe should not discourage unwise orignorant people who put the rescue ser-vices and lifeboat crews themselves atrisk. Nevertheless. I think a great dealwould be lost were we to become a lawenforcing organisation.'

The new Chief Coastguard is going tomiss the day-to-day contact he had asan inspector, both with coastguard aux-iliaries and rescue companies and withlifeboat crew. 'They are,' he said, 'thesalt of the earth.' Very often these vol-unteers would also be fishermen:

'Then one got the benefit of hearingthe other person's point of view. I havehad many a chat on the beach with anAldeburgh fisherman, also a coast-guard, who was more or less giving metwo points of view at the same time!'

Although he will see less of oldfriends in East Anglia, Lt-CdrFetherston-Dilke is looking forward tothe time when, as present administra-tive demands slacken, he will have theopportunity of meeting coastguardsand lifeboatmen in other parts of thecountry. In the meantime he can besure that the good wishes of lifeboatpeople go with him as he embarks onhis tasks.

54

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGand presentation of awards

ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, TUESDAY MAY 16

TRIUMPH IN THE FACE OF A MOST TESTING WINTER

'GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME . . .'The annual general meeting of gov-ernors of the RNLI, held this year forthe first time in the Purcell Room of theRoyal Festival Hall, was under way.Major-General Ralph Farrant, chair-man of the Committee of Management,in presenting his report to the gov-ernors drew together the threads of ayear which could be remembered withjustifiable pride and satisfaction bothby our lifeboat crew members, who hadrescued 1,134 people from death at sea,and by our voluntary workers who haddone so much to help achieve a recordincome of £6,738,831. With suchencouragement, the chairman could setthe financial target necessary for thecoming year in the confidence thatlifeboat people would once again rise tothe occasion: £8'/2 million would beneeded to run the service in 1978.

Looking back on 1977 General Far-rant recalled a year that had been botheventful and exciting:

7 say exciting because of our partici-pation in many major events during HerMajesty the Queen's Silver Jubilee Year,culminating in the Royal Naming Cere-mony at Hartlepool. Regarding event-fulness, it will come as no surprise toanyone who spent any length of time onalmost any part of our coastline duringthe past winter to learn that the demandson our crews have been exceptionallyheavy.

'This afternoon those who attend thepresentation of awards will hear detailedaccounts of some of the acts of outstand-ing bravery and steadfastness. It is inthese, and in the other services renderedamounting to more than 2,700 whichhave not led to the making of awards,that the justification is to be found of allthat we are doing. We are gathered heretoday to review the means we provide toenable our brave volunteer crews tocarry out our objective of saving life atsea.

'As chairman of your Committee ofManagement it is my duty to render anaccount of our stewardship, and particu-larly of our financial management, andtoday I am in the happy position of beingable to give some encouraging news.'

General Farrant reminded the gover-nors that at the beginning of the 1970s ithad been decided to embark on anextensive new boat-building pro-gramme with the object of producing aself-righting fleet by 1980. The decisionwas described at the time as an act offaith which could now be seen to havebeen fully justified. As a result of infla-tion, however, this act of faith had beenrunning the Institution's financialreserves dangerously low and a tem-

porary slowing down of the boat-building programme became necessarywhile an attempt was made to build upreserves by practising strictesteconomy and also by strenuously seek-ing new money. It was only a pause,not a cessation of building and in factsix new lifeboats went into service in1977. The chairman continued:

'At the end of 1976 the RNLI's freereserves represented only 13 weeks'expenditure at the current level. Thiswas still disturbingly low. I am happy tobe able to report that at the end of 1977the free reserves amounted to 19 weeks'expenditure. Though this markedincrease is partly due to delays indeliveries of equipment ordered, theamount of additional funds raised ismost encouraging: in fact, it hasencouraged the Committee of Manage-ment sufficiently for us to have taken thedecision to step up planned expenditureon boat building in 1978. This, I think, isthe most important news I have to con-vey to you today.'

Turning to some of the ways in whichthe money had been raised, GeneralFarrant spoke of the great contributionmade by branches and guilds; of theencouraging response to the Shorelineappeal for new members which hadresulted in new subscriptions amount-ing to £90,000, making a total incomefor Shoreline of £228,000 in 1977; andof the development in the work of thetrading company which had shown anet profit of some £58,000 in the year.

'However,' the General added, 'ourfinancial stability remains largelydependent on legacies, and it is gratify-ing to know that more and more peopleare considering the RNLI when contem-plating what charitable bequests theycould make. This does not happen byaccident. It is the consequence of thegood will which is felt towards thelifeboat service throughout Great Britainand Ireland. This good will is engen-dered in a wide variety of ways and bylarge numbers of people, the greatmajority of whom work voluntarily forthe Institution.'

Extra support was being sought fromold friends and from new, andencouraging help in one form oranother was coming in from suchspheres of industry and commerce asshipping and oil companies. Help wascoming from overseas, too: from theUnited States citizens who havepledged themselves to raise funds for anew lifeboat; and from a group ofBelgians who have not only becomeShoreline members but have alsoformed a Belgian branch.

Turning to the economies that hadbeen practised, General Farrant saidthat it was inevitable that the burden ofsome of these should fall to a consider-able extent on the permanent staff:

' We have a small staff for runningwhat is in fact a major operational ser-vice. Their devotion to duty is somethingwhich can easily be taken for granted,but it would be wrong to do so. The payof our staff generally has slipped too farbehind the national average; and,although in the past year we have doneour best, within the guidelines laid downby the Government, to improve it, thereis still some way to go. No one joins thelifeboat service to become rich, hut it isonly right that those who give their ser-vices on a full-time basis, in whatevercapacity, should be adequately paid;especially so because of the devotion toduty that they all show.'

Returning to his earlier remark thatthe intention to try to have a virtuallyself-righting fleet by 1980 was an act offaith, General Farrant continued.

'In fact, in a sense, however carefullywe manage our affairs, our wholeeconomy rests on faith. So muchdepends on public good will, so vulner-able are we to a sudden drop in anysource of funds—for instance inlegacies—that we must always go onpressing for more and more money.Nevertheless, I believe the financial pol-icy which your Committee has main-tained over the years and which we haveshown can be successful in practice ofcontinuing to rely on voluntary donationis the right one.

'I feel confident that our faith in con-tinuing to plan to provide our volunteercrews with the best modern boats andequipment that they need and deservewill prove to be justified in the future asit has in the past.

'To illustrate the importance of adher-ing to this policy of providing the best, Iwould conclude by referring to a sadevent which occurred towards the end oflast year. On Christmas Eve Kilmorelifeboat put out following a report thatdistress signals had been seen. In appal-ling conditions the lifeboat was capsizedtwice by heavy breaking seas. Twice sherighted herself and the engines werestarted immediately, but although thebulk of the crew who had been washedoverboard on the second occasion wererecovered safely, one man lost his life.

' That the loss of life was not greaterwas due in great part to the courage,skill and determination of the coxswainand crew, but there was another impor-tant factor. The lifeboat was one of the37ft self-righting Oakley class. The firstof these lifeboats came into service just20 years ago. At the time of the capsizeat Kilmore these boats had beenlaunched over 1,750 times and had saved

55

nearly 1,000 lives. Indeed, on that sameChristinas Eve a similar Oakley boat atSt Ires, having been hove over beyond90 degrees by a rogue sea, came uprightat once and was able to continue on herservice. I believe and I hope you willagree that our boat-building programmeto press ahead with the construction ofnew self-righting lifeboats is clearlyshown to he on the right lines by thesetwo important pieces of evidence, name-ly, immediate self-righting if capsizedand yet excellent stability againstcapsizing.'

Coming to the annual accounts for1977 (summarised below), General Far-rant made the following comments:

'The balance sheet shows that theimproved liquidity of the Institution atthe year end derives from three mainsources: firstly, the surplus for the yearof £437,000, which was caused largely bythe late delivery of capital items ofequipment; secondly unrealisedappreciation of our investments of£479,000 together with realised profits of£54,000: and thirdly, the increase inrestrictedfunds held for future purposes.

'The income and expenditure accountshows an increase of 12 per cent in new-income which matches the national rateof inflation last year. Capital expendi-ture has been reduced by 3 per cent,reflecting the pause in the boat-buildingprogramme, while other expenditure wascontained within a 9 per cent rise. Theproportion spent on operational mattershas risen slightly while that spent onother activities has remained unchangedoverall although variations in detailedallocations have been necessary hereand there.'

The adoption of the report andaccounts without further discussionwas followed by the election of mem-bers of the Committee of Management.The names of those nominated hadbeen displayed in accordance with thebye-laws of the Institution both in thePoole headquarters and in the Londonoffice. The list of ladies, noblemen andgentlemen were now read out by Cap-tain Nigel Dixon, director of theInstitution, and they were declaredelected.

A proposition arising from discus-sions by the Fund Raising Committee,a special working party and the Com-mittee of Management that the sub-scription rates for governors should beraised from January 1, 1979, provokedconsiderable discussion. The rates sug-gested were either one sum of £150 orupwards for life governors or annualpayment of £15 or upwards. Somegovernors thought the increase of theannual rate over modest in view of thefact that it is eight years since the rateswere last reviewed, while others wereafraid that the size of the increasemight discourage potential governors—one speaker pointing out that manygovernors were also fund raisers andmade other contributions both directand indirect. In the end, however,there was overwhelming support forthe rates as proposed.

Discussion then turned to the precisewording of the bye-law and the follow-

ing amended proposal, suggested byP. R. Threlfall and seconded by Cap-tain John Leworthy, was carriedunanimously:

The governors of the Institution shallconsist of the persons who at January 1,1979, shall already be life governors orwho thereafter shall have subscribed tothe funds either one sum of £150 orupwards, or by an annual payment of £15or upwards, and of such other persons asshall be elected to be governors by ageneral meeting, as having renderedessential service to the Institution, andshall be entitled to vote at all generalmeetings.'

During 'any other business,' CaptainWatkin of Ramsey, Isle of Man, made arequest that the Committee of Man-agement consider publicising in yachtclubs and harbour masters' offices thatthe Institution is a voluntary organisa-tion and that yachtsmen should not putcoxswains into the position of having tomake intolerable decisions by refusingto abandon their boats when in trouble.Captain Watkin expressed these viewsvery strongly and stated that theInstitution's aim is to save lives and notboats. The chairman replied that thesesentiments were the same as those ofthe Committee of Management, andthat the Public Relations Committeedealt with this kind of problem. He alsosaid that an article stating the case verywell had been published recently in oneof the yachting journals. It was pointedout from the floor that the Royal Yacht-ing Association devotes a great deal ofpublicity to warning people of the dan-gers of going on the water unpreparedand the chairman confirmed that theRNLI works closely with the RYA.

* * *

After a break for lunch, the gover-nors assembled once again, but thistime in the Royal Festival Hall togetherwith representatives from stations,branches and guilds and many other

Summary of Accounts 1977

IncomeGeneral Purpose Legacies . . .Subscriptions and donations ..Contribution from Funds for

Restricted PurposesInvestment IncomeTrading Income

ExpenditureLife-boat service—

Recurrent costsCapital costs

Life-boat support—Fund Raising and Publicity

AdministrationOther costs

Balance transferred to GeneralFund

£OOOs

2,9842,617

709258171

6,739

3,4671,211

1,134489

1

6,302

437

friends of the lifeboat service for thepresentation of awards. This year therewas a break with tradition in that it wasnot possible for the Band of the RoyalMarines to be present, but music wasprovided by Ralph Downes, CBE,organist-curator of the Royal FestivalHall, and Pipe Major D. P. Black. Wel-coming all those in the crowded hall,General Farant said:

'We have lately come to the end—thatis to say I hope we have come to theend—of one of the most testing winterswhich the lifeboat service has experi-enced in recent years. Even as early asNovember the north west coast of Eng-land in particular was struck by gales ofexceptional violence. Our inshorelifeboat house at Fleetwood wasdestroyed and the launching tractor wasfound buried in the beach. Two monthslater in January it was the east coast ofEngland which suffered worst. At onetime no fewer than seven offshore sta-tions were out of action because of dam-age to shore installations. We wereindeed lucky to save the Margatelifeboat when the pier was wrecked andthe boathouse and slipway were leftisolated.'

Between these two periods, con-tinued the General, an even greater losshad been suffered, and he invitedeveryone present to stand and observea moment's silence as a tribute to thelate Fintan Sinnott who lost his lifewhen, on Christmas Eve, Kilmorelifeboat had been capsized and hadrighted herself twice on service.

Resuming his speech after this silenttribute, General Farrant said thatalthough the RNLI had come through awinter suffering material damageinvolving, in consequence, considera-ble extra financial costs, as a service ithad come through this winter, andindeed the whole of the past year,triumphantly:

'The operational record has been amemorable one with no fewer than 1,134lives saved by our offshore and inshorelifeboats. During the year lifeboats werelaunched on service 2,751 times and ofthese nearly 250 were carried out in galeconditions over force 7 and over 900 inpartial darkness or at night. You willshortly be hearing details of a few ofthe lifesaving services, and I think youwill conclude—and conclude rightly—from them that it was only the quality ofthe boats and of the men who mannedthem which prevented us from sufferingfurther losses during the past winter.'

The achievements of the crews had,the General continued, been trulymatched by the achievements of thevoluntary fund-raisers and he thankedall of them with equal warmth:

'The great strength of the lifeboat ser-vices lies in the fact that its activities areso widespread and extend to all parts ofBritain and Ire/and. No centralisedfund-raising organisation could ever bea substitute for our voluntary branch andguild system, and we know thatwhenever some extra pressure has to beput upon them, these branches andguilds always do their best to respondaccordingly.'

56

General Farrant then spoke of thegratifying responses that had beenmade to a number of special appeals,thanking in particular the NationalFederation of Round Tables and theCivil Service and Post Office LifeboatFund and remembering the many suc-cessful local appeals. He also men-tioned the support coming fromAmerica and also from Belgium:

'All this activity reflects the standingwhich the RNLI enjoys in the nation's,and indeed in the world's, regard, and itwas in recognition of this standingthroughout the United Kingdom that theRNLI participated so prominently in thecelebrations of the Silver Jubilee of HerMajesty the Queen. For our part, we aredeeply indebted to Her Majesty for spar-ing the time, in the course of a year ofsuch exacting demands, to name the newlifeboat at Hartlepool which had beenprovided by the efforts of the ScoutAssociation. This was the first occasionon which the reigning sovereign hadnamed a lifeboat at the boat's ownstation.'

Speaking of the boat-building prog-ramme, the General said:

'Not only are we continuing to buildour An/us, Waveneys, Rothers andAtlanlics, but for the longer term, we areconsidering in detail plans for thedevelopment of a new, fast boat to belaunched from a slipway, and other newforms of design as well.'

The financial demands of the service,the General continued, are large andwould inevitably continue to grow:

7 do not wish to alarm you hut I wouldhe neglecting my duty if I failed to men-tion that this year we shall be looking toraise something in the order of£8'/2 mill-ion. This may seem a daunting task, butI have served long enough on the Com-mittee of Management of the RNLI andas its chairman to hope and believe thatno task can be too daunting, nor chal-lenge too great for the supporters of aservice which incorporates so much ofwhat is best in this country. I don't wantyou to give yourselves heart attacks, ornervous breakdowns but just ask you tokeep on doing better than you have everdone before—and you always do!'

Coming to the end of his openingspeech, General Farrant introduced theguest speaker:

'This is someone who is alsoundaunted in the face of difficulties anddangers. Miss Clare Francis, who to allthose who know anything about sailingand the sea needs no further introduc-tion. We are delighted and privileged tohave her as our speaker today.'

Clare Francis had only arrived backin this country a few weeks before, onEaster Saturday, after skippering the64ft LOA ketch ADC Accutrac in theWhitbread Round-the-World Race (areview of Cape Horn to Port, the offi-cial account of the race, appears onpage 66). The fleet of 15 yachts had setout from Portsmouth the previousAugust and at the end of March hadcompleted the four legs of a race whichhad taken them to Cape Town, roundthe Cape of Good Hope to Auckland,

Miss Clare Francis, MBE, guest speaker atthe presentation of awards meeting, endedher speech by making a surprise presenta-tion of her own. On behalf of the whole crewof ADC Accutrac, the yacht which she skip-pered in the Whitbread Round-the-WorldRace, she gave to Major-General Farrant,CB, chairman of the Institution, an historicbottle of champagne which had been carriedtwice round Cape Horn: first by Gipsy MothIV and then in ADC Accutrac. // will beused to raise funds for the lifeboat service.

through the Southern Ocean on a legfor which the sailing instructions justread 'from the starting line to Rio deJaneiro leaving A Buoy to starboardand Cape Horn to port', and from Rioback to Portsmouth: a tremendousvoyage during which the yachts hadbeen driven on through many gales andstorms. Despite that, Miss Francisdeclared that some of the lifeboat ser-vices for which the medals for gallantrywere awarded made the round-the-world race seem tame!

Yachtsmen setting out on such arace, Miss Francis continued, knowthat they must rely on themselves andthey make provision accordingly. Theyhave to be independent. After all, shesaid, there is not a lifeboat on CapeHorn yet! But regardless of the mostcareful preparation, the unforeseencould happen. Towards the end of thethird leg of the race a ere w member wasseriously injured when, in windsapproaching hurricane force, a hugewave from abeam crashed down on oneof the smaller yachts, throwing her onher side. Although messages were sentand every effort made, it was not pos-sible for help to get to her and it wasseveral days before she made RioGrande, the nearest port some 400miles away. Fortunately, after a day ortwo a French yacht with a doctor in hercrew was able to rendezvous with thesmitten boat. The swell still runningmade it impracticable for either theinjured man or the doctor to be trans-ferred by rubber dinghy, but, undeter-red, Dr Jean Louis Sabarly jumped intothe sea and swam through the waves tobe hoisted aboard to take care of hispatient.

Incidents of that sort, Miss Francissaid, made seamen appreciate how for-tunate they were when sailing in British

and European waters where help isnever far away. She herself hadreceived a blow on the head as heryacht ran before a strong galeapproaching the end of the last leg;ADC Accntrac was, she maintained,the only boat to finish whose helmsmansaw two lines!

To the delight of the audience MissFrancis first told them that her hus-band. Jacques Redon, was hoping tojoin the crew of Lymington ILB andthen made a surprise presentation onbehalf of the whole crew of ADCAccittrac, the only boat which in factcompleted the whole round-the-worldrace with the same crew on each of thefour legs. It was an historic bottle ofchampagne which had been presentedto Sir Francis Chichester in Sydney onJanuary 29, 1967, and which had voy-aged with him in Gipsy Moth IV roundthe Horn. After he arrived at Plymouthon May 28, 1967, the champagne wasauctioned at Bonhams and bought byBonhams. It was given subsequently tothe crew of ADC Accutrac who hadtaken it round the world again. Now ithad been given to Major-General Far-rant for the benefit of the lifeboat ser-vice and will be used for fund raising.

Coming to the end of her speech,Miss Clare Francis moved the time-honoured resolution:

'That this meeting fully recognising theimportant services of the Royal NationalLife-boat Institution in its national workof lifesaving, desires to record its heartyappreciation of the gallantry of the cox-swains and crews of the Institution'slifeboats, and its deep obligation to thelocal committees, honorary secretariesand honorary treasurers of all stationbranches; to all other voluntary commit-tees and supporters and to the honoraryofficers and thousands of voluntarymembers of the financial branches andthe ladies' lifeboat guilds in the work ofraising funds to maintain the service.'

General Farrant then presented theawards for gallantry. Sadly, CoxswainHorace Pengilly of Sennen Cove haddied since the service for which he wasawarded the silver medal; the presenta-tion was, therefore, made to his widow,Mrs Dorothy Pengilly.

Coxswain Eric Pengilly, Sennen Cove:silver medalOn November 16. 1977, Sennen

Cove lifeboat Diana White waslaunched into 'maelstrom' conditionsto search for the motor vessel UnionCrystal which was listing and in dif-ficulties. The lifeboat searched fornearly six hours in a north-westerlystorm and very heavy seas. UnionCrystal sank and the only survivor waspicked up by helicopter.

Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge, BEM, StMary's, Isles of Scilly: second bar tohis silver medalOn February 13, 1977, St Mary's

lifeboat Guy and Clare Hunter attemp-ted to rescue the crew of the Frenchtrawler Enfant de Bretagne in a freshsouth-westerly wind and a very heavy

The Medallists: (I. to r.) Matt Lethbridge, BEM, Antony Warnock, Trevor England, DavidBliss, Thomas Cocking, Senior, Thomas Walsh, Mrs Dorothy Pengilly who received themedal awarded to the late Eric Pengilly, John Devereux, John Petit, Bruce Brown, JohnMarjoram, William Jones, Arthur West and George Dyer.

swell. The search for survivors wascarried out in hazardous conditionsamong rocks, many of which areuncharted.Coxswain Antony Warnock, Padstow:

silver medalSecond Coxswain Trevor England, Pad-

stow: silver medalOn July 17, 1977, Padstow lifeboat

James and Catherine Macfarlanesaved the yacht Calcutta Princess, hercrew of two and a dog in a west-south-westerly gale and heavy con-fused seas. The lifeboat had to bemanoeuvred between the yacht androcks, some of which are submerged,in order to pass a tow.

Helmsman David Bliss, St Agnes: silvermedalOn July 17, 1977, St Agnes ILB Blue

Peter IV rescued a man trapped in anarrow cove at the base of 150 feetoverhanging cliffs. The ILB, beingswamped continually by breakingwaves, was driven through dangeroussurf and over rocks just below thesurface.Coxswain Thomas Cocking, Senior, St

Ives: silver medalOn December 24, 1977, St Ives

lifeboat Frank Penfold Marshalllaunched in a west-south-westerlystorm and very heavy seas to search forthe motor vessel Lady Kamillareported in distress. The lifeboat,which was at sea for nearly seven hoursin the very severe weather, was rolledover to nearly 90 degrees by a breakingwave estimated to be 30 to 35 feet highwhich appeared to starboard as 'a wallof water'.Coxswain Thomas Walsh, Kilmore:

silver medalActing Motor Mechanic John Devereux,

Kilmore: bronze medalOn December 24, 1977, Kilmore

lifeboat Lady Murphy was capsizedtwice in a strong west-south-westerlygale and a very heavy breaking seawhile investigating a report of redflares. The coxswain and acting motor

mechanic, helped by other crew mem-bers, rescued one crew member whowas washed out of the lifeboat duringthe first capsize and three of the fourcrew members who were washed out ofthe lifeboat during the second capsize.Coxswain John Petit, St Peter Port,

Channel Islands: silver medalOn February 1, 1978, the relief

lifeboat The John Gellatly Hyndman,on temporary duty at St Peter Port,rescued two men from the oil rig Orionwhich was driven aground at night inwest-north-westerly gales. One manwas taken off a scrambling net and theother rescued from the sea when he fellfrom the net. The lifeboat then stood bythe rig for over three hours whilehelicopters lifted off 25 men.Coxswain/Mechanic Bruce Brown,

Walmer: bronze medalOn August 4, 1977, the relief lifeboat

Beryl Tollemache on temporary duty atWalmer, rescued the crew of four ofthe cabin cruiser Shark and saved thesecond coxswain of the lifeboat whobecame trapped by the leg on board thecasualty. The coxswain boarded thecabin cruiser and, using great physicalstrength, pulled his second coxswainfree only moments before the casualtysank.

Helmsman John Marjoram, Aldeburgh:bronze medalOn August 17, 1977, Aldeburgh ILB

rescued a young boy from the yachtSpreety in an easterly gale and a roughsea. The ILB was launched in very dif-ficult conditions despite being com-pletely filled by breaking seas and tookthe boy off the yacht which was latertowed into the River Ore, with hersingle-handed skipper on board, byAldeburgh lifeboat.Coxswain William Jones, Holyhead: bar

to his bronze medalOn September 4, 1977, the relief

lifeboat Thomas Forehead and MaryRowse on temporary duty at Holyhead,saved the yacht Gika and one of hercrew in a south-westerly gale and a

very rough sea. The lifeboat, beingpounded heavily, after two attemptsmanaged to come alongside the casu-alty and take off her sole occupant; theother crew member had been taken offby helicopter. The yacht was thentowed to Holyhead in arduousconditions.Coxswain John Petit, St Peter Port:

third bar to his bronze medalOn November 11, 1977, St Peter Port

lifeboat Wlliam Arnold saved the fourcrew of the French yacht Canopus in astrong west-south-westerly gale. Theyacht was close to the shore and veryheavy seas made it extremely difficultto bring the lifeboat alongside the yachtto take off the occupants. Four sepa-rate approaches had to be made and theboats could be held together for onlyseconds each time.

Coxswain Arthur West, Falmouth:bronze medalOn November 28, 1977, the relief

lifeboat Rotary Service at Falmouthlanded six men from the jack-up bargeMer d'Iroise which was pitching androlling heavily in gale force winds andrough seas. The decks of the bargewere awash and her four legs projected40 feet below and 70 feet above the sur-face. The lifeboat was held alongsidethe casualty and the crew told the sur-vivors the exact moment to jump.

Coxswain George Dyer, Torbay: bronzemedalOn February 19, 1978, Torbay

lifeboat Edward Bridges (Civil Serviceand Post Office No. 37) saved threemen from the pilot cutter Leslie H instorm force east-south-easterly winds.While towing the cutter the lifeboatwas knocked down by a huge wave anda lifeboatman was washed overboard.The coxswain flicked a rope to him andwith the help of two of his crew hauledhim back on board the lifeboat.

Since the last presentation of awardsmeeting the Committee of Managementhad awarded four honorary life gov-ernorships, three bars to the gold badgeand 12 gold badges to honorary work-ers for long and distinguished service.Fourteen of the recipients were at theFestival hall to receive their awards,which were presented by GeneralFarrant:

Honorary Life GovernorMrs W. L. Else, MBE JPHonorary secretary of St Helensladies' guild from 1942 to 1952 andchairman since 1952; awardedstatuette (joint) in 1952, gold badge in1967 and bar to gold badge in 1972.

J. E. Roberts, MBE JP (retd.)Honorary secretary of Porthdinllaenstation branch since 1937; awardedbinoculars in 1949, gold badge in 1964and bar to gold badge in 1973.

Bar to Gold BadgeMrs B. A. GolbyHonorary secretary of Kenilworthbranch since 1949; awarded silver

badge in I960 and gold badge in 1969.

Mrs J. M. LucasHonorary organiser from 1947 andhonorary secretary of Barking branchsince 1949; awarded silver badge inI960 and gold badge in 1971.

Gold BadgeC. J. MorehouseCommittee member of Sonthendbranch since 1940 and chairman since1952.Mrs A. C. R. ScorgiePresident of Dumfries' ladies' guildsince 1952; awarded silver badge in1963.Mrs J. L. WilliamsHonorary secretary of Llanidloesbranch since 1955; awarded silverbadge in 1966.

Mrs J. Daryl NealHonorary secretary of Blackburnbranch for three years; a member andcollector for Hoy lake ladies' guild forover 30 years and president since 1967;chairman of Liverpool and Districtladies' guild since 1975; awarded silverbadge in 1959.Mrs F. W. RadcliffeJoint Honorary secretary of Staly-bridge ladies' guild from 1936 to 1948,

a committee member from 1948 to1956, honorary treasurer from 1956 to1967 and honorary secretary from1967; awarded silver badge in 1964.

Mrs G. H. A. HaynesCommittee member of Stanmorebranch since 1948; awarded silverbadge in 1966.

Mrs L. CobbChairman of Broadstairs ladies' guildsince 1972; awarded silver badge in1966.N. O. MabeHonorary secretary of Fishguard sta-tion branch from 1953; awardedbinoculars in 1964.

Mrs H. Mackenzie-GillandersCommittee member of Dingwall ladies'guild and vice-president since 1964.A. A. GammonHonorary secretary of Stafford branchfrom 1953 and chairman from 1975;awarded silver badge in 1968.

An honorary life governorship was alsoawarded to the late Ex-Provost A. P.MacGrory, MBE, honorary secretary ofCampbeltown station branch from 1934to 1969 and chairman from 1969 to1976, and to Mrs A. A. Ritchie, presi-

dent of Ramsey ladies' guild and donorof two lifeboats, one at Ramsey, carry-ing out the wish of her late husband, MrJ. B. Ritchie, and the other at Port StMary; a bar to the gold badge wasawarded to G. S. Storm, honorary sec-retary and treasurer of Nairn branchsince 1937; and gold badges wereawarded to Miss D. North, honorarysecretary of Kirkby Lonsdale branchsince 1952, and to Brian O'Gallachair,NT, honorary secretary of Arranmorestation branch since 1954.

Drawing the business of the day to aclose Captain J. B. Leworthy, amember of the Committee of Manage-ment, moved a vote of thanks to MissClare Francis for addressing the meet-ing and announced that in the Whit-bread Round-the-World Race ADCAccutrac had in fact finished fifth outof the 15 yachts on corrected time. Onbehalf of those present, CaptainLeworthy also thanked the chairman,Major-General Farrant, not only forconducting the day's proceedings butalso for so ably guiding the affairs ofthe Institution during the past year.The resolution of hearty thanks wasadopted with great warmth.

American Journey

by Patrick Howarth

RECENTLY I VISITED the USA in mycapacity as secretary of the Ameri-can/British Lifeboat Appeal Commit-tee. I was able to make my journey atno cost to the appeal through thegenerosity of Transworld Airlines andwas fortunate enough to be on theinaugural flight of their new Lockheed1011 from London to New York.

The purpose of my visit was to helpthe work of the Association for Rescueat Sea (AFRAS), a tax exempt charityregistered in the United States which israising funds to provide a new lifeboatfor the RNLI.

In New York I had a number of dis-cussions with Nicholas L. Ludington,the secretary of AFRAS. I was encour-aged to find that he had succeeded ininteresting a number of leading figuresin the New York business communityin the cause of AFRAS. Among thosewhom I met were Martin Hansen,vice-president of the Chase ManhattanBank; Arthur L. Armitage, principaldirector of Ward Howell AssociatesInc; Jerry Blyde, a former banker nowin the communications industry; andWilliam Tailyour, a Scotsman with aleading position in the paper industry.

In New York the affairs of AFRASsuffered something of a setback in the

early stages because the first sec-retary/treasurer to be appointed wasunable to spare the time to promote thisappeal. It was most gratifying to findthere is now the embryo of an effectiveorganisation in being.

Californian meetingsThrough the good offices of members

of the American/British Appeal Com-mittee in London, in particular BruceMitchell of the Bank of America andPhilip Wilson of Chevron, I was verywell received in San Francisco by lead-ing figures in both these great enter-prises. I also received much help fromthe British Consul-General, Tim Kin-near. Perhaps my most fruitful meetingwas with Frank Elton, the executive-director of the British-AmericanChamber of Commerce in San Francis-co, who agreed to become regionalorganiser for AFRAS in the San Fran-cisco Bay area. He was duly appointedto this post by the president of AFRAS,Admiral Thomas R. Sargent III.

I addressed the San Franciscobranch of the Royal British Legion,which was attended by some 50 or 60people, including an American general.Members of the Legion assured me thatthey would support the cause of

AFRAS. Another keen supporterwhom I met was the director of SkipperTravel Services Ltd, Irving Anshen,who regularly arranges boating holi-days for Americans in Europe. InSouthern California I was fortunate inbeing put in touch by the BritishConsul-General in Los Angeles with aretired RAF group captain, W. M.Tremear, who while serving in CoastalCommand during World War II wasshot down in the sea and rescued. Hewillingly agreed to act as regionalorganiser for AFRAS in SouthernCalifornia.

My discussions with AdmiralSargent, the president of AFRAS, anold friend whom I met at the Interna-tional Lifeboat Conference in NewYork in 1971, included a luncheonarranged by the United States CoastGuard at Long Beach. The principalspeaker was Vice-Admiral Austin C.Wagner, who may also be associatedwith AFRAS. Those interested in sup-porting AFRAS in California may liketo note the following addresses:

Vice-Admiral Thomas R. Sargent, III,USCG (Retd),

1311 San Julian Drive,Lake San Marcos,California 92069 USAFrank Elton,Executive Director,British-American Chamber of

Commerce and Trade Center,68 Post Street,San Francisco,California 94104 USAGroup Captain W. H. Tremear,4244 Jackdaw Street,San Diego 92103 USA

59

ShorelineSection

ONE SUNDAY in July I had the greatpleasure of meeting lifeboatmen fromBlyth, the station on the north eastcoast of England for which the Rotherlifeboat being funded by the Shorelineappeal is destined. Motor MechanicColin Cutherbertson, AssistantMechanic John Scott and Crew Mem-bers George Turner, Tom Moss, DallasTaylor and Les Fay. They had comedown to Dorset to go out with Cox-swain Ron Hardy and some of his crewin Swanage's 37ft 6in Rother J.Reginald Corah. For the Blythlifeboatmen it was their first introduc-tion to the class of lifeboat they will bemanning in the future and after an houror two at sea they came back veryhappy with all they had seen.

* * *

As you know, the future RNLBShoreline is building at WilliamOsbornes of Littlehampton. Now, thesenior boatbuilder working on her, BobSilverson, is leader of the Fifth Little-hampton Sea Scout Troop and so, asyou can imagine, we were delightedfrom every point of view to welcomethis Troop to group Shoreline member-ship a few months ago.

* * *Bristol branch of the Navigator and

General Insurance Company is givingwonderful support to Shoreline. Aswell as keeping membership forms onits reception desk for anyone calling into take (and many people do take them)a Shoreline leaflet is put in with everynew policy sent out to clients. Thisinsurance office also collects its bestused stamps for the RNLI, bringing inabout 1,000 to our Bristol office eachweek. Such positive help is of thegreatest encouragement—thank youNavigator!

* * *Last quarter I handed this page over

to Linda who took you on a conductedtour of Shoreline office. Now, I amgoing to pass over to Peggy who willtell you about her work as correspon-dence clerk in a little moredetail.—PETER HOLNESS, membershipsecretary, RNLI, West Quay Road,Poole, Dorset, BH15 I HZ (Tel. Poole71133).

* * *Dear Shoreline Members,

This is surely how I must start as thisis the way that I have opened the many

Blyth lifeboatmen try out aRother lifeboat at Swan-age: (above, I. to r.) LtAlan Tate, divisionalinspector of lifeboat (NE),Assistant Mechanic JohnScott, Motor MechanicColin Cuthbertson, andCrew Members Les Fay,George Turner, Tom Mossand Dallas Taylor withCoxswain Ron Hardy ofSwanage. (Right) J.Reginald Corah is re-covered after the exercise.

hundreds of letters, in your own namesof course, that it has been my lot, andpleasure, to write to so many of youduring my five years as correspon-dence clerk in the Shoreline member-ship office.

How different it seems, and yet insome ways how very much the same,since those early days when thisscheme was not much more than agleam in someone's eye. The birth ofShoreline itself was in October 1972having come out of the original YLA

Smart, Shorelinecorrespondence clerk.

(Yachtsmens Lifeboat Association) towhich, of course, many of ourpresent-day members belonged.

The difference I mentioned abovewas more connected with the furnish-ings, so to speak, rather than the natureof the scheme itself. I had the good for-tune to join the fund-raising sectionvery soon after the Institution moved

its headquarters from London to Pooleand had settled temporarily into smalland rather makeshift premises on thequay. There it fell to my lot to take on,almost single-handed, the initial recep-tion of new Shoreline members. Suchsimple beginnings they were: eagerlycounting the day's total of people whowere responding so quickly to this newappeal. Then entering their names andnumbers in our first hardbacked mem-bership book, and finally writing byhand all their receipts. I remember nowthe thrill of reaching that milestonewhen we really had enrolled 100 newmembers in a week!

Well, we have come a long way sincethen and although almost all of thehandwritten work has now been trans-ferred to computers we can—praise beit!—not computerise letters yet.

The sameness that has continued tothis day is the quick response to everyfurther appeal, the enthusiastic andgenuine wish to ensure the Institution'swell being by both Shoreline membersand by all those whose names havefound their way into our records.

In 1975 we were able to move intoour new purpose-built premises and tojoin forces with the 'mechanical' sec-tion of Shoreline that had previouslyoperated from Salisbury. Since then,with the computer taking on the record-ing, the numbering, and the issuing ofmembership cards and receipts my

continued on opposite page

60

Building a Rother Class Lifeboat

PART IX: CLOSED CIRCUITS

FIRST A CORRECTION: In part VIII ofthis article an error appeared in the sizegiven for the keel bolts. The ballastkeel of the Rother is in fact fixed with12mm bolts.

The photographs on this page showwork progressing on closed circuitsneeded in a lifeboat to make sure that,come what may, sea water will notpenetrate the hul l or machinery.

Fig. 1 is another view of one of thepropeller tunnels, this time with thestern gear in place: naval brass sleevepiece forward and A bracket aft carry-ing between them the stern tubethrough which will pass the propellershaft. The shafts will need continuouslubrication with very heavy oil, andthis calls for the first closed system.The oil is piped from the after end ofthe engine room, through a hole in theoutboard arm of the A bracket, forwardthrough the stern tube to the forwardbearings and thence back into theengine room. When the propeller isturning the oil circulates naturally;when the time comes to change the oil,it can be pumped round with a handpump.

Fig. 2 is a photograph taken lookingdown into the forward well and throughthe open bulkhead into the forward endbox. Down in the bilges are twin enginewater coolers, one for each of thelifeboat's twin engines; the engines arecooled by fresh water circulating con-

tinuously in an enclosed system, whilethe fresh water in its turn is cooled bysea water. Fresh water coming backhot from the engines circulates throughsmall pipes inside the coolers. Roundthese pipes, within the outer casing,flows an endless supply of cold saltwater; it is taken in forward and expel-led out into the sea again through skinfittings in the hul l , remaining com-pletely isolated on passage and doingits work, as it were, by remote control.

On the sides of the well at the for-ward end, port and starboard, arealuminium vent trunks; evidence of yetanother closed circuit. This time it is aventilation system which will keepwood in sealed compartments of thehull in good heart. Air coming from aft

Fig. 2: Forward well. Notetwin engine coolers fittedinto bilges and alsoaluminium vent trunks atforward end of well sideswhich will route air fromthe wing compartmentsthrough to lower part offorward end box. Benchesrun down each side of wellwith stowage lockersunder; the port forwardlocker will be a watertightstorage for provisions.

through the wing compartments isrouted through these aluminium trunksinto the lower part of the forward endbox. From there, the air is ventedthrough pipes to the upper part of theend box from where it is driven by fansback through pipes to the engine room.

(To be continued)

Fig. I : Stern gear in place in starboardpropeller tunnel.

Shorelinefrom opposite page

time and efforts have been given overalmost entirely to letterwriting. Theremust be many who are reading thisjournal to whom I have had the occa-sion to write, perhaps more than once,and may I say how much pleasure thishas always given me? I feel that I haveacquired a veritable legion of unseenfriends!

There has been, needless to say, ahuge and interesting variety of mem-bership enrolments, so many of whomhave written letters rather than makeformal application. We have had peo-ple in their 80s and 90s wishing for lifemembership, and at the other end ofthe scale are babies who have beenrecorded—for life—by their parents orgrandparents. In between we haveenrolled into various categories shipsand their captains, classes of school-children, clubs, pubs, show-biz folk,companies and their directors, sailorson the high seas—in fact all sorts ofpeople in all walks of life have writtenall kinds of letters, but all with oneclear message coming through, theireagerness to help.

We have our sad moments, too,when very recently bereaved relativeswrite to ask whether they can take overthe membership of the one that theyhave just lost. That they can still thinkof our needs at a time of suffering theirown grief we find most touching. So,indeed, are the letters written in suchshaky handwriting by the aged and gen-tle OAPs who tell us that in spite oftheir increasing difficulty in making thepennies go round they will continue torenew their memberships for as long asthey are able. Then there are the manywho are suffering ill-health or infirmitybut still manage to write us a kind andsympathetic letter and support ourwork in as generous a way as they areable.

All this, then, with the amount ofhuman warmth that emanates fromyour letters makes my job as corres-pondence clerk a heart-warming andsatisfying occupation and I look for-ward to many more years of enjoyingthis pleasure.

While there are still a vast number ofour members to whom we continue towrite personal letters, and always will,many of you will notice that more andmore standard, or printed, letters are

now coming to you. We put off the dayfor as long as we were physically ableto type every one personally, but pureweight of numbers and the ever-risingcosts of manpower have taken over andwe only hope that you will appreciatethat our sentiments are still as genuineeven though it is now only possible to'top and tail' our letters of thanks.

In having been given the privilege ofwriting this article I have, quite under-standably I think, touched upon theparticularly human side of ourShoreline membership scheme, butthen isn't that what a charity like oursis basically all about? For those of youwho hunger for more active news therewill no doubt be plenty to come.

I have written some pretty long let-ters at times but I think this one makesa record! It has been nice writing to youall at once and no doubt many of youwill be hearing from me again at sometime, but in the meantime may Iexpress as always our very best wishesand end with what is surely the fittingconclusion?

Yours sincerely,

fa«o J«

Here and There

FOLLOWING THE RESCUE OH August 12of a student who had fallen over cliffsat Petit Tor, Torbay ambulance divi-sional commander, John Bourne, toldTorbay honorary secretary, CaptainBarry Anderson, how impressed hewas with the way the ILB crew, JohnDew, Brian Gaunter and Tony Smith,had handled the casualty. Handling hadbeen correct in every way, bearing inmind that the student, later in a faircondition in hospital, had a fracturedneck, broken ribs, punctured lung, rup-tured spleen and broken leg.

Instead of floral tributes at theirdeath many people ask that a donationshould be made to the lifeboat service.In April Gateshead ladies' guildreceived £10 in memory of Leslie S.Sims, a former Lloyds surveyor, andhis wife, Mollie. Mrs Janet Hampson,honorary treasurer of St David's ladies'guild from 1970 until her death in Sep-tember 1977, asked for donations tolifeboat funds in lieu of flowers; thatthey amounted to over £600 is a meas-

Mrs Jo Allam, 'the lifeboat lady' ofWeston-super-Mare, has made thelifeboat service her life for the past 27years. Her husband, in the MerchantService, was one of 41 men lost whenss Samtampa was driven ashore onrocks off Sker Point on April 23,1947, the night The Mumbleslifeboat, Edward, Prince of Wales,going to the help of the stricken ship,capsized with the loss of her wholecrew of eight. Soon afterwards JoAllam's son was born (now, like hisfather, in the Merchant Service).When he was four years old Jostarted on her lifeboat work, spend-ing all day selling souvenirs, first inthe lifeboat house on BirnbeckIsland, now, since its building in1975, in the alternative inshorelifeboat house at Anchor Head;showing people over the boathouses;watching over boat and crew (some present crew members she has known since they weresmall boys) and making sure there is always soup and coffee waiting when they return fromservice or exercise; looking after the town collecting boxes. In the summer her attractive stallis open from 9 am to 10.30 pm and is often 'in business' at other times—even on Boxing Day.As well as RNLI souvenirs, Jo sells all kinds of things that she or her friend havemade—woolly hats, dolls, jewellery, needlework—and anything like apples or tomatoes thatshe is given. She herself has made 900 jars of marmalade from oranges brought home on herson's ship. Since the move to the ILB house more than £18,000 has been raised, over £8,000 in1977, and that total is rising every day . . .

photograph by courtesy of Nick White

ure of the affection in which she washeld. The coffin of S. A. Maslin, aShoreline member of Barry who died inJanuary, bore only one wreath, in theshape of an anchor, while £90 was

Peter Fulton, RNLI honorary inspector(communications) has devised aradiotelephone training unit that can bestowed and carried in a suitcase. Two havebeen assembled and each Mobile TrainingUnit is equipped with one. Now, when atraining inspector wishes to visit a remotestation, he can take the suitcase when itwould be expensive, even impossible, totake the caravan. There are facilities foreight students, each having a control unit,fist microphone and headphones, as well asa master control unit for the instructor.

given to the RNLI. Mrs Carol Macfar-lane was instrumental in startinglifeboat day collections in RaynersLane in 1963 and at her wish and that ofher husband, Ronald Macfarlane,donations in her memory were given tolifeboats through the branch; theyamounted to £171.50.

A very good friend to Tynemouthstation branch, Billy Burlison, thevice-chairman, died in March; as wellas involving himself in the crew's wel-fare and in fund raising, he found that,being an undertaker, he was able tosuggest to bereaved people seekingguidance because they wanted to makea more permanent tribute thanflowers, that gifts should be made tothe lifeboat service.

Four presentations were made at Newton Road Civil ServiceClub, Leeds, on July 13: (I. to r.) to George Long, the thanksof the Institution for his services on the flag day committee;to L. Bellhouse, a plaque for raising over £1,000 with acabaret evening; Robert Ibberson, chairman of Leedsbranch; to Geoff Licence, a silver badge for long service asbranch honorary treasurer; Ken Thirlwell, district organisingsecretary (NE); and to Peter Hey, chairman of the PostOffice Sailing Club which raised £1,155 in 1977 with a spon-sored sail in Leeds, a plaque.

The Rotary Club of Shetland presents a cheque for £1,000 towardsLerwick lifeboat appeal. (I. to r.) William Reid, Lerwick honorarytreasurer, Coxswain George Leith, W. Moncrieff, Rotary president,Second Coxswain Peter Leith and Magnus Shearer, station honorarysecretary.

photograph by courtesy of Dennis Coutts

62

Some

Medieval jousting was just one of the displays in 'Fix a Day Out' on Saturday July 8 at SuttonPlace, Guildford. Jimmy Savile was there and the proceeds of the day, £1,200, were sharedequally between the Royal Marines and the RNLI. The event was organised by SydneyGillingham, ADOS South East, together with Chris Goode for the Royal Marines, andbranches throughout the South East district took part.

photograph by courtesy of 'Surrey Advertiser'

To organise a massive cheese andwine evening with more than 200 guestsis no mean achievement when you areover eighty, confined to a wheel-chairand reliant on the telephone for makingall arrangements. Nevertheless, theirrepressible Mrs Hamley-Rowan,already awarded an honorary lifegovernorship of the Institution for heryears of service, has succeeded in rais-ing £250 for her East Sheen branch byrunning such an event this July. Inaddition to the cheese and wine party,her lifeboat day collection in March

also belied her supposed handicaps bysurpassing all records and reaching£790.

Kidderminster guild organised apunch and pate party where guestswere able to sample over 40 differentpates, all made by guild committeemembers. Over £200 was raised.

The Mayor of Winchester,Councillor D. Ball, beinghelped into oilskins readyto take his part in the localflag day. Over £1,000 wasraised, an all time recordfor Winchester branch.

photograph by courtesy of'Hampshire Chronicle'

A 'schools at sea' exhibitionorganised by the Chippenham branchin March turned out to be a great suc-cess. Seven primary schools exhibitedRNLI-orientated paintings, models,writing and poetry. A 'rescue at sea'was organised by two schools with alandrover ingeniously converted into alifeboat! During that evening an RNLI

One thousand pairs of odd sized shoes raised about £2,000 for theWolverhampton branch. A local shoe dealer very kindly donated2,000 new, but odd sized shoes. The branch made up 1,000 pairs ofshoes within a size of each other. Prices ranged from 50p to £6, buton average the shoes sold at about £2 a pair.

photograph by courtesy of 'Wolverhampton Express and Star'

Pennies may not rain from heaven but pound notes floated downjust outside Filey, with a little help from a helicopter from 665 ArmyHelicopter Squadron from Topcliffe, North Yorkshire. Staff at theTopcliffe base had done a 44-mile sponsored walk over the moorsand the amount raised, £83, was shared equally between Filey andScarborough branches. The picture shows (I. to r.) George Exley,secretary Scarborough branch, Sgt David Borrows, Sgt Joe Harris,Staff Sgt Mick Sharpe and David Liversidge, secretary Fileybranch.

photograph by courtesy of Scarborough and District Newspapers

63

Over 800 Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts took over Great Yarmouth beach in April in thebiggest sponsored walk the town has known. The aim? to help raise the money for four ILBswhich Yarmouth and District Round Table plan to give the RNLI.

photograph by courtesy of Great Yarmouth Press Agency

film was shown after which Sir AlecRose talked about his voyage aroundthe world. Among the other organisa-tions taking part were the St JohnAmbulance Brigade and ChepstowAuxiliary Coastguards. RAF Lynehamlent a 26-man liferaft and Pains WessexSchermuly donated rockets and smokeflares. In all over £420 was raised.

After seeing a Uptons' foreign coinappeal leaflet, Robert Pink, chiefofficer on the Shell tanker Donovania,put a collecting box in the ship's bar sothat officers and crew could donatetheir surplus foreign coins. In all £50was collected. In addition, Mr Pink hasissued a challenge to other ships in thefleet, to see if any of them can top thisamount. If the challenge is accepted, itwill be a considerable boost to RNLIfunds.

By re-cycling old horse shoes fromhis son's forge and offcuts of marineplywood from William Osborne's yardat Littlehampton, Mr Jefford of Arun-del has found an effective way of rais-ing money. The plywood is cut andfastened to the shoes, then painted withthe RNLI flag and the inscription'Littlehampton ILB—Blue Peter I. MrJefford has already raised £18.

A splendid cake, donated by SunblestBakeries, was first prize in a raffle at Ains-dale branch's tenth anniversary dance, anevent which raised £440.

John Bitckland, an assistant mechanic fromEastbourne station, has raised £485 towardsthe cost of Eastbourne's new lifeboat bymeans of a sponsored walk. John, seen herewith Coxswain Joe Martin of Hastings (r.)walked from Eastbourne to Hastings lastApril.

Mrs M. Donald, amember of The Mumblesladies' guild, presents acheque for £5,000 to MrsP. Morgan, president ofthe guild. This mostgenerous cheque hadbeen given to MrsDonald with instructionsthat it should be given toher favourite charity.

In the autumn of 1977, the ladies ofthree villages in North Yorkshireformed the Wensleydale ladies' guild.Since then the guild has raised £398from coffee evenings, their house-to-house collection and flag day. Inanticipation of a big event planned forthis autumn, ladies of the guild meetregularly to sew articles which will besold.

Although too young to help on flagday, Enfield Girl Guides and Brownieswere able to donate £68.94 to Enfieldbranch's lifeboat week fund, for thiswas the amount raised in their StGeorge's Day church service collec-tion. Another £1,140 was contributedto Enfield by Southgate branch of theRound Table.

Teesmouth guild organised a fashionshow, staged at the Dragonara Hotel,Middlesbrough, in March. There wasalso a hair styling demonstration and aperfume counter. In total the eventraised £433. Another fashion show, thistime held in May, was organised byReading branch. Grand WesternMotors kindly provided the venue andby the end of the display £ 115 has beenraised.

A ball, held by the Mayor of SurreyHeath, who is also Camberley branch'spresident, realised over £500 for theRNLI. Unfortunately the mayor wasunable to be present but the deputymayor presided and the 174 guests,including Major-General Ralph Far-rant, chairman of the Institution,enjoyed their evening very much.

Two shaves have raised over £100for the RNLI. The first took place inMay when Mike Newman, landlord ofthe White Hart, Bristol, shaved off halfhis moustache. His sponsors raised£55. And a 22-year-old beard grown byNorman Stringer, landlord of the BlackPrince, Princes Risborough, wasshaved off in aid of Swanage lifeboat,raising over £90.

Clare Gill, a nurse at Kilronan, andthe local Garda sergeant, P. Connolly,organised a sponsored walk whichraised £153 when a number of walkersturned out in spite of a strong gale andheavy rain.

64

With great glee and satisfaction three younglads and their fathers knock down a pile ofcoins worth £126 which had been amassedby the senior ratings of HM SubmarineCourageous for Sheerness lifeboat. Doing agrand job of demolition are CoxswainCharles Bowry (r.) and his son Charles Jnr,and Crew Member John Pairman and histhree-year-old twin sons Paul and Philip.

No one can say that the Palm Lineshipping group is not doing its bit tohelp the lifeboats. A collecting box hasbeen placed in their conference roomalong with a list of suggested fines.Fineable offences include: late arrivalfor meetings, lOp; untidy dress, lOp;absence of stationery, pens or pencils,5p; smoking without permission, 20p.Collecting boxes have also been put inall ships in the Palm Line fleet and attheir head office. One contribution for£117 was a credit for a quantity of sub-standard beer carried on board KatsinaPalm on one of her voyages.

Surbiton branch has increased itsprofits from £222, when it was formedten years ago, to £3,133 last year. Aswell as its flag day the branch organiseda wine tasting evening, dances, whistdrives and a riverboat evening.

The Carnmarch Hotel, Newquay,recently collected £20 in six weeks inthe lifeboat box in the bar, by display-ing above the box the following letters'YCWCYFPFTLB' which being translatedmeans 'your curiosity will cost you fivepence for the lifeboat'!

Dungeness lifeboat has been adoptedby the 3rd Hither Green Brownies ofCatford and in the last two years the 24girls have raised £193.73.

Errors made by members of PooleModel Yacht Club raised over £11 forthe RNL1. During their annual regatta,competition was sharpened by impos-ing cash penalties for any infringementsof rules during racing. At the end of theregatta an RNLI pennant was pre-sented to Brian Ashell who had contri-buted the least.

Three iifeboatmen', II. tor.) Muriel Winfield, DorisSmith and Barbara Fitz-gerald, from Kidlingtonbranch, perform ' TheLifeboat Song' during thebranch's Old Tyme MusicHall held last April. Thelyrics were written bybranch member ConnieSailer to music from 'HMSPinafore'. The evening, agreat success, raised £400.

A sponsored silence,organised by Skegnessladies' guild, was under-taken by 72 local childrenand raised £534. The firstthree prize winners,Michelle Hilton, EmmaRuston and Wendy Balder-son, between them raised£68. They were presentedwith their prizes on boardSkegness lifeboat by Cox-swain Ken Holland.photograph by courtesy of

Wrates Studios

Girls and boys from Con-nah's Quay held a spon-sored swim and raised£154.32. A cheque for thisamount was presented toMrs E. L. Coppack, sec-retary of the Connah'sQuay branch, at the poolside.photograph by courtesy of

Frederick B. Scott

A sponsored marathon dinghy race, originally due to last for 24 hours, was cut to 12 hours byhigh winds. The distance covered by entrants in the race, which was organised by WybostonSailing Club, ranged from 30 to 40 miles. More than £2,000 was raised.

photograph by courtesy of Wren Studios

65

REVIEWS• Grahame Farr's The TubularLifeboats 1850-1939 is in many ways themost interesting of his papers onlifeboat history. It is available from theauthor at 98 Combe Avenue, Portis-head, Bristol BS20 9JX, price 60pincluding posting and packing.

The first record of a proposal for atubular lifeboat goes back to 1813,when Thomas Boyce was awarded asilver medal and ten guineas by theSociety of Arts for a model of a smalllifeboat containing two wood framedcylinders. However it is with the arri-val on the scene of two somewhateccentric figures named Richardsonthat Mr Farr's narrative becomes reallyengrossing.

Henry and Henry Thomas Richard-son were father and son and both wereArmy officers. Their interest in anddedication to tubular lifeboats isdescribed as 'single minded to the pointof fanaticism'.

The first tubular lifeboat theRichardsons built was named Chal-lenger. The Richardsons carried outtrials with her off the north-west coastof England, and when approachingLytham in foggy conditions theydecided to address the crowd on theshore in French and then fire a brassswivel gun. This promptly dispersedthe crowd who believed a French lug-ger was approaching. Later theRichardsons disguised themselves withmasks resembling boars' andcrocodiles' heads.

In spite of their eccentricities theywere extremely successful propagan-dists for tubular lifeboats in NorthWales and the Liverpool area. Chal-lenger went into service, not in Britainbut in Oporto, but of the other tubularlifeboats four were stationed at NewBrighton, three at Rhyl, one at Liver-pool and one at Pwllheli.

A disaster occurred to one of theMersey Docks and Harbour Board'stubular boats in 1875, when the lifeboatcapsized after taking off the crew of theAmerican ship Ellen Southerd.Another tubular lifeboat succeeded insaving the lives of 19 people and follow-ing the subsequent enquiry Capt H. T.Richardson pointed out strenuouslythat the Harbour Board's boat was ill-designed because it had not been builtin accordance with the patent which heand his father had taken out.

Capt Richardson died in 1887 and leftthe RNLI £10,000 to pay for two moretubular lifeboats. One of these was sub-jected to trials off Lowestoft in competi-tion with three other types of lifeboat.The adjudicators awarded 188 points toa Watson lifeboat, 150 to a self-rightinglifeboat, 127 to a Norfolk and Suffolkboat and only 105 to the tubular boat.Yet in spite of its limitations a tubularlifeboat remained in service at Rhyl aslate as 1939.

Once more Mr Farr has put alllifeboat historians into his debt, and itis perhaps a pity that his excellentseries of lifeboat papers is produced somodestly. At one point in this newpaper, in a reference to the competitionheld for the best model of a lifeboat in1851, Mr Farr mentions a 'HenryBeeching'. Is it possible that for onceMr Farr has nodded and he is in factwriting about James Beeching, thewinner of the competition?—P.M.

• William Whiting, master of the'quiristers' of Winchester College for36 years in the nineteenth century, wasthe author of 'Eternal Father, strong tosave', the hymn so well loved by sea-faring people which is sung at alllifeboat services of dedication; it washis contribution to the first edition ofHymns Ancient and Modern publishedin 1860.

In this centenary of his death, a biog-raphy, William Whiting, has been writ-ten by Patricia Hooper and publishedby Paul Cave Publications Ltd, 13 Port-land Street, Southampton, price £3,postage and packing 30p. It is the resultof extensive research and, in additionto the story of the Whiting family itself,the history of the Quirister School istaken right back to the founding ofWinchester College in the fourteenthcentury.—J.D.

• Food with a Flair is the latest cookbook compiled for the benefit of thelifeboat service. Barbara Wentworthhas collected more than 100 recipesfrom members of the Central LondonCommittee and their friends—anddelicious they sound, too: Serbian fishcasserole, for instance, or Elizabethanlamb, white turnip pudding orgooseberry and geranium ice. Thebooklet starts with notes on metricequivalents and comparative oven

thermostats and ends with tips oncatering for offshore sailing contributedby Cherry Jackson. All profits go to theRNLI and the price is £1 includingpostage and packing; for branches andguilds ordering in bulk the price is 75pper copy. Available from the RNLILondon office, 21 Ebury Street, Lon-don SW1 OLD.—J.D.

• Every now and again an outstand-ing book appears which is clearlydestined to become one of the classicsin the library of the sea. Such is PowerYachts by Rosemary and Colin Mudie(Adlard Coles, £15). Both Rosemaryand Colin are seamen through andthrough, being equally at home undersail or power, in dinghy or offshoreyacht, cruising or racing. That the seaand boats are a joy to them is soonplain to the reader.

Since 1958 Colin and Rosemary havebeen partners in their own yacht designbusiness, specialising in fast power andsailing vessels up to about 100ft LOA;the sail training shipRoyalist is just oneof the many and varied designs whichhas come from their board. Colin is afellow of the Royal Institution of NavalArchitects and joint chairman of itsSmall Craft Group; he is also a fellowof the Royal Institute of Navigation aswell as a past president of the YachtBrokers, Designers and SurveyorsAssociation, and he has recentlybecome a member of the RNLI Tech-nical Consultative Committee. Bothare active members of Lymington ILBstation branch, Rosemary is publicrelations officer and Colin is a deputylaunching authority.

Described as a detailed discussion,Power Yachts opens with chapters onthe way of a ship in the sea and theseamanship of power yachts, and goeson to talk about methods of construc-tion old and new and all aspects ofmodern power boat design. Profes-sional knowledge and practical com-mon sense overflow into wisdom andthe whole is lightened by the goodcheer and wit of the authors making abook which will be of great interest tothe knowledgeable and an invaluableintroduction to the newcomer. Illustra-tion is exceptionally good, with large,clear diagrams and imaginative photo-graphs, and the whole appearance ispleasing. No wonder the book has beennominated one of the top examples ofBritish book design and production of1978.—J.D.

• 'At noon on Saturday, 27 August 1977,fifteen fine ocean yachts set out from Eng-land for a 27,000 miles race around theworld, via Cape Horn. Between them theyflew the national flags of Britain, France,Holland, Italy and Switzerland, besides thatof the European Economic Community;they were crewed by 158 men and 10women, including those from USA,Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany,Belgium and Luxembourg as well as thecountries under whose flags the yachtsraced.'

Thus begins Cape Horn to Port

66

(Nautical Publishing Co., £6.50), theofficial account of the 1977/78 Whit-bread Round-the-World Race writtenby Erroll Bruce with the help of othermembers of the main committee. Onsuch a race, during which gale andstorm would be welcomed by well-found yachts hoisting every stitch ofsail they could effectively carry, eachof the experienced crews knew thatthey would have to be self sufficient;the course would lead them well awayfrom shipping lanes into such inhospit-able waters as the notorious RoaringForties and even down into the ice-strewn seas below 50° south. Require-ments for safety equipment (includingdouble-bottomed liferafts to combat

the freezing cold of the SouthernOcean) were laid down by the raceregulations and all yachts were subjectto scrutiny at each port of departure.Moreover, each crew had its own sur-vival routines worked out. Close radiocontact was maintained throughout thefleet, with each boat ready to go to thehelp of another should the need arise.

Cape Horn to Port, written as it is bya distinguished ocean racing skipperand a former member of Longhopelifeboat crew, is a well told and wellillustrated record of the race; a recordto which many more detailed storiesfrom the crew members themselveswill no doubt be added later. In theappendices can be found details of the

yachts and crews together with fullresults and technical comment.

The last leg ended in strong gales andstorms and, as the author comments,when a westerly gale is blowing againsta strong ebb tide in the English Chan-nel, the seas become much steeper thanin an open ocean gale of the samestrength.

The exploits and achievements of thevarious yachts were astounding, butone of the over-riding impressions leftby this book is the strong bond whichwas forged between all those who tookpart in the great adventure. Each crewcompeted with all its might, but deepfriendship and concern extended to thewhole fleet.—J.D.

Letters...Twin pedal power

For Northfleet Carnival I built alifeboat round my bicycle and here is aphotograph of 'yours truly' at the helm(or should I say handlebars?) whilepedalling along in the carnival on July1. We had a collection while we wentalong which realised £15.25, plus manyfunny comments. 'Hello sailor', wasmy favourite. Several little boys ranalongside singing out, 'Mister, what'smaking you go along?' At one pointwhen the procession stopped for ashort break I stood astride the crossbarand, while talking to my two helpers,rocked the lifeboat from side to side.That was when a man came up and jok-ingly asked me to keep the lifeboat stillas I was making him feel seasick!

It took me about 16 days to build thelifeboat, which is 10ft LOA with a 4ftbeam. I bolted two iron bars to mybicycle frame and then built a woodenframe to which I tacked cardboardboxes. I also used cardboard to makethe cabin, lights and sampson post. Formasts and handrails I used dowel. Thesignal flags are all hand painted, usingmatt oil paints, the bow fender I madeout of hemp rope.

To 'launch' my boat for trials I had toremove part of my neighbour's fenceand go through her garden! She was so

delighted with the lifeboat that shecame down and placed a 50p piece onthe deck. Her father had been pickedup three times by lifeboat in the secondworld war.

Being a deckhand with the Alex-andra Towing Co of London, I alwayshad an interest in the lifeboat service,but three things made me want to domore for lifeboats. The first was in 1968when I was in the crew of one of ourtugs, MT Ionia, stationed at Harwich.We went to the aid of a small Germancoaster, MV Hermar, aground on theShipwash Sands. We left Harwich at2043 and returned with Hermar in towat 0430 the next morning. This job wasdone in dense fog, and all the timeHarwich lifeboat, the 44ft WaveneyMargaret Graham, assisted us andstood by. I thought it was very good ofthose lads in the crew of MargaretGraham, as after all they could havebeen at home in comfort.

Then there were the two lifeboat dis-asters in 1969 and 1970, at Longhopeand Fraserburgh. I joined Gravesendbranch in 1971 and the LifeboatEnthusiasts Society in 1972.—PETER H.w. BOYD, box secretary, Gravesendbranch, II Gatwick Road, Gravesend,Kent.

Peter Boyd pedals hisbicycle lifeboat 'RNLBGatwick Road' along inNorthfleet Carnival.photograph by courtesy of

'Gravesend and DartfordReporter'

Lerwick lifeboatBeing an ex-Shetlander I was very

interested in the news that a newlifeboat would soon be stationed inLerwick. My uncle, the late G. T. Kay,was Lerwick's first honorary secretaryaway back many years when he himselfowned a famous Lerwick yacht calledSold/an. I have made many trips roundthe Shetland Isles in this boat whichwas so seaworthy she might have beenalmost as unsinkable as the new Sol-dian! I am sure my uncle, and indeedhis brother my father, would have beenhonoured to know that the name Sol-dian has been chosen for Lerwick'snew 52ft Arun lifeboat.

As a youngster away back in the '20sand '30s I was always interested inLerwick lifeboat. She used to liemoored to a buoy just off the south endof the harbour and never far away frommy uncle's Soldian. In fact, these twoboats were usually the first to be pas-sed by the mail steamers as they camein from Aberdeen.—JAMES R. KAY, 9 StLuke's Avenue, Maidstone, Kent.

'The Miracle of Dunkirk'I am completing a book about Dunk-

irk and would like very much to get intouch with anyone who participated inthose stirring days. If any of your read-ers can help, I would greatly appreciatehearing from them.—WALTER LORD,do Penguin Books Ltd, 17 GrosvenorGardens, London SWI.

Lifeboats at model regattaI was most interested to read the let-

ter from Des Newton in the summerjournal referring to the increasinginterest by modellers in lifeboats. I feelthat Mr Newton's ideas for raisingfunds, while good, could perhaps betaken a stage further, the eventualresult of which to be a contributiontowards the cost of a new lifeboat.

At present there is a thriving model-ling fraternity covering many clubs,with supporting retail trade and period-icals. With all this enthusiasm I am surethat a modellers' lifeboat scheme couldhave results.—R. s. BECK, PRO, RosythCivil Service Model Ship Club, 46 Hud-son Road, Rosyth, Dunfermline, Fife.

67

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Lifeboat Servicesfrom page 48

speed into a rough sea. She arrivedalongside the casualty, the convertedmotor fishing vessel Kathmar with acrew of three aboard, at 1350. Kathmarhad been on passage from the Tyne toLondonderry when her engine hadbroken down. A line was passed andsecured and the lifeboat began the towthrough the heavy swell back to Mon-trose. Once the tow rope broke but itwas replaced and the tow continued. At1515 the lifeboat and her tow enteredMontrose dock where Kathmar wasleft for repairs.

The lifeboat returned to her moor-ings at 1620 where she refuelled andagain made ready for service.

Scotland South Division

EscortEYEMOUTH DEPUTY L A U N C H I N G AUTH-ORITY was informed by HM Coastguardat 1608 on Tuesday February 14 that anumber of fishing boats were about toattempt to enter harbour and, as seaconditions in Eyemouth Roadsteadwere very dangerous, the lifeboat wasrequested to stand by. The maroonswere fired at 1613 and seven minuteslater Eyemouth's 44ft Waveneylifeboat Eric Seal (Civil Service No. 36)slipped her moorings and set out intothe rough sea.

It was cloudy with visibility at twomiles, a moderate breeze, force 4, wasblowing from the north north east andthe tide was flooding when the lifeboatarrived in the roadstead. She escortedeach boat in turn into harbour and by1740 13 boats had returned. She thenlearned from the Coastguard thatanother two boats were due at 1815 andthe coxswain decided to stay at sea andwait for them. At 1820 the two boatsarrived in the roadstead and as it wasnow dark the lifeboat fired parachuteflares to enable a better watch to bekept on the sea. Both boats wereescorted to safety after which thelifeboat returned to her mooringswhere she was refuelled and againmade ready for service at 1835.

Scotland North Division

On fireTHE FISHING VESSEL Glen RilUU'S OfBuckie, on fire off Burghead with acrew of three aboard, was reported tothe honorary secretary of Buckielifeboat station by HM Coastguard at2000 on Thursday April 13.

A moderate to fresh north-westerlybreeze was blowing and visibility was

poor when at 2015, the reserve 52ftlifeboat Ramsay Dyce, on temporaryduty at Buckie, slipped her mooringsand set out at full speed into a moderatesea. It was later learned that the fireaboard the casualty had been exting-uished but that she had restrictedmanoeuverability.

Ramsay Dyce continued on courseand came up with the casualty at 2130.She stood by and escorted Glen Rinnesto Buckie Harbour, arriving at 2245,after which she returned to hermoorings.

Services by OffshoreLifeboats, March, Apriland May, 1978Aberdeen, AberdeenshireMarch 16 and 19Aldeburgh, SuffolkMay 7Amble, NorthumberlandMay 7Anstruther, FifeMay 18Arbroath, AngusMarch 18Arklow, Co. WicklowApril 7Baltimore, Co. CorkMay 30Barry Dock, South GlamorganMarch 20 (twice), 28, April 23 and May 21Bridlington, HumbersideMarch 1Buckie, BanffshireApril 13Calshot, HampshireMay 1 , 7 and 27Clogher Head, Co. LouthApril IClovelly, North DevonApril 6, 7, 15, May 18 and 25Dover, KentMarch 6, 11, April 13, May 7, 20 and 29Dungeness, KentMarch 6 and May 9Dunmore East, Co. WaterfordMarch 15, 27 (twice) and May 11 (twice)Eastbourne, East SussexApril 14 and May 17Exmouth, South DevonMay 24Falmouth, CornwallMarch 1, 5 and April 20Filey, North YorkshireMarch 30 and April 14Fishguard, DyfedApril 29 and May 28Flamborough, HumbersideApril 9, 10, 14 and May 21Fleet wood, LancashireMay 5 (twice) and 28Galway Bay, Co. GalwayMay 9Girvan, AyrshireMarch 25Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, NorfolkMarch 31, April 6, 23, 30, May 2, 4 and 6Hartlepool, ClevelandMay 4Harwich, EssexMarch 11, 29 and May 3Hastings, East SussexMay 5 and 18

Holyhead, GwyneddMay 11Howth, Co. DublinApril 16 and 22Humber, HumbersideMarch 9, 11, 17, 26, April 1, 2 (twice), 15,16, 23, 24, May 7, 8, 14, 24 and 30Islay, ArgyllshireMarch 2Kirkwall, OrkneyApril 5, May 7 and 21Lerwick, ShetlandMarch 1The Lizard-Cadgwith, CornwallMarch 10, 25, April 11, 12 and May 31Llandudno, GwyneddMarch 23Longhope, OrkneyMay 18Lowestoft, SuffolkMarch 7, 10 and 11Mallaig, Inverness-shireMarch 31Margate, KentApril 23Montrose, AngusMarch 24 and 28The Mumbles, West GlamorganApril 10Newbiggin, NorthumberlandApril 16Newhaven, East SussexMarch 15, 20 and 26North Sunderland, NorthumberlandMarch 25Padstow, CornwallMay 27Penlee, CornwallMarch 6, 10, 25, April 24, May 4 and 11Plymouth, South DevonMarch?, 31, May 6 and 23Poole, DorsetMarch 13, April 8 and 22Port Erin, Isle of ManMarch 28, May 5 and 21Porthdinllaen, GwyneddApril 16 and May 31Portpatrick, WigtownshireMarch 4 and 26Port St Mary, Isle of ManApril 9Ramsey, Isle of ManMarch 25Ramsgate, KentMarch 28 and April 24Redcar, ClevelandMarch 23Rhyl, ClwydMarch 23 and May 2St David's, DyfedMarch 11St Helier, JerseyMarch 11, April 6, 23 and May 12St Ives, CornwallMarch 1, 19, May 17 and 28St Mary's, Isles of ScillyMay 30St Peter Port, GuernseyMarch 11, 22, April 14 (twice) and 16Scarborough, North YorkshireApril 11 and 27Seaham, Co. DurhamMarch 12Selsey, West SussexMarch 1, 4 and May 14Sennen Cove, CornwallMarch 10 and April 18Sheerness, KentMarch 15, 26 and May 28Sheringham, NorfolkMarch 28Shoreham Harbour, West SussexMarch 5, April 2 and 3Sunderland, Tyne and WearMarch 12

69

Swanage, DorsetApril 6, May 15,21 and 25Teesmouth, ClevelandApril 9Thurso, CaithnessMarch?, April 12, 15 and 27Torbay, South DevonMarch 28 and April 8Valentia, Co. KerryApril 24Walmer, KentMarch 10, April 8, 30 and May 28 (twice)Walton and Frinton, EssexMarch 20 and May 29Weymouth, DorsetApril 18 and May 22Whitby, North YorkshireMarch 20, April 10 and May 25Wick, CaithnessApril 7Workington, CumbriaMay 13Yarmouth, Isle of WightApril 28, May 20 and 30Youghal, Co. CorkMay 15ON 1056 on trialsApril 21

Services by InshoreLifeboats, March, Apriland May, 1978Aberdovey, GwyneddMarch 27, April 23, 30 and May 23Abersoch, GwyneddApril 9, May 25 and 31Aberystwyth, DyfedMay 2Appledore, North DevonMarch 5Arbroath, AngusMarch 18, May 28 and 29Arran (Lamlash) ButeshireMay 28Atlantic College, South GlamorganApril 10, May 6 and 20Bangor, Co. DownMay 31Barmouth, GwyneddMay 1Barrow, CumbriaMarch 26Beaumaris, GwyneddMarch 13Bembridge, Isle of WightMay 7Berth, DyfedMay 20 and 28Bridlington, HumbersideApril 10, 29, May 11, 28 and 31Brighton, East SussexMay 16Broughty Ferry, AngusMarch 26

Bude, CornwallMay 7, 23 and 28Burry Port, DyfedMarch 29Conwy, GwyneddMarch 12 and April 23Craster, NorthumberlandMarch 27 and May 16Cullercoats, Tyne and WearMarch 26Eastbourne, East SussexMarch 25, April 23 and May 28 (twice)Eastney, Hampshire (B.530)May 7, 10, 14,21 and 29Eastney, Hampshire (D.I84)April 2, 29 and May 29Exmouth, South DevonApril 30Filey, North YorkshireMay 27Fleetwood, LancashireApril 6, May 27 and 28Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, NorfolkMarch 10,21, April 3, 22, 24, May 6, 7, 16,21 and 28Hartlepool, ClevelandApril 30, May 17 and 19Harwich, EssexMarch 25, 29, 30, April 16 and May 1Hastings, East SussexApril 3, May 13, 16 and 18Hayling Island, HampshireMarch 11, 12 and AprilsHelensburgh, DunbartonshireMarch 12, 13, April 30, May 7 (twice), 8and 28Holyhead, GwyneddMarch 25 and April 15Horton and Port Eynon, West GlamorganMay 14Howth, Co. DublinApril 13, 16, May 9, 15 (twice) and 14Humber Mouth (Cleethorpes), HumbersideApril 2 and May 31Kinghorn, FifeApril 25 and May 19Largs, AyrshireMarch 27, May 1, 7 and 19Littlehampton, West SussexApril 16, May 14, 28 and 31Llandudno, GwyneddMarch 19, April 23, May 29 and 31Lyme Regis, DorsetMarch 7, April 23, May 14 and 28Margate, KentMarch 25 and May 21Minehead, SomersetMarch 10, April 16 and May 8Morecambe, LancashireMarch 1, 29, April 9, May 27 and 28The Mumbles, West GlamorganApril 10New Brighton, MerseysideMay 21 (twice)Newquay, CornwallMay 29North Berwick, East LothianApril 23North Sunderland, NorthumberlandMarch 25

Oban, ArgyllshireApril 9 and 28Peel, Isle of ManApril 30Plymouth, South DevonApril 4 and 21Poole, DorsetMarch 3, April 8, 23, May 21 (twice)Porthcawl, Mid GlamorganApril?, 10, 11 and 15Port Isaac, CornwallApril 9, May 27 (twice) and 30Port St Mary, Isle of ManMarch 22 and May 23Port Talbot, West GlamorganMay 7 and 18Pwllheli, GwyneddMay 1Queensferry, West LothianMarch 6 and May 23Ramsgate, KentMay 17, 28 and 30Red Bay, Co. AntrimMay 24Redcar, ClevelandMay 26Rhyl, ClwydApril 15, 29 and May 29 (twice)Rye Harbour, East SussexApril 20, May 1,22, 26 and 28St Abbs, BerwickshireMay 21St Ives, CornwallMarch 27, May 14, 17 and 28 (twice)Selsey, West SussexMay 5 and 14Shoreham Harbour, West SussexApril 3, May 14, 27 and 29Silloth, CumbriaMay 4 and 29Southend-on-Sea, Essex (D.236)April 22 and 28Southend-on-Sea, Essex (B.527)March 18, 19, April 11, 23, 26 and 28Southend-on-Sea, Essex (B.541 reserve)May 9, 26 and 28Stonehaven, KincardineshireMarch 26, April 23 and May 16Sunderland, Tyne and WearMarch 26Torbay, South DevonApril 17 and 23Tramore, Co. WaterfordMarch 23, April 6 and May 10Tynemouth, Tyne and WearApril 18Walmer, KentMarch 31 (twice), April 7, 30 (three times)and May 28Wells, NorfolkMay 1West Kirby, MerseysideMarch 23West Mersea, EssexApril 5 (twice), 16, May 1 and 24Weston-super-Mare, Avon (D.170)May 7Whitstable, KentMarch 15, 19 and 27Yarmouth, Isle of WightMarch 25

SERVICES AND LIVES SAVED BY OFFSHORE AND INSHORE LIFEBOATSJanuary 1, 1978 to July 31, 1978: Services 1,203; lives saved 473

THE STATION FLEET(as at 31/7/78)125 inshore lifeboats operating in the summer50 inshore lifeboats operating in the winter

LIVES RESCUED 103,736

from the Institution's foundation in 1824 to July 31, 1978

134 offshore lifeboats

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Index to advertisersBirds Eye Foods Limited Inside Back CoverCogswell & Harrison Limited 71Evett Sailwear Limited 68Functional Clothing Inside Front CoverDavid Jolly (Tiller Master) 72Manuscript Limited Back CoverMaritime Book Society (Readers Union) 38Mermaid Marine Engines Limited 71Neco Marine Limited 71Peeks of Bournemouth 72RNLI Kensington Branch 68Varley Dry Accumulators Limited 68V. Webster 72C. P. Witter Limited 72

TEDDY BEARS PICNICWhen your organisation holds its next fund raising effort at acarnival, fete, donkey derby, boat show or similar activity youcan make an additional £200 in a few hours by running aTeddy Bears Picnic. No financial risk as all stock is supplied atwholesale price on full sale or return, nothing to pay until afterthe event, then you pay for what you use, return the balance.Send for full details giving Club/Guild name and status to:

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Classified AdvertisementsAll Classifieds are subject to pre-payment at20p per word, minimum ten words.

ACCOMMODATIONBLACKPOOL. Don't stay at home cook-ing! Enjoy your Christmas this year withWilf and Tina Briggs at the 'Homestead', 57Dean Street. Plenty of good food; fullChristmas fare, house parties, etc. Highlyrecommended. 4 days min £38. A few vac-ancies still for October illuminations. Fordetails write or phone Briggs 0253 42436(Lifeboat Mechanic).BRIXHAM, Torbay. Beside outer harbour,overlooking Torbay Lifeboat, comfortablyfurnished self-catering Holiday Apartments,each with lounge/diner, television, fridgeand modern electric facilities for 2-6 persons(children over 8 years). Resident proprietorsassociated with Torbay Lifeboat. Stampplease for brochure: G. A. Smith, "HarbourLights", 69 Berry Head Road, Brixham.Telephone: 4816.

PAINTINGSLIFEBOAT OIL PAINTINGS £45, postpaid. Sae to Lee, 9 Esplanade, Weymouth,Dorset.

COLLECTIONSCollector would like to purchase awards,medals, old station histories—anything oldand interesting about the RNLI. Cloke, 25Gabriel's Hill, Maidstone, Kent.

TROPHIESRACE SETS—MAINSAILS—DINGHIES—CUPS. W. & E. Astin, 7 Westerly Lane,Shelley, Huddersfield. Kirkburton 2368.

FUND RAISINGAdvertising pencils, superb ballpens,combs, diaries, each gold stamped Lifeboatname, etc., raise funds, quickly easily. BranTub Toys: samples from Northern Novel-ties, Bradford BD1 3HE.

INSURANCEFrom the RNLI's home town of Poole,Incorporated Insurance Brokers, keenlyinterested in Marine Craft Insurance, wouldwelcome the opportunity of advising mem-

bers on the insurance of their boats. For avery prompt and personal service and forkeen quotations, please contact: GEOF-FREY BERE, FCII, 19 WEDGWOODDRIVE, POOLE, BH14 8ES. Telephone:0202-730591.

FOR ALL INSURANCE, Phone, Call orWrite J. A. Harrison (Brokers) Ltd, 'Sec-urity House', 160-161 Bromsgrove Street,Birmingham B5 6NY. Telephone: 021-6921245 (10 lines). For keenest rates, serviceand security.

LIFEBOATS, SAILING BARGES ANDYACHTS IN MINIATURE

Retirements, Presentations and Trophies.Fully detailed replicas of individual boats,with crews, mounted on realistic sea basesin perspex showcase. Each a tiny gem pro-viding a truly 'live', unique miniature.Details: Brian H. Williams, Marine ModelArtist, 'West Rock', The Cleave, Kingsand,Nr Torpoint, Cornwall PL 10 INF (0752)822638.

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72Printed by The Friary Press Limited, Dorchester, Dorset.

The Captaintakes his hat off

totheRNLL

^ya/Nati Appeal

"TbeLynmouth Lifeboat, ijth January 1899'by <£Marl^Myers RSMA

The Perfect Gift for you and the RNLIThe RNLI's Limited Edition Appeal has proved aresounding success, with thousands of poundsalready raised for the service from the sale of theprints. Some copies of the print from MarkMyers' now famous painting (see The LifeboatSpring Edition), individually signed and numberedby the artist, are still available. However, as thefirst limited edition by one of Britain's most soughtafter marine artists the prints will soon becomecollectors' items and orders for the remainingcopies will be treated in strict rotation.

'The Lynmouth Lifeboat, i3th January1899' is published in a single limited editionof 850, signed and numbered by the artistand stamped by The Fine Art Trade Guild.It is also available finely framed.

As a superb example of marine art in thegrand tradition, an investment for thefuture or as a way of contributing to theRNLI - you can choose no more worthwhilegift for yourself this Christmas.

The prints are also available framedwith a fine bevelled mount surroundedby a high quality moulding.

Overall size of prints is 29 j X 25 Jin.with an image size of 22$X 18 j in.

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send a letter.

Make your cheque or postal order payable to 'Manuscript Ltd RNLI Appeal' and post with this order form to

Manuscript Ltd, RNLI Appeal, PO Box No i, Liskeard, Cornwall, PLI4 41.0.

I hereby apply for signed prints of 'The Lynmouth Lifeboat' at £48 each

signed and framed prints of'The Lynmouth Lifeboat" at £75 each

Signature NameI enclose a cheque/PO for £.

Address.

I understand tbat all prices are inclusive of VAT and postage and that if 1 am not delighted with my prints 1 am entitled to return them in good condition within 21 daysand receive a full refund. Allow 28 days for delivery.