THE LIFE-BOAT...Councillor C. B Hosking. J.P., th,e Mayor of Margate , opene th proe d-ceedings a...

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

VOL. XXXIII SUMMER, 1951 No. 358

THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET153 Motor Life-boats

1 Harbour Pulling Life-boat

LIVES RESCUEDfrom the foundation of the Life-boat Service in

1824 t o July 31st, 1951 . . . . 77,419

Gallant Life-boatmen of FlamboroughThe Rescue of an Injured Boy

ABOUT four o'clock on the 15th of May,Flamborough life-boat launched. Shehad been told that a boy had falleninto the sea from the top of the 150foot cliffs between the life-boat stationand Flamborough Head; and a quarterof an hour later she indeed saw him,still alive, lying on a ledge of rockwhere the heavy swell breaking againstthe foot of the cliffs had swept him. Itwas raining heavily, and the tide wason the ebb.

The life-boat could not get nearer tohim than eighty yards, among therocks; and the sea was too rough touse a coble. So the second coxswain,Albert E. Duke, not a strong swimmer,volunteered to swim with a rope; buthe got into difficulties and had to behauled back.

The Mechanic Volunteers

The motor mechanic, PL A. Slaugh-ter, a powerful swimmer, then volun-teered. With a rope secured to him,he reached a flat-topped rock twentyyards from the boy; here he hauled inthe breeches buoy and coiled a lineon it. He then waded shoulder deepto the ledge, carrying an end of theline. But when he reached the ledge,he found the boy so badly injured,

and in such pain (besides weak fromloss of blood), that it was impossibleto send him to the life-boat by breechesbuoy. He would have to go up thecliff in a stretcher.

Slaughter thereupon waded back tohis rock and shouted this informationto the coxswain, who asked by radiotelephone for a doctor and ambulanceto be sent to the top of the cliff. Astretcher was lowered, and with thehelp of two boys, D. Woodhouse andA. Major, who had climbed down thecliff, and J. Waines of the rocket life-saving apparatus, who had beenlowered down, the motor mechanicstrapped the boy into the stretcherand he was hauled up. Mr. Waineswas hauled up at the same time toguide the stretcher over obstructions,and they soon reached the cliff-topin safety.

By 6.15 the life-boat was back ather station.

The Institution has awarded itsbronze medal to motor mechanicEdward A. Slaughter, and its thankson vellum to Second Coxswain AlbertE. Duke, for their bravery and resource.These two men received an additionalreward of £2 each; and scale rewardswere IQs. to each member of the crew.

206 THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMER, 1951

An Impressive Rescue at NewhavenIT was just after dark on the 26th ofMarch (at 7.12 p.m.) when the coast-guard at Newhaven reported a trawlerdrifting shorewards, something lessthan a mile south-east of the harbour.Quarter of an hour later he said shewas firing rockets for help; and thenthe life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpottwas launched. The strong south-south-easterly wind was nearing galeforce, and causing a heavy swell andheavy broken seas in the shallows. Itwas raining and misty and the tidewas just beginning to make.

When Coxswain Harvey found thetrawler she was only thirty yards offshore, rolling a great deal and pound-ing her heel heavily on the sandystony bottom. She was a Belgianship, the 40-ton Christiane II onpassage from Dover to Newhaven; andapparently when she had grounded,she had let go anchor and got the cableround her propeller, thus anchoringherself by the stern.

No Room on the Port Side

The coxswain first tried to go along-side the Christiane II's port side, butfound there was not enough roombetween her and the shore to turn thelife-boat head to sea. He thereforewent full speed astern and anchored

to windward of the trawler; thendropped down on her by veering hiscable. She was now rolling badly,and a tide rip made her very difficultto get alongside. Coxswain Harveythereupon drove the life-boat on toher with his engines.

Her crew of six, now almost demoral-ised by their plight, jumped on to thefore part of the life-boat with alacrity,and the coxswain, weighing anchor,set his face for harbour. He reachedit at eight o'clock.

The Trawler is RefloatedSoon after the rescue, the weather

eased; and two days later, in the earlyafternoon, the skipper of the ChristianeII asked the Newhaven life-boat tostand by while they tried to refloathis ship. A tug eventually pulled thetrawler clear and took her on tow,and the life-boat accompanied themboth back to harbour.

For his consummate skill in handlingthe life-boat in most difficult circum-stances and his fine seamanship,Coxswain William Harvey receivedthe thanks of the Institution inscribedon vellum. £1 reward was paid toeach of the ten members of the crew,in addition to the scale rewards of£1 per man.

SUMMER, 1951] THE LIFE-BOAT 207

Two Royal Naming CeremoniesH.R.H. THE DUCHESS OF KENT, Presi-dent of the Royal National Life-boatInstitution recently named two newmotor life-boats; one in March andone in May. The first, on March 29th,was at New Brighton, to whose stationa 52-foot Barnett Stromness life-boat,the Norman B. Corlett had been givenby Mr. W. Ernest Corlett and membersof his family in memory of his son,drowned in a yachting accident.

Shortly before noon, on a daydrizzling with rain, the Duchess andher entourage arrived at South-WestPrinces Dock, Liverpool. The newlife-boat had been moored at an angle;and the dock was gaily decorated withships' flags. A large crowd bravingthe weather was present to greet theDuchess, and to see her name the life-boat, the sixteenth to go to thisstation since it was founded in 1863.

The Lord Mayor of Liverpool (Alder-man the Rev. H. D. Longbottom)presided, and welcomed the Duchess.And then Commander P. E. Vaux,D.S.C., R.N., Chief Inspector of Life-boats, described the life-boat.

It was presented to the Institutionby Mr. W. E. Corlett, who said brieflyand with emotion "On behalf of theCorlett family I have much pleasure inpresenting this gift in memory of onewho was very dear to us"; and Com-modore the Earl Howe, C.B.E., V.R.D.,P.C., R.N.V.R., Vice-Chairman of theInstitution, accepted her and handedher over to the New Brighton Branch.After the Earl of Derby, M.C., hadwelcomed the life-boat to Merseysideas chairman of the Port of LiverpoolBranch, Mr. B. W. Harris, D.S.C.,accepted her on. behalf of the NewBrighton station, and the hymn"Eternal Father, strong to save"was sung by the assembly.

The Bishop of Liverpool (Dr. CliffordArthur Martin, D.D.) assisted by theRev. W. L. Beckles Goodwin, M.A.,Vicar of St. James, New Brighton,and the Rev. F. T. Copplestone,President of the Free Church Council,then dedicated the life-boat in a shorteffective ceremony, and the Duchessof Kent named her Norman B.Corlett. With a vote of thanks to her(proposed by Mr. M. Arnet Robinson,

Deputy Chairman of the Port ofLiverpool Branch and seconded bythe Mayor of Wallasey, AldermanJ. H. Wensley, J.P.), and the NationalAnthem, the naming ceremony ended.

The Visit to Margate

On the 17th May, the Duchesstravelled to Margate to name the newlife-boat there, North Foreland (CivilService No. 11), a gift from the CivilService Life-boat Fund. The Margatestation was established in I860, andthis was its eighth life-boat.

Councillor C. B. Hosking, J.P., theMayor of Margate, opened the pro-ceedings at about 12.30 p.m. in anapt speech, in which he referred to theDuchess' unremitting work for theLife-boat Cause, and welcomed her"not only as President of the RoyalNational Life-boat Institution, but asone of our cherished Royal Family."Commander T. G. Michelmore, R.D.,R.N.R., then described the new life-boat, and Sir Richard Hopkins, G.C.B.,P.C., Chairman of the Civil ServiceLife-boat Fund, presented her to theInstitution. She was received by SirGodfrey Baring, Bt., Chairman of theInstitution, who in pithy words handedher over to be received by Mr. A. .C.Robinson, Honorary Secretary of theMargate Branch.

The ceremony of dedication wasperformed by the Bishop Suffraganof Dover (The Right Rev. A. C. W.Rose, M.A.) assisted by the Vicarof Margate (the Rev. S. A. Odom), andthe President of the Margate FreeChurch Council (The Rev. R. F.Newland, B.D.); and after the custom-ary hymn "Eternal Father, strong tosave" had been sung (the singing wasled by the Choir of the Parish Churchof St. John the Baptist, Margate,accompanied by Vera Denman'sLadies' Orchestra), Her Royal High-ness named the life-boat and it speddown its slipway to the sea. Votes ofthanks (proposed by the Hon E.Carson, M.P. and seconded by ColonelA. D. Burnett Brown, M.C., T.D.,M.A., Secretary of the Institution) andthe National Anthem brought thenaming ceremony to a close.


The Life-boatman's Log

Award to the Peterhead CoxswainTHE Royal Humane Society hasawarded its "Testimonial on Parch-ment" to Coxswain John BuchanMcLean, of Peterhead, a gold medallistof the Institution, for diving fullyclothed into Port Henry Harbourlast March to the rescue of a girl ofeight.

The Admiral and the Life-boatON the 21st of January last, AdmiralSir Rhoderick E. McGrigor, Com-mander-in-Chief, Plymouth, paid avisit to the Plymouth life-boat stationand went aboard the life-boat. Hewas accompanied by his Chief of Staff,Captain H. N. H. Brown and one ofhis eight-year-old twin sons, Jock.

The Admiral inspected the life-boatwas introduced to Coxswain WalterCrowther and the crew, and then wentto sea in the life-boat. During thetrip the mechanic explained the equip-ment to him in detail and variousexercises were performed, includingfiring the line-throwing gun. YoungJock McGrigor was particularly inter-ested in this. (See page 222).

Nearly a Century of EvansFOR ninety-nine years and four genera-tions, the Evans family of Rhylhave been connected with the Rhyllife-boat. This magnificent recordwas only broken when Coxswain EricEvans resigned last February in orderto go and live in Canada.

Joseph Evans, great grandfather ofEric Evans, joined the Rhyl life-boatcrew as far back as 1852. He becamecoxswain in 1881 and served until1891 when he was succeeded in thispost by his son Thomas Evans whohad already been a member of thecrew for several years. Thomas EvansWas coxswain for five years until 1896.

This Thomas Evans had two sons,Thomas and William, who were bothmembers of the crew for many years.They were most active during theperiod of service of the pulling andsailing life-boat Caroline Richardson;but they were both still serving when

the motor life-boat Gordon Warrencame to Rhyl in 1939.

It was Thomas's son, Thomas EricEvans, who became coxswain inJanuary 1949, until February, 1951.In August, 1950, he was unable toanswer a call for service as he was outof reach when the maroons were fired.The second coxswain (who is nowcoxswain of the life-boat) took com-mand but Coxswain Evans' fatherThomas Evans was a member of thecrew. That was the occasion whentwo small boys, the sons of Mrs.Dorothy Mullins of Manchester, weresaved from drowning from a sand-bank off Hoylake.

The Year's Best L.S.A. ServiceTHE Ministry of Transport hasawarded its shield for the best wreckservice during the year to the Camp-beltown (Argyll) Company of the CoastLife-Saving Corps, for their part inthe rescue of the crew of eight of thesteamer Biscoe 9 on 7th of September,1950. The Campbeltown life-boat,launched to the help of this steamer,stood by her during the rescue. Eachmember of her crew received a specialreward of £2 for their part in thisoutstanding service.

THE HONOURS LIST

M.B.E. for New Brighton Coxswain

COXSWAIN J. R. NICHOLSON, of NewBrighton, was made a Member of theOrder of the British Empire, in theBirthday Honours List, for his workas Fishery Officer of the Lancashireand Western Sea Fisheries Committee.He has also had a long and distin-guished service with the New Brightonlife-boat crew.

On the 24th of November, 1928, hewas awarded the bronze medal of theInstitution for his part in what wasconsidered the finest service of thatyear: the rescue of twenty-three menfrom the French steamer EmileDelmas.Almost exactly ten years later, on the23rd of November, 1938, he wasawarded a second service clasp to his


bronze medal for a fine service inwhich three men were rescued fromthe Loch Ranza of Annalong.

B.E.M. for Adam StoreyFOR his services as an inshore fisher-man and • life-boatman, the BritishEmpire Medal was awarded to Mr.Adam Storey in the Birthday HonoursList. Unfortunately he died— at theage of 98—a week before the award,and before he could be told of it.

Adam Storey was a familiar andcolourful figure on his part of theNorthumbrian coast. For no less thanthirty-nine years he was a member ofthe Newbiggin life-boat, being awardedthe life-boatman's certificate in 1932;and from 1910 to 1929 he was shoresignalman. Even after giving up thispost at the advanced age of 76, hetook a very active interest in life-boataffairs in Newbiggin.

He became a member of the New-biggin Station Branch Committee in1928, and in 1934 its chairman, anunusual honour for an ex-life-boatman,and a tribute to his personality. Heserved as chairman for several years,and indeed kept up his life-boatactivities for the remainder of his life.Only a week before he died he attendeda meeting of the station branch com-mittee which discussed the centenaryand naming ceremony celebrationsheld at the end of June.

His family will receive his reward.

Eleven Years AfterTHE Walmer life-boat, Charles Dibdin,was one of the nineteen life-boatswhich went to Dunkirk in 1940 to helpbring the British Expeditionary Forceoff the beaches. She was manned bya naval crew and of her adventuresnothing is known, but she came backwith holes in both sides. Eleven yearslater, in the spring of 1951, when shewas being surveyed, the surveyors, onopening one of the compartmentsand taking out the air-cases, found atracer bullet and the surrounding woodcharred.

A Royal HolidayDURING the summer of 1873 two littleprinces spent a fortnight's holiday at

St. Leonards, which had been incor-porated into Hastings a few yearspreviously. The elder was H.R.H.Prince Albert Edward of Wales andthe younger, H.R.H. Prince George,later King George V. They werestaying at the Royal Victoria Hotelwith their tutor. Both boys wereparticularly fond of the old fishingquarter, and one day, with fishermenforming a guard of honour, they wentfor a trip in the Ellen Goodman life-boat.They also watched the rocket apparatusat Bo-peep.

One of the few townspeople who wereintimate with them was CommanderGarforth (later Admiral Garforth, C.B.)then in charge of the coastguard atHastings. His son, Captain F. E. M,Garforth, C.B.E., R.N., has recentlyplaced on permanent loan to theHastings Museum the "thank you"letters he received after the visit.

Headed "Osborne, July 30th, 1873,"in a boyish hand (the young Princewas only eight years of age), PrinceGeorge's letter ran as follows:

DEAR SIR,

The life-boat has come down here allright, and we shall always think of ourvisit to St. Leonards and all the coastguards did for us in the boats sowillingly.

Yours sincerely,

GEORQE.

The reference to the "life-boat" iaexplained in the other letter from hiselder brother. Patrick Mahoney, oneof the coastguards, made a model andsent it on to remind them of theirvisit.

Coxswain Blogg in the Sunday Times

THE life of Henry Blogg, G.C., B.E.M.,former coxswain of the Cromer life-boat,has been full of honours, richly deserved.They go on into his retirement. OnMarch the 18th, 1951 he was chosen asthe subject of the weekly "PortraitGallery" in the Sunday Times, whichpublished a large, very fine photographof him and with it a biographicalsketch.


Services of the Life-boats in March, April and May, 1951

79 Lives Rescued

DURING March, life-boats went out onservice 45 times and rescued 10 lives.

A LISTING TANKER

New Brighton, Cheshire.—At 7.18 onthe night of the 1st of March, 1951, theMersey Docks and Harbour Board tele-phoned that the S.S. British Dragoon,of London, a tanker of 9,909 tons, wasashore on Taylors Spit in the QueensChannel. At 7.37 the life-boat K.T.J.S.on temporary duty at the station, lefther moorings, in a moderate sea witha light west-north-west breeze blowing.She found the tanker near the No. 16channel buoy, listing. A pilot vesselhad taken off forty members of hercrew, leaving the master and fourothers on board. The life-boat trans-ferred thirty-eight people to a DocksBoard salva/e vessel; then at therequest of the Marine Surveyor incharge of salvage operations, she stoodby until the tanker refloated at 3.10next morning. She arrived back ather station at 4.25. The ownersexpressed their thanks. — Rewards,£22 18*.

UNTIL HIGH WATER

Newcastle, Co. Down.—At 8.55 on themorning of the 3rd of March, 1951, theKilkeel coastguard telephoned that theS.S. Slieve More, of London, was ashoreat Derryogue two miles south-west ofKilkeel. At 9.15 the life-boat Williamand Laura was launched. There was aswell, with a fresh south-easterlybreeze blowing, and fog. At the requestof the steamer's master, the life-boatstood by the Slieve More until highwater. At 7.25 that night the steamerrefloated and the life-boat returned toher station, arriving at 9.30.—Rewards,£87 10s.

A TRAWLER WITH A LIST

Longhope, Orkneys.—At 11.0 on thenight of the 3rd of March, 1951, a life-boatman heard a siren and saw flaresfrom a ship ashore at Brims Ness; and

at 11.20 the life-boat Thomas McCunnwas launched. There was a heavyswell with a moderate south-south-westbreeze blowing. The ship, the trawlerLotos, of Aberdeen, had refloated, butshe had a list and was making water.The life-boat therefore escorted her toScrabster and then returned to herstation, arriving at 5.15 next morning.—Rewards, £20 5s. 6d.

FOUR ARE ESCORTED

Whitby, Yorkshire.—On the morningof the 8th of March, 1951, four fishingvessels were at sea in a strong easterlygale with a heavy ground swell, andanxiety was felt for their safety.Accordingly, at 8.15 the No. 1 life-boatMary Ann Hepworth was launched.She stood by in the harbour until noon,when the fishing vessel Success wasreported to be making for harbour.The life-boat escorted her in and duringthe afternoon escorted in as well theGem, Provider A. and Lead Us. Shereached her station again at 3.40—Rewards, £16 12*.

SUCCESSFUL IN THE MORNING

Barra Island, Outer Hebrides.—About4.0 on the afternoon of the 8th of March,1951, the skipper of the steam trawlerSt. Philip, of Fleetwood, asked for helpto refloat his ship, which had run onthe rocks west of Castlebay pier. At4.15 the life-boat Lloyd''s left her moor-ings and, in a choppy sea with a strongnorth-easterly breeze blowing, ran outa kedge anchor and put a rope on board.But she could not refloat the trawler,so at 9.0 that night she landed her crewof fifteen. Then at 6.0 next morningshe took out some men, refloated thetrawler and towed her to the pier,arriving back at her station at 9.0—Property Salvage Case.

STANDING BY A TUG

Lowestoft, Suffolk.—At 7.54 on themorning of the 10th of March, 1951, thecoastguard telephoned that the local


steam trawler King Athelstan, with acrew of ten, had broken adrift from atug and gone on the Newcombe Sands.At 8.20 the life-boat Michael Stephensleft her moorings in a moderate easterlybreeze with a heavy ground swell.She stood by while the tug got a lineon board, refloated the trawler, andtowed her to Lowestoft. Then shereturned to her station, reaching itagain at 10.30.—Rewards, £10 8*. 6d.

STANDING BY A COBLEAmble, Northumberland. — On the

morning of the 15th of March, 1951, thefishing coble Ocean Vanguard was atsea in bad weather. There was a heavyswell at the harbour entrance, too,and she was unable to get in. So about11.15 the life-boat J. W. Archer waslaunched. She stood by the cobleuntil she got in safely a little later, andreturned to her moorings at noon.—Rewards, £7.

GUIDED CLEAR OF THE SANDSCaister, Norfolk. —At 11.14 in the

afternoon, on the 17th of March, 1951,a resident reported that a ship was onthe Barber Sands. At 1.30 the life-boat Jose Neville was launched in asmooth sea with a moderate south-westerly breeze blowing and fog. She.found the S.S. Southport, of Glasgow,bound for Hull loaded with scrap, andwith a crew of eleven. Two life-boat-men boarded her and gave the masteradvice; and the life-boat then laid outan anchor. The Southport refloatedand the life-boat guided her clear of thesands. She then returned to herstation, arriving at 4.40.—PropertySalvage Case.

ASKED FOR THE LIFE-BOATWalton and Frinton, Essex. — About

6.0 on the evening of the 17th of March,1951, the Walton-on-the-Naze coast-guard telephoned that the S.S. Sodality,of London, four and a half miles northeast of Barrow Deep, had a sick man onboard. She had asked for the life-boat;so, at 6.20 the life-boat Mary Scott, ontemporary duty at the station, left hermoorings, in a moderate sea with aslight south-south-west breeze. Shelanded the man at Walton pier, where

a doctor was waiting and reached herstation again at 9.30 that night.—Rewards, £14 16*. 6d.

ANXIETY AND COURAGEScarborough, Yorkshire.—During the

morning of the 18th of March, 1951, theweather got worse, and there wasanxiety for the safety of the local keelboat Courage, at sea with a crew of five.At 1.15 in the afternoon the life-boatE.C.J.R. was launched. In a heavybreaking sea with a moderate north-easterly breeze, she came up with theCourage three miles to the east-north-east. She escorted her to the harbourand reached her station again at 2.45.—Rewards, £13 6s.

STANDING BY A MINESWEEPERTynemouth, Northumberland.—At 11.5

on the night of the 18th of March,1951, the coastguard telephoned that aship was on the Black Middens Rocks.At 11.29 the life-boat Tynesider waslaunched, accompanied by the honorarysecretary, Mr. E. Selby Davidson. Thesea was rough with a light easterlybreeze blowing. She found H.M.S.Brave, a minesweeper with a crew offourteen, fast on the rocks fifty yardsfrom shore, but because of breaking seascould not get alongside her. Mean-while The Tynemouth Volunteer LifeBrigade passed a line to her from theshore. Seas were now pounding theminesweeper, so the life-boat stood bywhile the crew were taken off bybreeches buoy from the shore. Shearrived back at her station at 3.15 nextmorning.—Rewards, £15 1*.

R.N.L.B. TO ex-R.N.L.B.Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford.—At

6.45 on the morning of the 21st ofMarch, 1951, the life-boat watchmanreported a life-boat in a bad positionin the bay. At 7.30 the life-boat MabelMarion Thompson left her moorings.The sea was rough with a strong south-easterly breeze blowing. She foundthe ex-R.N.L.B. Elsie (which hadrecently been sold out of the service)with a crew of two, on passage fromTroon to Highbridge. She was atanchor, but her sails had been damagedand the two men could not start theengine. The life-boat therefore towed


her to Rosslare and got back to herstation again at 8.80. The ownermade a gift to the life-boatmen andanother to the funds of the Institution.—Partly paid permanent crew; Re-wards, £5.

SOME BOILER TROUBLE

Ramsgate, and Dover, Kent. — At11.55 on the morning of the 23rd ofMarch, 1951, a ship was seen off Rams-gate flying a signal asking for a pilot.The coastguard reported that she hadbeen stationary for nearly two hours.As the weather was too bad for a shore-boat to put out, the Ramsgate life-boatPrudential embarked a -pilot and lefther moorings at 12.11. The sea wasvery rough, with a moderate westerlygale blowing, as she came up with theS.S. Helfrid, of Helsingborg, boundfor Dover, near the North-west Good-win buoy. She put the pilot aboard;and he reported that the steamer hadboiler trouble, needing immediate re-pairs. However, the master decidedto make for Sheerness and the life-boatstayed with her until she reached asafe position. Meanwhile at 1.32 theSandgate coastguard had telephonedthe Dover life-boat authorities; andat 1.55 the life-boat Southern Africa waslaunched. But as the Helfrid hadmade for Sheerness she was recalled atonce, reaching her moorings again at2.0. The Ramsgate life-boat arrivedback at her station again at 3.25.—Rewards, Ramsgate, £14 4s.; Dover,£7 5s.

REPEATED ENGINE TROUBLE

St. Peter Port, Guernsey.—At 1.50 inthe afternoon, on the 23rd of March,1951, Sark sent a message that themotor boat Capwood, of Guernsey, hadleft Guernsey for Sark at 11.15 thatmorning with sixteen people, but hadnot arrived. At 2.15 the life-boatQueen Victoria left her moorings in arough sea with a fresh south-westerlybreeze blowing. At sea, she heardfrom Herm Island that the Capwoodhad engine trouble, and anchoringsouth-west of the island, had landed herpassengers at Herm. However as theweather was getting worse two life-boatmen boarded her and took her intoHenn harbour. There her passengers

re-boarded her and she put to sea again.But before long her engine broke downonce more, and she hit some rocks.A shore-boat therefore helped her backto Herm and transferred the passengersto the life-boat, which landed them atSt. Peter Port harbour. The QueenVictoria reached her station again at5.20 that evening.—Rewards, £11 3s.

ROUGH SEA AT BRIGHTLINGSEAClacton-on-Sea, Essex. — At 2.59 in

the afternoon, on the 23rd of March,1951, the coastguard telephoned thatH.M. Customs at Brightlingsea hadreported a yacht apparently in diffi-culties and dragging her anchor offColne Point. At 3.0 the life-boatEdward Z. Dresden was launched in arough sea with a west-north-west breezeblowing. She found the yacht Buxey,with a crew of three, and towed her toBrightlingsea. At 8.0 that night shearrived back at her station.—PropertySalvage Case.

AN ESCORT TO SHEERNESSMargate, Kent. — On the 22nd of

March, 1951, the motor vessel Tealwirelessed that she was standing bythe S.S. Wirral Bank, of London, indistress fifty-two miles north-east ofNorth Foreland, with a crew of nine.About 1.0 on the afternoon of the 23rd,the Wirral Bank escorted by the Tealarrived in Margate Roads, and anchoreda mile off shore. Her master asked thelife-boat to stand by as his steamer'scargo of wheat had shifted, her steeringgear was damaged and she was makingwater. At 6.10 that evening the coast-guard reported that she had signalledfor the life-boat; so at 6.18 the life-boatNorth Foreland, Civil Service No. 11, waslaunched on service for the first time.The master told the coxswain that he wasgoing to make for Sheerness as the sea "wasvery rough and a north-westerly galewas blowing. The life-boat thereforeescorted the Wirral Bank to Sheerness.They reached it at 10.30 that night.The life-boat then returned to herstation, arriving at 2.30 next morning.Here the weather was too bad for herto be rehoused, so she made for Rams-gate and was taken back to her stationon the afternoon of the 25th.—Rewards,£38 16s. lOrf.


FOUR RESCUED FROM YACHTNewhaven, Sussex. — At 7.35 on the

night of the 23rd of March, 1951, thecoastguard telephoned that a small shipappeared to be in difficulties off theharbour and was burning a red light.At 7.50 the life-boat Cecil and LilianPhilpott was launched, in a rough seawith a strong south-westerly breezeblowing. She found the yacht Kayak,with three men and a woman on board,one mile off Seaford Head. She hadengine trouble and becoming unmanage-able, was in danger of going on theHenston Rocks. The life-boat towedher to Newhaven harbour and reachedher station again at 8.45. One of therescued men and the owner made giftsto the life-boatmen.—Rewards, £9 11s.

TWO TO LEAD US

Wbitby, and Scarborough, Yorkshire.—During the early morning of the 24thof March, 1951, the motor fishing boat,Lead Us, of Whitby, put out fromWhitby with a crew of five. But theweather got worse and at 11.0 she wasseen off Staithes making for home.It was thought advisable for theWhitby life-boat to put out and escorther in; so at 11.35 the No. 1 life-boatMary Ann Hepworth was launched in arough sea with a strong northerlybreeze blowing. She stood by in theinner harbour; but the Lead Us wire-lessed that she was making for Scar-borough. The life-boat therefore re-turned to her station, arriving at 1.20in the afternoon. The Whitby coast-guard then informed the Scarboroughcoastguard, who telephoned the Scar-borough life-boat authorities at 12.51.At 1.35 the life-boat E.C.J.R. waslaunched. She came up with theLead Us two and a half miles north-north-east of Castle Hill and escortedher to Scarborough harbour. At 2.30she reached her station again.—Re-wards, Whitby, £9 12*.; Scarborough,£11 9s.

VELLUM SERVICE AT NEWHAVENNewhaven, Sussex. — On the 26th

of March, 1951, the Newhaven life-boat rescued the crew of six of theBelgian trawler Christiane II, ofOstend.

Rewards: to Coxswain William J.

Harvey, the 'thanks of the Institutionon vellum; to the coxswain and eachof the ten members of the crew, includ-ing the full-time mechanic, an addi-tional reward of £1. Rewards to crewand helpers: First service £21 11s.Second service £9 11s. For full ac-count of this service, and one on the28th of March to the same ship, seepage 206.

FIVE COBLES AT SEANewbiggin, Northumberland. — During

the morning of the 31st of March, 1951,five local fishing cobles were at sea inbad weather and people were anxiousfor their safety. At 11.0 it was decidedto launch the life-boat; and at 11.20the life-boat Richard Ashley put out in arough sea with a strong south-easterlybreeze blowing. She escorted four ofthe cobles in; then searched for thefifth and finding her four miles to theeast escorted her to the Bay. Shereached her station again at 3.30 in theafternoon.—Rewards, £16 18s.

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

Fowey, Cornwall. — March 2nd. —Rewards, £7.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk. — March 4th. —Property Salvage Case.

Mallaig, Inverness-shire. — March 5th.—Rewards, £26 5s.



Mallaig, Inverness-shire.—March 8th.—Rewards, £24 5s.

Whitehills, Banffshire. — March llth.—Rewards, £20 5s.

Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. — Marchllth.—Rewards, £15 10s.

St. Mary's, Isles-of-Scilly—March 13th.—Rewards, £11 2s.

Penlee, Cornwall.—March 16th.—Re-wards, £12 3s.

Ramsgate, Kent.— March 16th. — Re-wards, £14 4s.

Yarmouth, Isle-of-Wight.—March 17th.—Rewards, £16 15s. 6d.

Salcombe, Devon.—March 19th.—Re-wards, £13 4s.


Barra Island, Outer Hebrides.— March20th.—Rewards, £23 4s.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk. — March 21st.—Rewards, £64 14*. Qd.

Rosslare Harbour, Co. WexfordL—March21st.—Partly paid permanent crew;Rewards, £7 6s.

Scarborough, Yorkshire.—March 22nd.—Rewards, £19 5s.

Valentia, Co. Kerry.—March 23rd.-—Rewards, £22.

Bridlington, Yorkshire. — March 24th.—Rewards, £23 45.

Hoylake, Cheshire. — March 25th. —Rewards, £23 10s.

Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—March 31 St.—Rewards, £12 18*.

Dungeness, Kent.—March 31st.—Re-wards, £31 6s.

APRIL

DURING April life-boats went out onservice 35 times and rescued 51 lives.

A SICK MAN LANDEDGreat Yarmouth and Gorleston, Norfolk.

—At 1.38 on the morning of the 1st ofApril, 1951, the Gorleston coastguardtelephoned a message received throughthe North Foreland radio station fromthe S.S. Lord Citrine. She was due inYarmouth Roads about 3.0 and askedfor the life-boat to land a sick man.At 3.12 the life-boat Louise Stephenswas launched in a moderate sea with amoderate south-westerly breeze blow-ing. She came up with the steamer offthe harbour, landed the man at GreatYarmouth, where an ambulance waswaiting, and reached her station againat 4.45.—Rewards, £8.

MOTOR ENGINE BROKEN DOWNWeymouth, Dorset.—At 7.0 on the

night of the 3rd of April, 1951, theWyke Regis coastguard reported thata small vessel two miles east-south-eastof Portland Bill was burning red flares.At 7.15 the life-boat William and ClaraRyland was launched. The sea wasmoderate with a south-westerly breezeblowing. She fouud the motor cruiserPaddy Moya, of Christchurch, with acrew of two, bound for Penzance. Herengine had broken down and she wasin a dangerous position, with the

weather getting worse. The life-boattherefore towed her to Weymouth, andreached her station again at 12.10 thenext morning.—Property Salvage Case.

LANDING A SICK LIGHTVESSEL MANThe Mumbles, Glamorganshire. — At

10.50 on the morning of the 6th ofApril, 1951, the Trinity House Super-intendent asked if the life-boat couldbe launched to land a sick man fromthe Scarweather lightvessel. No otherboat was available, so at 11.20 the life-boat William Gammon—Manchester andDistrict XXX, was launched in amoderate sea with a south-westerlybreeze blowing. She landed the manat The Mumbles, where an ambulancewas waiting, and arrived back at herstation at 1.30 that afternoon.—Re-wards, £10 12s. 6d. No expense to theInstitution.

ADVICE TO A TRAWLERRamsgate, Kent.—At 7.10 on the

evening of the 7th of April, 1951, thecoastguard telephoned that a Frenchfishing vessel appeared to be agroundhalf a mile off Quern Buoy. At 7,15 thelife-boat Prudential left her moorings.The sea was slight, with a strong west-south-west breeze blowing. She foundthe motor trawler Notre Dame de Calais,of Calais, bumping on the Brake Sands.Her skipper declined a tow, so the cox-swain advised him how to get herclear of the sands; and when sherefloated the life-boat guided her toRamsgate harbour. She reached herstation again at 8.30. — Rewards,£5 18s.

SEAGULL WITH A BROKEN WINGPortpatrick, Wigtownshire. — About

9.0 in the morning, on the 10th ofApril, 1951, the coastguard telephonedthat a motor fishing boat was in diffi-culties four miles to the south; and at9.15 the life-boat Jeanie Speirs waslaunched. The sea was moderate, witha fresh northerly breeze blowing. Shefound the local fishing vessel Seagullwith a crew of two. Her engine hadbroken down, but was now going again;so the life-boat escorted her to harbourand reached her station again at 10.30.—Rewards, £3.


FLARES BURNED IN THE HARBOURWhitby, Yorkshire.—At 12.45 on the

afternoon of the 10th of April, 1951,fishermen told the coxswain that therewas a heavy swell on the harbour bar,and the fishing vessels Provider A andLead Us could be seen making forWhitby. At 1.10 the No. 1 life-boatMary Ann Hepworth was launched ina rough sea with a northerly gale blow-ing; and flares were burned from theouter harbour to warn the fishingvessels. The life-boat then escortedthem in and reached her station againat 3.10.—Rewards, £7 12*.

ANOTHER SICK MAN SAVEDLerwick, Shetland*.—At 10.10 on the

morning of the 12th of April, 1951, theCounty Medical Officer of Health tele-phoned and asked that the life-boattake a doctor to Fair Isle to attend aman with appendicitis. At 10.50 thelife-boat John Russell, on temporaryduty at the station, left her moorings.She embarked a doctor at Broonie'sTaing and made for Fair Isle in avery heavy sea with a moderate south-south-west gale blowing. Here shetook the patient on board, wirelessedfor an ambulance to meet her atLerwick and landed the man there at12.50 next morning. She had spentfourteen hours at sea and saved theman's life.—Rewards, £25 1*. Noexpense to the Institution.

AN ARDUOUS SERVICE IN THE ORKNEYS

Longhope, Orkneys.—At 12.38 on themorning of the 12th of April, 1951, themotor tanker Oljaren, of Gothenburg,bound for Stockholm from Curacoawith diesel oil, wirelessed that she hadgone aground on Muckle Skerry in thePentland Firth. At 12.45 she askedfor urgent help but said that her crewwere in no danger. These two mes-sages were relayed by the Wick Radiostation to the Kirk wall coastguard.At 1.25 he informed the life-boatauthorities; and at 1.40 the life-boatThomas McCunn was launched in aheavy sea, with a strong south-westerlygale blowing. She found the Oljarenon the west side of Muckle Skerry, andwent alongside. Her crew of fortydecided to remain in her, however, so

the life-boat laid off until about 1.0next afternoon. The master then sig-nalled that his crew were abandoningthe tanker. The life-boat—with greatdifficulty this time—went alongside heragain in worsening weather and rescuedtwenty-four of the crew. The masterand fifteen others decided to stay onboard. Heavy seas were now breakingover the tanker and falling into thelife-boat. She turned round in theconfined space between the Oljaren andthe rocky shore and made for Longhope,arriving at 3.30. Everyone was an-xious about the sixteen men still lefton the Oljaren, so a message was sentto them asking if they needed the life-boat again. At 5.45 that evening themaster asked for her; the ThomasMcCunn then put out again. But themaster and his fifteen men still wouldnot leave their ship, so the life-boatwent back to her station, arriving at11.30 that night. At 2.35 next after-noon, the 13th, the owners telephonedthe coxswain to tell the master toabandon ship. They passed this mes-sage to him, and he then asked a thirdtime for the life-boat. At 2.45 it waslaunched again, rescued him and thefifteen men and reached her stationagain at 5.45 that evening.—Rewards:1st service, £47 Is.; 2nd service, £11 18*.

A SICK STEWARD AND A STOWAWAYValentia, Co. Kerry.—At 11.13 on the

morning of the 17th of April, 1951, theS.S. Fort Enterprise, of London, boundfor America from Liverpool, wirelessedthat she had a sick steward. She askedfor him to be landed, saying that shewould be off Valentia about 7.0 in theevening. At 2.0, then, that afternoonthe life-boat A.E.D. left her mooringsaccompanied by the honorary secretary,Mr. Kieran O'Driscoll, and a doctor.The sea was rough, with a strong south-easterly breeze blowing. She cameup with the steamer eleven miles west-north-west of Bray Head, and took onboard the sick man and a womanstowaway. She landed them atValentia at 7.0 and reached her stationagain at 7.30.—Rewards, £11 7s.

TWO CALLS TO LIFE-BOATSFiley, and Flamborough, Yorkshire.—

At 7.16 on the morning of the 17th of

216 THE LIFE-BOAT [SUMMER. 1951

April, 1951, a fisherman telephoned theFiley life-boat authorities that he hadpicked up a message on his wireless set:the fishing boat May Lily, of Scar-borough, had broken down about fivemiles north of Flamborough Head andneeded help. At 7.40 the life-boat TheCuttle was launched in a moderate seawith a moderate westerly breeze blow-ing. Meanwhile the FlamboroughHead Royal Naval Signal Stationtelephoned the Flamborough life-boatauthorities, and at 7.45 the life-boatHoward D was launched too. Shecame up with the May Lily, with a crewof four, drifting helplessly one and ahalf miles north-east of the Flam-borough life-boat station and took herin tow to Bridlington, reaching herstation again at 11.15. The Filey life-boat was not needed, so she returnedto her station, arriving at 8.39.—Re-wards, Filey, £12 2s.; Flamborough,£18 14s. 6d.

YET ANOTHER SICK MANTenby, Pembrokeshire. — At 6.34 on

the evening of the 18th of April, 1951,the coastguard telephoned that theSwansea Superintendent of TrinityHouse had asked for the life-boat toland a sick man from St. Govens light-vessel. At 6.50 the life-boat John R.Webb was launched with a doctor andmade for the lightvessel in a calm seaand fine weather. Here she took thepatient on board and landed him at herstation—where an ambulance was wait-ing—at 11.15 that night.—Rewards,£15 1*. No expense to the Institution.

RAPID RESCUE OF AN ANSON'S CREW

Torbay, Devon.—At 4.7 on the after-noon of the 19th of April, 1951, theBrixham coastguard telephoned thatan Anson aeroplane had crashed intothe sea and sunk about a mile offOrestone Rock. At 4.20 the life-boatGeorge Shee left her moorings. The seawas slight with a light east-north-eastbreeze blowing. She found four menin a rubber dinghy, rescued them, gavethem hot cocoa, and returned to herstation by 5.5. The owners made giftsto the life-boatmen and a donation tothe funds of the Institution.—Rewards,£4 175. 6d.

RESCUE OF FOUR SEAL-WATCHERS

Port Erin, and Peel, Isle of Man.—At9.40 on the morning of the 21st of April,1951, the Director of the Marine Bio-logical Station sent a message to thePort Erin life-boat authorities. Twolife-boatmen had reported that theStation's motor boat Runa had sunknorth of Fleshwick Bay, althoughnothing could be seen of her crew: fourpeople who had been on a seal watchingexpedition. At 10.0 the life-boatMatthew Simpson was launched, witha rowing boat in tow. The coastguardinformed the Peel life-boat authoritiesat 10.10; and at 10.30 the life-boatHelen Sutton was launched. The seawas smooth, with a moderate south-easterly breeze blowing. The PortErin life-boat found that the Runa hadstruck a submerged rock close inshore,but the four seal-watchers had gotashore. They had climbed two hundredfeet up a steep cliff, but could climb nofurther; nor could they get down again.A life-boatman therefore climbed upto them with a rope and helped themdown; and they were then taken intothe life-boat and landed at the harbourat 12.15 that afternoon. The Peellife-boat was not needed so she returnedto her station, arriving at 1.0.—Rewards: Port Erin, £11 12s.; Peel,£16 3s. 6d.

A FAULTY COMPASSValentia, Co. Kerry.—At noon on the

24th of April, 1951, the Sea FisheriesAgent at Cahirciveen telephoned thatthe motor trawler Naom Cait, ofDublin, was missing with a crew ofseven. At 12.15, the life-boat A.E.D.left her moorings in a moderate seawith a southerly breeze and thick fogpatches. She came up with thetrawler, which had a faulty compass,four miles north-west of CromwellPoint, escorted her to harbour andreached her station again at 1.30 thatafternoon.—Rewards, £5 13s.

A TRAWLER WITH A LISTIslay, Inner Hebrides.—At 1.45 on

the morning of the 28th of April, 1951,the Kilchoman coastguard telephonedthat the steam trawler Queen Alexandra,of Fleetwood, with a crew of twelve,had wirelessed that she was aground in

SU-MMKJi, 1951] THE LIFE-BOAT 217

By courtesy of] [Topical Press

THE DUCHESS OF KENT NAMING THE NEW MARGATE LIFE-BOATNORTH FORELAND

(Sec page 207}

By courtesy of] [Keystone Press

THE LIFE-BOAT IS LAUNCHED


By courtesy of] [Aberdeen Journals Limited

THE LONGHOPE LIFE-BOAT SPEEDING TO HELP THE SWEDISHSHIP OLJAREN

(See page 215)

By courtesy of] [Aberdeen Journals Limited

S.S. OLJAREN

SUMMER, 1951] THE LIFE-BOAT

By courtesy of]

219

[Photo-Flash, Wickford

SOME OF THE SOUTHEND-ON-SEA LIFE-BOAT CREW REFRESHINGTHEMSELVES AFTER A NIGHT SERVICE

By courtesy of] [A. G. Southward, Port Erin

PORT ERIN (ISLE OF MAN) LIFE-BOAT RETURNING FROM THE RESCUE(See page 216)


STAINED-GLASS WINDOW IN ST. CLEMENT'S CHURCH, HASTINGS(See page 232)


STAINED-GLASS WINDOW IN THE CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE THEMARTYR, DEAL

(See page 232)


By courtesy of] [Dermal P. Fitzgerald, Plymouth

THE PLYMOUTH LIFE-BOAT, ROBERT AND MARCELLA BECK, AT SEA

By courtesy of] [Dermot P. Fitzgerald, Plymouth

ADMIRAL SIR RHODERICK McGRIGOR (WHEN COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF,PLYMOUTH) WITH THE PLYMOUTH LIFE-BOAT CREW

(See page 208)


By courtesy of] [Dermot P. Fitzgerald, Plymouth

ADMIRAL McGRIGOR'S EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SON JOCK IS SHOWN THELIFE-BOAT'S LINE-THROWING ROCKET GUN

(See page 208)


By courtesy of]AN OLD LIFE-BOATMAN

John Wilson of St. Abbs, mending his net

[A Marr, Westville, Dunuon


the Sound of Islay two miles south ofCarraig Mhor Light. At 2.10 the life-boat Manchester and Salford, on tem-porary duty at the station, left hermoorings in a, moderate sea with amoderate northerly breeze blowing.She stood by while attempts were madeto get the trawler clear, which listed,however, instead of refloating. Thecrew decided to stay in her, and as theywere in no immediate danger, the life-boat returned to her station, arrivingat 1.0 the next afternoon.—Rewards,£19 19*. 9d.

POSTSCRIPT TO THE OLJARENStromiu;s, Orkneys.—At 1.10 on the

afternoon of the 30th of April, 1051, asalvage company reported that then.otor tanker Oljaren, of Gothenburg,which had been aground off MuckleSkerry since the 12th, had been re-floated and was being towed to Long-hope. The company asked for thelife-boat in case the weather becamedangerous for the sixteen men aboardher. So at 1.30 the life-boat J.J.K.S.W.was launched. The sea was calm witha light north-easterly breeze. She cameup with the tanker in tow of a tug twoand a half miles south of Cantick Head,and escorted them both to LonghopeBay, returning to her station by 7.30that evening. The Longhope life-boathad rescued the tanker's crew of fortyon the 12th and 13th April.—Rewards,£11 17*.

A BROKEN PUMPLerwick, Shetlands.—At 11.28 on the

night of the 30th of April, 1951, thecoastguard telephoned that a localresident had reported a wireless messagefrom the motor fishing vessel Maid ofHonour, of Lerwick. She had brokendown off Brethren and needed help.At 11.52 the life-boat John Rttssell, ontemporary duty at the station, lefther moorings in a fresh east-north-eastbreeze with a rough sea. She foundthe ship with a crew of four, north-eastof Brethren; her engine water circulat-ing pump had broken down. The life-boat towed her to Lerwick and reachedher station again at 1.30 the nextmorning.—Property Salvage Case.

The following life-boats went out onservice, but could find no ships in

distress, were not needed or could donothing:

Dungeness, Kent. — April 4th. — Re-wards, £34 9s.

Exmouth, Davon. — April 5th. — Re-wards, £13 Is.

Pwllheli,- Caernarvonshire.—April 7th.—Rewards, £9 6s.

Donagbadee, Co. Down.—April 7th.—Rewards, £6 13*.

Bembridge, Isle-of-Wigbt.—April 9th.—Rewards, £6 Is.

Fowey, Cornwall.—April llth. — Re-wards, £5 5*.

Valenlia, Co. Kerry. —April 19th.—Rewards, £5 14s.

Aldeburgh, Suffolk. — April 19th. —Rewards, £35 95. 6d.

Eastbourne, Sussex. — April 21 St. —Rewards, £24 9*.

Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.—April 22nd.—Rewards, £13 1*.

Valentia, Co. Kerry.—April 25th.—Rewards, £5 13*.

Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. — April 26th.—Rewards, £8 7s.

Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—April 26th.—Rewards, £6 17*.

Shoreham Harbour, Sussex. — April29th.—Rewards, £7.

Newhaven, Sussex.—April 29th.—Re-wards, £8 7*. Qd.

MAY

DURING May, life-boats went out onservice 38 times, and rescued 18 lives.

A PILOT WAS WANTEDAmble, Northumberland.—About 9.55

on the night of the 1st of May, 1951,the coastguard telephoned that avessel had fired a rocket east of theCoquet lightvessel. At 10.15 the life-boat J. W. Archer was launched. Therewas a slight swell with a light south-westerly breeze blowing. She foundthe motor vessel Lvdwig, of Germany,wanting a pilot, so escorted her to ananchorage near the harbour. She thenreturned to her station, arriving atmidnight.—Rewards, £5 5*.

MAKING HEAVY WEATHER

St. Abbs, Berwickshire.—During themorning of the 2nd of May, 1951,


anxiety was felt for the safety of thelocal motor fishing boat Laurel, overduewith a crew of four in bad weather;so at 11.15 the life-boat J. B. Couper ofGlasgow was launched. The sea wasrough with a fresh easterly breezeblowing. She came up with the Laurelone mile north of St. Abbs Head.The Laurel's engine had broken downtwice and she was making heavyweather, so the life-boat escorted herto St. Abbs and reached her stationagain at 12.15 that afternoon.—Re-wards, £5 17s.

MORE ANXIETYValentia, Co. Kerry.—At 9.10 on the

morning of the 5th of May, 1951, atelephone message was received fromthe post office that the motor fishingboat Pride of Cahirciveen, with a crewof four, was about eight hours overduefrom the fishing grounds. Anxiety wasfelt for her safety. At 9.30, therefore,the life-boat A.E.D. left her moorings,in a moderate sea with a moderateeasterly gale blowing. She found thefishing boat broken down five milesnorth-west of Bray Head, her crewexhausted. The life-boatmen tookthem on board, and gave them hot soup,then took the Pride of Cahirciveen intow. She reached her station againat 1.15 that afternoon.—Rewards,£8 10s.

REFLOATING A KETCHWeymouth, Dorset. — At 5.15 on the

afternoon of the 6th of May, 1951, thelife-boat mechanic saw the auxiliaryketch Fortis, of Portsmouth, in a dan-gerous position off Weymouth. Thehonorary secretary, Mr. Kenneth H.Mooring Aldridge, S.B.St.J., then wentout to her; but her crew of two declinedhelp. Later on the Fortis was seen indifficulties on Weymouth beach; so thehonorary secretary went out again.He found her bumping heavily. Thistime her crew asked for the life-boat,so he returned and accompanied thelife-boat William and Clara Rylandwhen she was launched at 7.0. Thesea was very rough with a strong north-easterly breeze blowing. The life-boatrefloated the ketch, towed her to Wey-mouth Quay, and arrived back at thestation at 8.25.—Property Salvage Case.

A BARGE ASHORECaister, Norfolk.—At 10.10 on the

night of the 6th of May, 1951, a residentof Newport Hemsby telephoned that aship was ashore off Newport Hemsby.So at 10.30 the life-boat Jose Neville waslaunched in a choppy sea, with a freshnorth-easterly breeze blowing and fog.She found tho motor barge Glenway, ofRochester, laden with shingle. TheWinterton coastguard life-saving crewhad fired a line to her from shore, buther crew of two preferred to remainaboard. The life-boat stood by forfive hours and, as the barge was in noimmediate danger, returned to herstation, arriving at 5.30 the next morn-ing.—Rewards, £22 Si.

A MATTER OF ROUGH SEASSheringham, Norfolk. — During the

morning of the 7th of May, 1951, fivelocal fishing boats put out; and as oneof them was going back the weathergot worse. The sea was also gettingstronger and the wind increased. So, asone of the four boats still at sea wassmall, the life-boat Foresters Centenarywas launched at 1.13 in the afternoon.The sea was now rough with a strongnorth-easterly wind blowing. She es-corted each boat to shore and arrivedback at her station at 3.25.—Rewards,£22 3s.

DANGEROUS FOR FISHING BOATSWhitby, Yorkshire.—During the morn-

ing of the 8th of May, 1951, there wasa strong northerly gale and a heavyswell off Whitby; and it was making theharbour bar very dangerous for thereturning local motor fishing boats,Pilot Me II and Lead Us. At 9.25 theKettleness coastguard reported that thePilot Me II had passed Kettleness; andat 9.56 the No. 1 life-boat Alary AnnHep-worth was launched. She cameup with the Pilot Me II near WhitbyRock buoy, and escorted her in. Shethen waited for the other boat. Atlast, at 2.15 in the afternoon, theLead Us was seen making for harbour;so the life-boat put out again, es-corted her in and then returned toher station, arriving at 3.15.—Rewards,£10 8*.


ONCE MORE UNDER WAYAberystwyth, Cardiganshire.—-At 5.10

in the evening on the 8th of May, 1951,flashes were reported from the motorfishing boat Westmark, of MilfordHaven, which had been at anchor offAberystwyth harbour but seemed tohave dragged. At 5.28 the life-boatLady Harrison was launched in a roughsea with a strong northerly breezeblowing. She found the Westmarknow under way two miles south of theharbour bar. The life-boat thereforeescorted her through breaking seasto the harbour reaching her stationagain at 6.50.—Rewards, £14 14s.

A BROKEN TOPMASTWalton and Frinton, Essex.—About

2.25 on the morning of the 10th of May,1951, the coastguard telephoned that apilot cutter had wirelessed him. Ayacht was in difficulties and neededhelp, a quarter of a mile north-west bywest of the Sunk lightvessel. At 2.55the life-boat E.M.E.D. left her moor-ings, in a rough sea with a fresh north-north-east breeze blowing. She foundthe yacht Fortoyn II, of Rotterdam,with a crew of six. Her topmast hadbroken while she had been racing fromthe Hook of Holland to the Sunklightvessel. Her crew asked to betaken into harbour. The life-boatthereupon towed her to Harwich andreached her station again at 11.0.—Property Salvage Case.

A PATIENT FROM THE CORTONLIGHTVESSEL

Lowestoft, Suffolk.—About noon onthe 12th of May, 1951, the coastguardreported that the S.S. Kentwood, ofLondon, lying off Gorton lightvessel,had asked if the life-boat could take adoctor to her to attend a sick man. At12.45 in the afternoon the life-boatMichael Stephens was launched, with adoctor, in a moderate sea and amoderate north-easterly breeze. Thepatient was taken on board and thelife-boat wirelessed for an ambulanceto meet her at Lowestoft. Then shelanded the man, and reached her stationagain at 3.15.—Rewards, £6 13s.-

LADY GAY GRAVEflfracombe, Devon.—At 12.45 in the

afternoon, on the 13th of May, 1951,

the coastguard telephoned that BullPoint lighthouse reported a motoryacht burning a red flare off BrandyCove. At 1.0 the life-boat RichardSilver Oliver was launched. The seawas moderate with a fresh northerlybreeze blowing. She found the motoryacht Lady Gay, with a crew of five.Her engines had broken down, so thelife-boat towed her to Ilfracombe.She reached her station again at 3.0.The owner expressed his thanks.—Rewards, £15 17*.

RUN OUT OF PETROLTorbay, Devon.—At 8.0 on the evening

of the 13th of May, 1951, the Brixhamcoastguard telephoned that a motorcruiser seemed to have broken downabout one mile south-west of BerryHead. Later she was seen to get underway, but at 8.42 the coastguard reportedthat a coat had been hoisted on hermast. So at 8.35 the life-boat GeorgeShee left her moorings. The sea waschoppy, with a light north-westerlybreeze blowing. She found the plea-sure motor boat Gladina at anc hor withseventeen people on board, sixteen ofwhom were Dutch visitors returning toTorquay from the River Dart. TheGladina had run out of petrol, so thelife-boat towed her to Brixham. Shereached her station again at 9.45.—Rewards, £2 13*.

LEAD US IS LED AGAINWbitby, Yorkshire.—During the after-

noon of the 13th of May, 1951, the localmotor fishing boat Lead Us put out in astrong northerly wind and a heavy swellwhich made the harbour bar dangerousfor her return. The life-boat crewassembled for two hours and at 9.10that night the No. 1 life-boat Mary AnnHepworth was launched. She foundthe Lead Us off Sandsend Ness, escortedher to harbour and reached her stationagain at 11.45.—Rewards, £11 8s. 6d.

THE CUTTER CUTS LOOSECromarty.—At 11.34 on the night of

the 14th of May, 1951, the coastguardreported that the sailing cutter Mar-garet, with thirteen boys and one officerfrom the Moray Firth Sea School onboard, was overdue. She had last been


seen between five and six miles west-north-west of Burghead. A later mes-sage said she was all right and makingfor Burghead; but at 4.54 next morningthe coastguard telephoned that she wasstill missing, and that aeroplanes hadbeen asked to search. At 5.25 thelife-boat James Macfee was launched ina rough sea, with a light westerly breezeblowing. She found the cutter offBalintore and towed her to Cromartyharbour, reaching her station again at11.15.—Rewards, £9 6s.

MEDAL SERVICE AT FLAMBOROUGHON the 15th of May, 1951, the Flam-borough life-boat went out to save a.boy, fallen over a cliff.

For a full account of this service,and list of rewards, see page 205.

MORE LACK OF PETROLWalmer, Kent.—At 6.51 on the even-

ing of the 15th of May, 1951, the Dealcoastguard telephoned that a yachthad broken down one mile north-eastof the South Goodwin lightvessel andwas drifting towards the GoodwinSands. A small boat could be seenpulling away from her. At 7.0 thelife-boat Jane Holland (on temporaryduty at the station in place of theCharles Dibdin, Civil Service No. 2) waslaunched. The sea was slight, with amoderate southerly breeze blowing.She came up with a man in a dinghywho had left the ship—the motor launchSudaria, of Troon—for help, and tookhim and the dinghy on board. On theSudoria, which had run out of petrol,she found another man. The life-boattowed in the Sudoria, landed the twomen, and reached her station again at8.30.—Rewards, £16 12s.

OCEAN PRIDE AT ANCHORPorthdinllaen, Caernarvonshire. — At

7.33 on the evening of the 15th of May,1951, the coastguard reported a fishingboat burning flares off Caernarvon Bar.At 8.0 the life-boat Charles HenryAshley was launched. There was aground swell, with a light north-easterlybreeze blowing. She found the fishingboat Ocean Pride, of Liverpool, atanchor with a crew of two, fifty yardseast-south-east of the bar fairway buoy.Two life-boatmen boarded her and

weighed the anchor; and the life-boatthen towed her to Trevor, reaching herstation again at 12.45 the next morning.—Rewards, £12 6s.

KHAKI IN THE BLUERamsgate, Kent. — At 1.0 on the

afternoon of the 16th of May, 1951, thelife-boat shore attendant told the coast-guard that a boat in Pegwell Bay wasmaking a signal. She had apparentlyanchored near the breakers. The coast-guard passed the message to the life-boat authorities, and at 1.31 the life-boat Mary Scott, on temporary duty atthe station, left her moorings. Therewas a moderate sea, with a moderatenorth-easterly breeze blowing. Shefound the local motor fishing boatKhaki with a crew of two. Her pro-peller was fouled by a rope and she wasin danger of grounding, so the life-boattowed her to Ramsgate harbour. Shereached her station again at 2.39.—Rewards, £5 3s.

FIRE ON THE DRIFTERRamsey, Isle of Man;—At 5.17 on the

evening of the 22nd of May, 1951, thecoastguard telephoned that a shipseemed to be on fire six miles east-north-east of Queens Pier. Later on,he reported that she was a drifter andhad been taken in tow by anotherdrifter; but at 6.5 he said she neededhelp. So at 6.15 the life-boat ThomasCorbett was launched. The sea wascalm with a light easterly breeze.Three miles east of the harbour shefound the motor fishing vessel BrighterHope, of Belfast, in tow of the drifterBoy Tomry which had taken off thecrew of five. The coxswain boardedthe Boy Tomry to pilot the BrighterHope to the beach, and the life-boatwent inshore to summon the firebrigade. She then returned to theBrighter Hope, now beached, and fireda line ashore to connect a fire hose.The hose was hauled out and the firewas got under control. The life-boatthen made the drifter secure, and re-turned to her station, arriving atmidnight.—Rewards, £21 16,s.

A LOST DINGHYClacton-on-Sea, Essex.—At 9.12 on

the morning of the 27th of May, 1951,


the yacht St. Heller, of Burnham, wasseen a quarter of a mile off the pier,where she had been lying all night.The coxswain went out to her and foundher in a dangerous position. She hadlost her dinghy and her crew of fourasked for a tow. The coxswain re-turned to the shore and at 9.40 thelife-boat Edward Z. Dresden waslaunched. The sea was rough, with asouth-westerly breeze blowing. Thelife-boat towed the St. Helier to Bright-lingsea, and reached her station againat 2.40 that afternoon. The four menexpressed their thanks.—Rewards,Rewards, £13 2*. 3d.

A BADLY-HOLED YACHT

Helvick Head, Co. Waterford.—About9.30 on the morning of the 30th ofMay, 1951, the Coast Life Saving Ser-vice telephoned that a yacht had runon the rocks one and a half miles westof Mine Head. At 9.45 the life-boatH. F. Bailey was launched with a smallboat in tow, and accompanied by theHonorary Secretary, Mr. P. J. Morrissey.There was a swell, with an easterlybreeze blowing. The life-boat anchoredoff the Longships Rock, where she couldsee the yacht Smew 1, of Southampton,high and dry and wedged on the rocks.Some life-boatmen manned the smallboat, and rowed in to her. They foundher damaged. The owner and his wifehad abandoned her; but they saw theowner half way up a cliff and extractedinformation from him about the yacht'sfittings. Then they ran out anchorsand tried to pump and bale her out; butshe was badly holed and could not bedried out. They therefore took off thecrew's personal belongings and othervaluable gear, and carried them backto the life-boat, which reached herstation again at 4.45 that afternoon.—Rewards, £15 16s.

HIT A ROCK

St. Helier, Jersey.—At 1.25 On theafternoon of the 31st of May, 1951, theharbour master reported that the motorvessel Le Cap, of Carteret, which hadleft St. Helier for Gorey with a crew ofthree, had wirelessed a distress messagefor immediate help. At 1.45 the life-boat Elizabeth Rippon left her mooringsin a smooth sea with a fresh north-

easterly breeze blowing, came up withthe Le Cap near Frouqule A ubert Rocks.She had hit a rock and was sinking.The life-boat rescued two of the men,leaving the skipper in her, and thentried to take her in tow; but she wasnow low in the water. She thereforetook off the skipper, abandoned theLe Cap and made for her station.Here the life-boatmen gave the rescuedmen rum and landed them at St.Helier, where an ambulance was wait-ing, at 4.0. The motor vessel ChannelCoast, which had also answered theLe Cap's distress call, afterwards tookthe Le Cap in tow, but she capsizedand sank. The three men thanked thelife-boatmen.—Rewards, £8 0*. 6d.

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

Wey mouth, Dorset. — May 1 st. — Re-wards, £5 5*.

Tenby, Pembrokeshire. — May 2nd.—Rewards, £15 9s.

Lowestoft, Suffolk. — May 5th. — Re-wards, £7 2s. 6d.

The Mumbles, Glamorganshire.—-May5th.—Rewards, £15 6*.

Selsey, Sussex.—May 8th.—Rewards,£21 7s.

Plymouth, Devon.—May 10th.—Re-wards, £4 10s.

Humber, Yorkshire. — May 13th. —Paid permanent crew.

Walmer, Kent—May 15th.—Rewards,£18 10s. 6d.

Penlee, Cornwall.—May 15th.—Re-wards, £6 19s.

Shoreham Harbour, Sussex.—May 21st.—Rewards, £7 16s.

Whitby, Yorkshire.—May 23rd.—Re-wards, £22 10*.

Wick, Caithness-shire,—May 25th.—Rewards, £9 2s. 6d.

Hoylake, Cheshire.—May 27th.—Re-wards, £12 Is.

Ramsgate, Kent. — May 27th. — Re-wards, £10 3s. 6d.

Anstruther, Fifeshire.—May 28th—.Rewards, £12 15s. 6d.

Tenby, Pembrokeshire.—May 30th.—•Rewards, £24 3s.


Three Letters of Thanks

From Navy, Air Service Training, and a Yachtsman

ON the 4th of February, as reportedin the Spring Journal, 1951, the Camp-be! town life-boat helped the frigateLoch Fada, which had got into diffi-culties with the landing craft Stalkerin tow. The Loch Fada's command-ing officer sent a gift, with this letter:

"I have been asked to send you theenclosed donation not only as a recog-nition of the fine work you do, but alsoas a token of the appreciation by allserving at Londonderry of the assistancerendered to H.M.S. Stalker, and thisship, by the Campbeltown (Argyllshire)life-boat last February. To set forthto the assistance of others in distress,in a gale such as was raging at the timeearned all of our deepest respect andadmiration."

A Crash into the SeaOn the 19th of April the Torbay life-

boat went out to an Anson aeroplanewhich had crashed in the sea and hadsunk. She found the aeroplane's fourmen in a rubber dinghy, rescued them,and gave them hot cocoa. This lettercomes from the group captain, manag-ing director of Air Service Training,Ltd., at Hamble, Southampton.

"Our personnel were very impressedby the prompt arrival of the life-boat,and on their behalf, and that of thisCompany, I should like to congratulatethe crew on reaching the scene of theaccident so quickly, and to thank themfor their timely help. With your per-mission, we should like to give eachmember of the crew a small token ofour appreciation of their services andI should be grateful if vou can supplyme with the names and initials of thoseconcerned."

Each member of the crew was givena Ronson Whirlwind Lighter, guaran-teed to light in any weather, with his

initials on it, and the A.S.T. badge,and a gift was sent to the village ofHamble for its life-boat flag day.

The Unmanageable YachtOn the night of Good Friday, the

23rd of March, a red light was seenburning a mile off Seaford Head, andthe Newhaven life-boat went out. Shefound a yacht, with a woman and threemen on board, unmanageable in arough sea, and in danger of being blownon the rocks. She towed her to New-haven. A few days later the coxswainreceived this letter:

" You will remember on Good Friday,March 23rd, that you and your crewwent to the assistance of the yachtKayak endeavouring to enter New-haven. I have told my father of theincident and the magnificent way youhandled your vessel on that occasion,and how thankful the writer of thisletter was when he felt the heaving linebetween his hands. My father hassuggested that, as a small token of ourappreciation of your efforts, we sendyou the enclosed cheque. We do thison behalf of all yachtsmen, for theextremely efficient and rapid responseto our distress signals, and the way youlooked after us from the time of passingthe tow rope to mooring up alongside.Nobody could have wished for finer ormore expert handling or for morecourteous help.

"I have described you and your crewto my father as 'bit of Old England'.This is no exaggeration. While thisold country of ours can produce menwith this unselfish devotion to dutythere isn't much wrong with it, and tous Newhaven will always be gratefullyremembered and visited whenever weare down that way, though we hopethat our next meeting will not have tobe arranged by means of flares androckets."


A Life-Boat Diary

The Duchess of Kent in NorthWales

Aberystwyth and Barmouth Stations Visited

THE Duchess of Kent made a two-daytour through North Wales on thellth and 12th of July. Her tour wascomprehensive; she visited places likethe National Library of Wales, HarlechCastle, the Oakley Slate Quarries andinspected detachments of such bodiesas the St. John Ambulance Brigadeand the Red Cross. She also saw thelife-boat crews at Aberystwyth andBarmouth.

At Aberystwyth she was presentedto the coxswain and crew, who weredrawn up in front of the life-boat, theFrederick Angus. This was one of thelast "ceremonial" appearances of thislife-boat, as Aberystwyth is shortly tohave a new one, the Aquala Wren.The Duchess chatted with membersof the crew, and shook hands withthem.

At Barmouth, the crew, in uniform,stood to attention carrying their oarsas the Duchess approached in her car,and she waved to them as she passed.

This will have been a busy life-boatyear for the Duchess of Kent. InMarch and May she named two newlife-boats, at New Brighton and Mar-gate respectively (see page 207). Shepresided at the Annual Meeting of theInstitution on March 14th, and onDecember 5th she will attend theLife-boat Ball at the Savoy Hotel,London, organised by the Ladies'Committee of the Central LondonBranch.

A Gift from AbadanLAST year Bexhill-on-Sea held a life-boat flag day for the first time. Thisyear permission for the day was refused.The honorary secretary of the branch,anxious to do all that he could to makeup the loss, wrote to an old friend ofhis who was marine superintendent ofthe Anglo-Iranian Oil Company inAbadan, Persia, and sent him a life-boat collecting box for his office. Asa result he has received a cheque for

£83 14s. Of this sum £3 10s. camefrom the collecting box and £804s. from a special collection at adance of the shipping office, held inAbadan.

A Distinguished Gift from NewZealand

MR. W. J. JORDAN, High Commissionerfor New Zealand in the United King-dom, has given £1,000 to make a trustfund for Ramsgate life-boatmen andtheir widows.

Mr. Jordan was himself born atRamsgate, and he said that he wasmaking the gift in memory of hisfather, who once served in the Ramsgateand Margate life-boat crews.

A Life-boat Entente

Calais Pays a Visit to Dover

THE Honorary Secretary of the Doverstation, Mr. Douglas Stewart, receivedthis letter on the 31st of July fromthe President of the Calais life-boatstation branch of the French Life-boatSociety:

"DEAR SIR,"Our Calais life-boat Marechal

Foch will be coming to Dover Sunday,August 5th, 1951, on a training trip.

"Sailing has been fixed at 8a.m.and E.T.A. at 10.30 a.m. weatherpermitting.

"On this occasion, I would verymuch appreciate to introduce to youour crew (eight men including theskipper and wireless operator), someof the members of our local Committeeand myself.

"Hoping to receive very soon afavourable reply and thanking you inadvance,

"I am, Dear Sir,"Yours faithfully,

(Signed] P. Drujon."The President."

Mr. H. D. Hawksfield, Chairman ofthe Dover branch, promptly invitedthe whole French party to lunch ashis personal guests. They accepted;


and at about eleven o'clock on Sundaymorning, the 5th of August, theFrench life-boat steamed up to theEastern Arm. Here M. Drujon, hiscommittee members and the officersand crew of the Marechal Foch, werewelcomed by the leading officials ofthe Dover branch, with the coxswain,second coxswain, and members of theDover life-boat crew. Each partyinspected the other's life-boat and theFrench party (which included twolady members of the Calais committee)were most enthusiastic about theDover life-boat Southern Africa.

After a cordial lunch, the MarechalFoch departed at two o'clock; andthe Dover committee were invitedto return the visit to Calais next year.

Cromer's Three Crows

A DISCUSSION took place at a meetingof the Cromer Urban District Councillast June about providing an officialcoat of arms for the town. One of theCouncillors, Mr. R. T. Kidd, said thathe had previously mentioned the factthat the church and Cromer's life-boatsshould be represented in an officialcrest. " There you have something ofwhich we are proud," he said, "wehave a representation of the life andpolicy of the people."

However, weight of sentiment forkeeping Cromer's present unofficialcrest of three crows prevailed; and forthe present at least their wings willcontinue to fly over Cromer.

Two Stained-Glass Windows

Two stained-glass windows containinglife-boat subjects were dedicated lastyear in Sussex.

The first was dedicated in St.Clements Church, Hastings on the3rd of December. The extreme right-hand pane shows a fisherman in life-boat oilskins and a kneeling woman,beside a sailing boat. The fishermanis Coxswain Ned Adams of theHastings life-boat. (See page 220.)

The other window was dedicated bythe Bishop of Dover on the 6th ofAugust, 1950, in the Church of St.George the Martyr, Deal. It wasdesigned by Donald B. Taunton of

John Harlands, to replace a windowdestroyed by enemy action on the22nd of October, 1942. The bottompane shows the Walmer life-boat in arough sea. (See page 221.)

Two Bundles of NotesAN anonymous donor has sent a pack-age to the Institution containing twobundles, each of 500 £l notes. Allthat accompanied this generous gift of£1,000 was a short note, reque^tins?acknowledgment in the London TimesPersonal Column, Saturday, Augustllth, as follows: Received—''ShipAhoy all weathers."

The Stout of HeartMB. G. A. C. WEDLAKE of liridgwaterhas written a life-boat play called TheStout of Heart. It was first performedin the Summer Original Play Festival,when it was placed second in order ofmerit. It has since been performed atthe Youth Drama Festival and wonthe Bridgwater Trophy jointly in atie with another play.

A Legacy from a Naval PensionerA NAVAL officer, who died in theRoyal Naval Hospital at Plymouthlast June, has left his savings, exceptfor two legacies, to the Life-boatService.

A Film from IcelandTHE National Life-Saving Associationof Iceland has sponsored a silent film,entitled Rescue at Latrabjarg, showingthe actual rescue of the crews of twoBritish trawlers wrecked off Iceland, theSargon of Grimsby and the Dhoon ofFleetwood. The film was shown for .thefirst time in Great Britain on the 30thof January, 1951, at the Hull Uni-versity Film Society.

Portrait on the CoverTHE portrait on the cover is of Cox-swain Martin Gardner of Anstruther.He was appointed coxswain in 1938,served in the Forces throughout thewar of 1939-1945, and took up hisduties as coxswain once more in 1946.

SUMMEH, J951] THE LIFE-BOAT 233

BOOK REVIEW

Freemen of the Sea, by Dora Walker

(A. Brown & Sons, Ltd., B.C. 1. 10/6)

Miss DORA WALKER, who is presidentof the Whitby Ladies' Life-boat Guild,has written a charming anecdotal bookabout the seafarers of Whitby; a seriesof true "fishermen's yarns" told toher by some of the seafarers themselvesand recounted. They make absorb-ing reading. Local salts come readilyto life in such observations as "Afterthat voyage for a change I tried one of'Marwoods' steamers, the Conocopia.Bos'un I was by then. She was afoul-weather ship!" (From The ^Mari-ner] and "He's forty-nine, and theytold him in the Custom House that heneed not go, but he replied 'The ladand I have been fishing together, andI am not leaving him to go into thisalone'." (From A Coble Skipper'sDiary.) Other characters fill out thepicture with verisimilitude: the "Stow-away," John Robert Dryden, who hidaboard his father's trawler, to go tosea at the age of five; Old Bob's wife("My missus was a good bailer. Upat 4 a.m. to skein she'd be") and the"joskins"—men who work on theland most of the year but go to seawhen the herring season comes.

Herring fishing, of course, is the chiefoccupation and industry of Whitby.But the author writes too of the ship-building family of Smales, active inWhitby since the eighteenth century,and of the adventures of local seamenserving in the Navy during the latewar. Appropriately enough she windsup with a chapter—The Yellow Oil-skins—about the Life-boat Service; inparticular, the life-boatmen of Whitbyand their boats. She describes a ser-vice in November 1950, and then,going back a century, tells us that thelife-boat which made a spectacularrescue on February 8th, 1861, wasbuilt by one of the men who sent amodel to the great 1851 Exhibition.

This is a well written intimate bookabout its subject. It is illustratedwith a number of fine photographs ofWhitby, of fishing boats at sea and inharbour, and of Whitby life-boats andlife-boatmen past and present.

Flag Days: An Answer tothe Critics

THE following was taken from theeditorial column of the West Briton andCornwall Advertiser, for the 9th of July.

"The caustic criticisms which Corn-wall Police Authority have lately madeabout flag days may have been a trueexpression of the public's irritation atbeing accosted as they go about thestreets, but those who undertake thenot very congenial task of organisingthese collections must have taken themin a pardonably bitter mood. Thereis much to be said—and members ofthe Police Authority said it—againstflag days, yet there is a want oflogicality in decrying them at a timewhen it is the vogue, in other contexts,to deplore the wilting and decay ofvoluntary service. It is hardly con-sistent to wax indignant or scornfulabout the State as an all-provider, andthen to suggest closing one of thechannels through which voluntary helpcan make itself effective. To organisea flag day is an opportunity, not with-out its difficulties, for those in whomthe desire to be of use is not quenchedto help the causes they have at heart,and through their efforts people whocan afford but little can give their mite.The public are getting ever moredisposed to regard the multitude ofState-provided services as somethingfor which nobody in particular pays.

"This attitude of mind is exempli-fied in the County Council's difficultyin convincing people that the ambu-lance service is not theirs to commandas a sort of free taxi service to andfrom hospitals. Whether flag daysare intrinsically good or bad, it wouldbe a pity to destroy them as a vestigeof the voluntary spirit which was onceso strong and now becomes enfeebled.There are still many -good works,whose worth to the country cannot beexaggerated, which struggle on withouta penny of revenue beyond what thegoodwill of their friends provides, suchas Dr. Barnardo's Homes, the RoyalNational Life-boat Institution, andothers. It would be grievous indeedif a popular antipathy to flag daysshould injure them at a time when aconstantly rising cost of living threat-ens more and more to dry up thesprings of private generosity."


ObituaryReai-'Admiral T. P. H. Beamish

REAR-ADMIRAL T. P. H. BEAMISH,C.B., who died on the 2nd of May atthe age of-76, had been a member ofthe Committee of Management fortwenty-seven years. He was electedto the Committee in 1924, served on theGeneral Purposes and Boat Committees,and helped the Institution also byspeaking at the meetings of branches.In 1949 he was appointed a vice-presi-deilt in recognition of his long servicefor the Institution.

Lord HoldenLORD HOLDEN, who died on the 6th ofJuly, at the age of nearly fifty-three,and was for a time in the diplomaticservice, had been a member of theCommittee of Management for threeand a half years. He was elected toit at the end of 1947, the same year inwhich he became Deputy-Chairmanand Speaker of the House of Lords.

Mrs. Talbot-Cadow, of CarlisleMRS. W. TALBOT-CADOW, of Carlisle,died on the llth of February. She hadbeen an active and successful honoraryworker for the Life-boat Service fortwenty-eight years. It was in 1923that she became president of the Car-lisle and district branch, which in theprevious year had collected under £3.In 1923 it collected £249. Five yearsafter becoming president Mrs. Talbot-Cadow took over also the work ofhonorary secretary. For twenty-oneyears she continued the duties of both,resigning them in 1947 and becomingpatron of the branch. In the twenty-eight years of her life-boat work, thebranch raised over £10,000. In 1932Mrs. Talbot-Cadow was awarded thegold badge, given only for distinguishedhonorary services, and in 1948 she wasappointed an honorary life-governor,the highest award which the Institu-tion can give.

Major A. I. DawtonMAJOR A. J. DAWSON, M.B.E., whodied at his home in Hastings on the

4th of February last, at the age ofseventy-nine, was a most widelytravelled man and the author of a greatvariety of books. He served in thewar of 1914 to 1918 although overmilitary age, won the Croicc de Guerreavec Palme, and, when invalided, estab-lished a propaganda section in theWar Office. After the war he was onthe staff of the Institution for a shorttime, before going out to India asdirector of information to the Govern-ment of Bombay, and on his return toEngland was invited by the Committeeof Management of the Institution towrite the history of the first hundredyears of the Life-boat Service. Thishistory, entitled Britain's Life-boats,was published in 1923 for the Institu-tion's centenary the next year. It hadan introduction by the Prince of Wales(now Duke of Windsor), president ofthe Institution, and a foreword byJoseph Conrad.

Mrs. Polly Donkin

MRS. POLLY DONKIN, the most widelyknown of the fisherwives of Cullercoatswho for nearly thirty years have col-lected for the Life-boat Service at thesummer exercise of the Cullercoats life-boat, died on the 26th of March aftera long illness. She was ninety-three,and an indomitable old lady. Whenshe was already well in the eighties,she had one of her legs amputated.The collections started in 1922, andyear after year Mrs. Donkin collectedmore than anyone else. Altogether shecollected over £1,000. In 1930 she wasawarded the Institution's gold badge,the first of three of the Cullercoatsfisherwives to receive this award fordistingu'shed honorary service. Sheattended the annual meeting of theInstitution in London for its presenta-tion, wearing the fisherwives' brightly-coloured dress, and the traditionalshawl. When the Prince of Waleshanded the badge to her he asked her:"How do you get the money, Mrs.Donkin?" Her answer was: "I liketo get the money, and I get the money."


" THANK'S EVER SO MUCH, AND DON'T FORGET Any TIME YOU NEEDOUR HELP H *


Off Conway CastleIN the Spring number there was aphotograph of the Llandudno life-boat,off Conway Castle. This photographwas reproduced by very kind per-

mission of the North Wales WeeklyNews, and we regret that no acknow-ledgment was made under the repro-duction.

All contributions for the Institution should be sent either to the honorary secretaryof the local branch or guild, or to Colonel A. D. Burnett Ero-jon, M.C., T.D., M.A.,the Secretary, Royal National Life-boat Institution, 42, Grosvenor Gardens, London,S.W.I.

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

The next number of THE LIFE-BOAT will be the autumn number, 1951.

LITERATURE OF THELIFE-BOAT

An Account of Books, Pamphletsand Press Articles on the Life-boat

Service, 1785-1947

With 63 i//ustrotions from oldprints, paintings and photographs

By SIR JOHN GUMMINGK.C.I.E., C.S.I.

A Vice-President of the Institution

Copies can be obtained from the

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOATINSTITUTION

42 Grosvenor Gardens, London,S.W.I

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