DURING the severe storms last December six Life-boat men lost their lives while on service. Five of them were members of the crew of the Life-boat at Rhos- colyn, in Anglesey, and the sixth be- longed to the Boat at Johnshaven, in Kincardineshire. Both of the boats were of the self-righting type. They were capsized by exceptionally heavy waves, and righted themselves imme- diately, but, in spite of the life-lines, it was not possible for all of the men to regain them.

At 9 A.M. on the 3rd December, in a whole gale from N. W., with a very heavy sea, the Rhoscoly n Life-boat was launched to a small steamer, which, although steam- ing, was unable to make any headway, and was drifting before the gale, three or four miles west of Bhoscolyn Beacon.

She was found afterwards to be the Tirnbo, of Whitby, a steamer of 115 tons, on a voyage, in ballast, from Liverpool to Newport in Monmouth- shire. As the Life-boat left the land the sea was increasing, and it was two hours before she reached the steamer.

Owing to the heavy weather and the vessel's iron-bound fenders, the Life- boat was unable to get alongside, but she succeeded in making fast astern by a four-inch hawser. This, unfortunately, parted almost at once, and the. Life- boat was unable to beat up to the Timbo again ; but, as the steamer's anchors were now holding on a good bottom, the Life-boat left her, and, since it was impossible to lay a course for Rhoscolyn, made for Llanddwyn.

She had been running before the gale for about an hour when a huge sea broke over the lee side, and two of the crew, Evan Hughes and Owen Jones, were washed overboard. Four attempts were made to pick them up, but it was found to be impossible, and the Life- boat again headed for Llanddwyn. She was still two miles away from the shore when a very heavy squall and a tre- mendous sea threw her on her beam ends to starboard, her sails going right under water. In a few seconds she righted herself, but Coxswain Owen Owens and two members of the crew, William Thomas aud Richard Hughes, failed to regain her, and before the boat could be got under control again all three had disappeared. ) It was then about 3.30 P.M.—over six hours since the Life boat had put out— and she was dangerously near the rocks.

She anchored for more than an hour, and then was beached at Llanddwyti, twenty miles from Rhoscolyn, practically un- damaged. The remaining eight men of the crew, of whom one had been severely bruised, were taken care of by the people of Llanddwyn, who consisted of three pilots and their families. Next day all but the injured man were taken home by motor.

! The bodies of the five men who had been drowned were recovered, and i at the inquests which were held the ' evidence showed that the Life-boat and her equipment were in perfect order.

The survivors were unanimous in prais- ing the behaviour of the fioat and the way in which she was handled by the Coxswain and by Edward Hughes, who relieved him from time to. time ; while the master of the Timbo--which was ultimately driven ashore, all of her crew but four being saved—spoke in high praise of the crew of the Life-boat, and said that they did everything that it was possible for men to do. Of the five men who were drowned, Coxswain Owens and Owen Jones left widows but no children, and the Committee of | Management decided to give Mrs. Owens i and Mrs. Jones the customary pensions ! awarded to the widows of Coxswains i and Life-boat men who lose their lives j on Service, plus a bonus of 50 per cent.

• on account of the present high cost of living. Additional monetary rewards were also given to the crew.

Johnshaven.

During a whole S.S.E. gale and a very heavy sea the Johnshaven Life- boat James Marsh was called out at about 11.45 A.M., on the 21st December, to the help of the Danish schooner Fredeniiborg, which was in distress about five and three-quarter miles S.W.

of Johnshaven. The vessel at the time was bound from Copenhagen to Grange- mouth with a cargo of scrap iron, and carried a crew of nine hands. All her canvas had been blown away, and when the Life-boat arrived she was riding to both anchors, with a trawler standing by. Four of the trawler's crew were on board the Fredensbonj, and they called to the Life-boat to come alongside. The four men were taken back to the trawler, and the Danish captain, finding that his port anchor would not hold—the starboard cable having already carried away—decided to cut the port cable and let his vessel go ashore, as he felt it would be less risk to ground with no cable than to drag ashore.

As soon as the four men had been placed on their vessel the Life - boat I'eturned to the schooner, and with considerable difficulty, owing to the heavy seas running, succeeded in taking off the nine men on board. A course was then set to return to harbour.

The entrance to it is at any time dangerous. A reef of rocks runs for about two or three hundred yards on each side of the entrance channel, and the breadth of this channel is only about thirty feet at the widest part. It was, at this time, low water with a heavy confused sea breaking over the rocks, and as the Life-boat was rounding up to enter the channel a huge sea struck her on the starboard quarter, and she heeled over so far that all hands were thrown into the water. The Boat righted herself at once. Some of the men. managed to hold on to the lines and scrambled back into her, while the remainder struck out for the shore, which was quite close. A few minutes later the Boat was thrown on to the beach to the northward of the harbour.

The men who swam ashore were helped by onlookers from the beach, but James McBay, although he was a very strong swimmer, succumbed, and all efforts to restore him failed, and two of the crew of the schooner were not seen again.

At the inquiry which was held it was stated that the Life-boat behaved mag- nificently, that the accident was not due to any defect in the Boat's gear, and that the crew showed great courage, returning to save others in the water when they had themselves been rescued.

After their severe and exhausting ex- perience they were unable to carry out their ordinary duties for several days.

The Life-boat herself was considerably damaged when she was thrown on shore, and was sent to London for complete overhaul and repair, a Reserve Life- boat being sent to the Station.

It was decided to present the Cox- swain with the Thanks of the Committee inscribed on Vellum, and to give each member of the crew an extra monetary reward, in addition to the double reward under the Institution's scale, which each had already received. John McBay, who lost his life, had been connected with the Life-boat Service for fifteen years, had served in the war, and been taken a prisoner. The Committee decided to give her a pension according to the Institution's scale, plus a bonus of 50 per cent, on account of the present high cost of living..