ON the 2nd December the three-masted Dutch motor schooner Hermina, which the crew, and courageous determination on the part of them all, could have had been sheltering in Fishguard i successfully brought the Life-boat, Harbour, left for Rotterdam. During | waterlogged as she was, away from a the night the wind freshened until it ' lee shore, with sheer cliffs behind her, in was blowing a moderate gale from N. W., j the face of a whole gale, and she was compelled to return, j No sooner had the Life-boat cast off remaining at anchor outside the break- than her mizzen sail was blown to water during the day. The wind in- ribbons, became unhooked, and was creased to a gale, and, as darkness set lost overboard, leaving her with only in, it was seen that the Hermina was riding he.ivily to her anchors. Then, at 6.40 P.M., she was seen burning flares as signals of distress, and the Motor the main sail set. If her position was perilous before, it was now almost hopeless; but, in response to the call of the Coxswain, the Second Coxswain Life-boat was launched. By the time and one of the crew, Thomas Holmes, the Life-boat reached her, the Hermina at once crawled out on the forward had dragged her anchors for a con- end box, and, with great seas breaking siderable distance, and was grinding over them, succeeded in reeving the jib heavily on the rocks with tremendous tack so that the jib sail might be set.

seas making a clean breach over her.

The Life-boat was anchored, and veered down to her, but it was only with the Life-boat and all on board of her.

There is little doubt that the prompt action of these brave men saved the greatest difficulty and at great risk that she was able to get ropes on board. The sea was lifting the Life-boat right into At midnight, three hours after she left the wreck, the Life-boat reached Fishguard. Shortly afterwards flares her rigging, and once,had it not been that were again seen burning on the Hermina.

the rigging prevented it, the Boat would The captain had repented of his decision have dashed down on the schooner's j to remain on board,but it was impossible deck. In spite of these difficulties seven ; for the Life-boat to return. Fortunately, of the crew were safely taken off, but " the Life-saving Apparatus was in the captain and the two mates refused readiness at the top of the cliff. The to leave their vessel. The Coxswain ', second mate had been washed away and implored them to come, telling them i drowned, but £e captain and the first for the ; that it would be impossible Life-boat to return, and that very soon, with the rising tide, the Hermina would be dashed to pieces on the cliffs. What mate succeeded in climbing on the rocks, and here, when day came, they were seen to be clinging, and were rescued by the Life-saving Apparatus. One of the happened later proved the Coxswain to j volunteer crew, Mr. William Morgan, was be right; but the captain and the mates ; lowered down the cliff in order to reach still refused to leave their ship, and the Life-boat prepared to return to Fishguard without them. j Splendid as had been the actual work of rescue, the real test of the skill and courage of the crew was still to come. ; While the rescue was being carried out ] the mate, who was lying on a ledge utterly exhausted, with the waves washing over him. By this time the Hermina had been broken in two by the Needle Rock.

The unanimous opinion at Fishguard was that the seamanship and splendid determination of Coxswain John Howells the motor mechanic discovered that the were chiefly responsible for rescuing the Life-boat was leaking, and although in men of the Hermina from almost certhese difficult circumstances he made tain death, and the Life-boat and her repeated efforts, he could, not start the j crew from imminent danger of deengine.

The Life-boat, with the seven j struction. Coxswain Howells himself rescued men aboard, was in a position [ spoke in the highest terms of the of extreme peril. Only magnificent courage and ready obedience with which seamanship on the part of the Coxswain, the readiest obedience on the part of the crew had supported him, and especially of Second Coxswain T. 0.Davies, Motor Mechanic R. E. Simpson, and Life-boat man. Thomas Holmes.

The Committee of Management decided that the circumstances of this rescue, and the skill and courage sho ivn, were of so exceptional a character as to justify the award of the highest honour which it is in the power of the Instituj I tion to bestow—the Gold Medal. The Gold Medal was awarded, therefore, to Coxswain Howells, and the Silver Medal to Second Coxswain Davies, Motor Mechanic Simpson, and Life-boat man Holmes for their special services.

Feeling, also, that all the crew had shown exceptional courage and resolution in carrying out the orders of their Coxswain, the Committee also decided to award to each remaining member the Bronze Medal. An additional monetary reward was a'so given to every member of the crew. The last Gold Medal was awarded in 1917 for the service of the Cromer Life-boat to the Swedishi steamer Fcrnebo.

The Dutch Shipping Board which sat to examine the causes of the loss of the Hermina, expressed their "great admiration of the courage and seamanship of Coxswain Howells and his crew." The Committee also decided to award the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum to Mr. William Morgan, of the Life-saving Apparatus, and to give him the same monetary reward as the crew..