ON Sunday, the 15th January, a south-easterly gale was blowing, with blinding snow-storms. A heavy sea was breaking on Holy Island, and the j weather was bitterly cold. Just before eight o'clock in the evening a flare was seen, and was located on False Em- manuel Head on the north side of the Island. The crews of the Life-boat and of the Coast-guard's Life-saving Apparatus were summoned, and the Apparatus was hurried across the Island.

It found a vessel—the trawler James B.

Graham, of Hartlepool—on the rocks of the Head. She lay in a very perilous position with a heavy list, and the seas were breaking along her decks. The Apparatus was taken as near as possible, but it was' too far away by a hundred yards. No rocket could reach the vessel.

Meanwhile the whole of the village, men and women, had turned out in the dark and snow to launch the No. 1 Life-boat.

The tide was low and the wheels oi thecarriage sank deep into the mud. It was only with extreme difficulty that the Boat was launched at all, and it needed sixty helpers to do it. Undeterred by the bitter cold, the women waded out waist-deep into the sea, and by their gallant efforts the Boat was got afloat just forty minutes after the alarm had been given. The distance round the Island to False Emmanuel Head was nearly four miles, and it was nearly ten o'clock before the Life-boat reached the stranded vessel. She lay surrounded by dangerous rocks and the iron remnants of an old wreck. Among these the Life-boat would have to make her way, in the pitch darkness and the blinding snow-squalls, if she was to reach the trawler. The Coxswain made the attempt, but owing to the rocks he was compelled to pull out again. The Life-boat then lay off for two hours waiting while the tide rose. The Coxswain then tried to approach the wreckfrom the otter side. Again he had to pull out. The rocks were too dangerous.

He waited another hour, and then, with his anchor dropped, veered the Boat slowly and cautiously down towards the vessel, and in between two rocks, before he could reach her. By skilful and daring seamanship this dangerous manoeuvre succeeded, and all nine men on the trawler were safely taken aboard the Life-boat. She was hauled out from among the perilous rocks, and reached her Station again at two o'clock in the morning. In recognition of the splendid seamanship and courage of Coxswain and crew the Committee of Management awarded to the Coxswain, George Cromarty, a Bar to his Silver Medal which he was awarded for a fine service in November 1916, when the Holy Island No. 2 Life-boat rescued fourteen persons from the Swedish barque Jolani; and the Bronze Medal to the Second Coxswain, William Wilson, and the Bowman, Thomas A. Stevenson. The crew received extra monetary awards, and a special Letter of Thanks was sent to " the Women of Holy Island." The Honoray Secretary of the Station, Mr. Hollingsworth, was also specially thanked..