EX-COXSWAIN JOHN HOWELLS, of Fish- guard, died on 14th March at the age of 72. He was Coxswain of the Fishguard Life-boat from 1910 to 1921.. In December, 1920, he was awarded the Institution's Gold Medal for the ser- vice to the Dutch Motor Schooner Hermina, from, which, at imminent peril to their own lives, the Fishguard Crew rescued seven men. Coxswain HoweBs and his Crew, who received Silver and Bronze Medals, were per- sonally decorated with them by the Prince of Wales, at the Annual Meeting in 1921. He was also presented with a Gold Watch by the Dutch Govern- ment, and the Dutch Shipping Board expressed their "great admiration of the courage and seamanship of Cox- swain Howells and his Crew." With the other Gold Medallists of the Insti- tution, he was presented at the Cen- tenary Dinner of the Institution last July, was received at Buckingham Palace, and decorated by the King with the Medal of the Order of the British Empire.

As a young man, Coxswain Howells served in the Navy, and was a shipmate of King George, then a naval cadet.

On leaving the Navy, he entered the , service of the Great Western Railway Company, and when Fishguard Harbour was opened for Irish traffic, eighteen years ago, was put in charge of the coaling gang at the harbour under the Marine Department. He was a deacon of Bethesda Baptist Church, for many years its Honorary Treasurer, and Superintendent of the Sunday School.