Newhaven (Sussex), South Shields (Northumberland).

THE Institution has awarded Bronze Medals for gallantry in saving life to four men, all four of whom ran great risk of losing their lives.

On the afternoon of 21st July a small yacht, Fidelity, was caught in a strong 8. W. gale off Newhaven, when on her way to Newhaven from Cowes. Three persons were on board, her owner (Mr. F. E.

Cleverton), his wife, and a deck-hand (Mr. Williams). The yacht was dis- masted, and was driven towards the shore near the East Pier, where there is always a very heavy sea in the shoal waters in S.W. gales.

The Newhaven Motor Life-boat was launched, and found that the yacht was already in the broken water close to the shore. There was no time to anchor and veer down or for any manoeuvring, and the Coxswain took the direct but dangerous course of going straight through the heavy sea, which was practically abeam. He got the Life-boat alongside, calling to those on board the yacht to be ready to jump, but they were so exhausted or unnerved that they made no attempt to do it. A succession of heavy seas then struck the yacht and she was carried still further towards the shore, where, in spite of every effort, the ! Life-boat could not get near enough to ' I help her.

Meanwhile, a motor cyclist who was passing, Mr. C. J. Skinner of Newhaven, saw the yacht's danger, and ran into a neighbouring inn to get a rope. With this round his waist he plunged into the breakers, and both Mrs. Cleverton, who : was half-unconscious, and Mr. Williams , were got ashore alive. Mr. Cleverton, who had made a gallant effort to save :.

his wife, then jumped overboard, but in !' spite of the efforts of the people on : shore, he was drowned. On two pre- vious occasions he had had narrow escapes from being drowned while yachting. In addition to the Bronze Medal awarded to Mr. Skinner—who ran a great risk from the heavy seas, which was only slightly diminished by the rope j round his waist—the Institution has ' made additional monetary awards to the j Coxswain and his Crew in recognition of j the boldness and decision which was j shown.

South Shields.

The second service took place a few ! days later at South Shields. On the j morning of 25th July, two men, Mr. Croft and Mr. Scott, went out in a small f oy boat to fish. They were caught in a squall and their boat became unmanageable.

They tried to enter the harbour, but the wind and heavy sea swept them away, and they were carried towards the Trow Rocks. They succeeded in anchoring, but the cable parted, and their boat drove ashore, being continually swept by the breakers.

They had been seen from the shore, and a messenger went to ask the Coast Guard to launch their boat, but their danger became so great that two young men who were watching, Mr. Geoffrey Jagger and Mr. Arnold Millar, decided to launch a surf-boat. They were told that such a boat could not live in the i sea which was running, but they insisted | on putting out, and when they were I within hailing distance, shouted to Croft i and Scott to try and follow them. This ! they managed to do for about 30 yards, | but then the foy boat was swamped, 1 Croft being thrown into the sea, while Scott managed to cling to the boat and i was washed ashore. At the same moment the rescuing boat was capsized, and both Jagger and Millar were flung into the sea. Jagger immediately swam towards Croft, and Millar made for his own boat, which was bottom up, reached it, and soon afterwards found that he was touching bottom. He then saw that Jagger was unable to manage by himself, and that CJroft, who could not swim, was going under to every wave.

He made for Croft and managed to hold him up until Jagger was able to join him, when they succeeded together in getting Croft, who was now un- conscious, into shallow water. Two obher men waded out to their help, and one of them rendered first-aid to Croft. The Institution, besides awarding Bronze Medals to Mr. Jagger and Mr.

Millar, sent a Letter of Thanks and a monetary award to this man, Mr. B.

McReady, a miner.

The third service was also at South Shields. At dusk on 9th August last, a small pleasure steamer wished to land some people at Coble Landing, and a small boat went out in answer to her hails. She had room for two or three people, but seven attempted to get into her. She capsized, and they were all thrown into the water. Fortunately they were able to get hold either of the boat itself or of oars—all but one man, Andrew Skinner, who sank more than once and was carried away by the tide, which was running at about two knots.

An Ordinary Seaman of the Tyne Division R.N.V.R., Michael Campbell, saw what had happened from the shore, and at once dived in, stopping only to throw off his coat. He swam out thirty yards, seized Skinner, who was in grave danger of drowning, and in spite of Skinner's struggles, which threatened to drag him under too, kept him afloat until a boat arrived and rescued them.

The Institution gave Campbell a monetary award in addition to the Bronze Medal, and also rewarded the men who manned the boat and rescued five of the other passengers in addition to Skinner and Campbell..