TWICE during th? past summer Life- boats have saved the lives of bathers who had got into difficulties. On each occasion the Life-boat was out on other duties and went to the rescue in the nick of time.

On the afternoon of 20th July the Motor Life-boat at Barry Dock was doing machinery trials with half a crew on board. Shouts were heard from tlie cliffs, a man was seen floating in the broken water at the foot of them, and almost at the same moment another man was seen to jump into the sea to his help. The Life-boat was brought round, and ran towards the shore. Two other men, both fully dressed, were then seen to jump into the sea. The Life- boat was taken in to within about ten feet of the cliffs, at some risk to herself, for not only was the wind strong and the sea rough, but there was only five or six feet of water, and broken rocks all round. ; The four men were seen, two on each '• side of the bow. The bather who had got into difficulties had been swept on to some rocks, with the result, as was discovered later, that several of his ribs were broken, and he was floating face downwards. The man who had jumped in to the rescue first was much exhausted, and he also appeared to have been injured on the rocks. The other two, fully dressed, were just able to keep afloat, and no more. They too were being carried towards the rocks, i j The assistant Motor Mechanic, George ]• Gifford, jumped overboard with a line |j round his waist, and brought the un- 1! conscious man to the Life-boat. At the i | same time a rope had been got over the j | other man on the same side of the Life- ' boat, and with Giflord's help he was got aboard. First aid was given by the Bowman, but it was half an hour before the two men were brought round.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Life-boat, one of the two men was holding up the other, who had become unconscious. A rope was got to him, but in seizing it he lost his hold of the unconscious man, who was drowned But for the presence of the Life-boat the other three men would undoubtedly have lost their lives also.

The other rescue took place at the Inaugural Ceremony of the Great Yar- mouth and Gorleston Motor Life-boat on llth August. After the ceremony the Life-boat went down the river and out to sea, where she gave a display of life-saving. As she was on her way back, one of the Crew saw a swimmer making signs. He seemed to be in difficulties, and the Life-boat put about. When he was pulled on board, he was too ex- hausted to speak, but it was found later that, having swum far out, he had been caught in a strong ebb, had become completely exhausted struggling against it, and was being carried out to sea.

But for the opportune arrival of the Life-boat he would almost certainly have been drowned..