IT has been decided to make special awards in connexion with a service which took place at Fraserburgh in January, 1912, when the Life-boat was launched to the help of a steam trawler, Clio. The service of the Life-boat was reported to the Institution, and the usual awards were made, but owing to the serious illness of the Honorary Secretary no mention was made, at the time, of the special gallantry shown by the Second Coxswain and three members of the Crew. It was not until the Secretary of the Institution visited Fraserburgh that he heard the story of their gallantry.

He brought the matter to the -notice of the Committee of Management, a full report was called for, and it has now been decided that special awards should be made.

It was on the night of 14th January, 1912, that the Clio, in attempting to make Fraserburgh Harbour in a very heavy sea, struck the Beacon Rock off Cairnbulg Briggs, round which there was a great deal of broken water. Flares were burned, the Coastguard Life-saving Apparatus was called out, and the Lifeboat was launched. The rockets fired by the Coastguard were of no avail, as the trawler was too far off. and the Coastguard proposed to wait until daylight before taking any further action. The Life-boat made two attempts at rescue, but the sea was washing over the top of the Clio, and she could not get alongside. The Coxswain therefore anchored about 100 yards to the west of the Beacon, sheltering behind the Mungo Rock. At about 11 p.m. the Second Coxswain, James Sim, fearing that the crew of the Clio would die of exposure if they were not rescued before the morning, proposed that he should try to swim to the Briggs and that three other members of the Crew should follow him. The Coxswain approved of the plan, anchored his Boat ahead of the Briggs, and veered down as close to the rocks as possible. The Second Coxswain then jumped overboard in the darkness with a line attached to him and struggled through the heavy sea to the rocks, where he made the line fast. Three members of the Cre»~ followed—Alexander Ritchie, Andrew Ritchie and James Mitchell—and with the aid of the line got on to the Briggs.

Under the leadership of James Sim, they then crawled over the rocks until they were opposite the Clio, to find that the crew had got into the cage of the Beacon and lashed themselves there.

Between the Briggs and the Beacon was a deep channel. 20 feet wide. The Second Coxswain therefore decided to try to get the L.S.A. In this he was successful. A line was got across from the shore to the Briggs. The tide was falling, and six or seven of the L.S.A.

Crew waded across, with the help of this line, bringing with them a heaving-line, life-buoy and other apparatus. By means of this apparatus a line was then got over the deep channel to the Beacon, and the shipwrecked crew were rescued. But for the initiative, sound judgment, fine leadership and courage of the Second Coxswain, ably .supported by the three men who followed him, there is little doubt that the eight men of the Clio would have perished.

The Institution has therefore awarded its Silver Medal to Second Coxswain Sim. its Thanks inscribed on Vellum to Alexander Ritchie, Andrew- Ritchie, and the widow of James Mitchell, who has died since the service was performed.

Extra monetary awards have also been given..