St. Andrews, Fifeshire, and Thurso, Caithness-shire.

Two gallant services were carried out by Life-boats in Scotland during March., one by the Pulling and Sailing Life- boat at St. Andrews, Fifeshire, and the other by the Motor Life-boat at Thurso, Caithness-shire. The circum- stances were similar. In each case the wreck was lying among rocks, and it was a difficult and hazardous task to get the Life-boat close enough to rescue the crew. In each case this was successfully done, and the Cox- swains of both Life-boats were awarded the Institution's Bronze Medal.

St. Andrews.

In the middle of the night of March 8th the steam trawler Loch Long, of Aber- deen, went ashore in a heavy snow squall on the reef of rocks known as Balcomie Briggs. A gale was blowing; the sea was rough ; and the night very dark and bitterly cold. The Life-boat was got away at 2.30 on the morning of the 9th. The tide was not high enough to launch her in the harbour, and she was launched off the open beach, with very great difficulty, owing to the rough sea breaking. A party of over 200 people, including women, helped in the launch, many being above their waists in the sea.

The Life-boat reached the wreck shortly after 5.30, just as day broke.

The trawler had gone right in over the reef, and seas were breaking over her.

The Coxswain feared that, as the tide fell, she would capsize, so he decided, in spite of the great risk, to attempt a rescue at once. He anchored to wind- ward and veered the Life-boat down to the wreck.

The trawler lay with rocks all round her, and the Life-boat was taken between and over them, with the seas breaking continually aboard her, and at times completely filling her. At one point she actually touched the rocks. In spite of these difficulties and dangers, she got near enough for a line to be thrown on board the trawler ; a breeches buoy was rigged, and one of the crew was hauled through the broken water into the Life-boat. The remainder were unwilling to take this risk, and the Coxswain succeeded in getting the Life- boat near enough for them to jump aboard her. There she lay for half an hour, until, one by one, the nine men had jumped down. Then the Life-boat was hauled clear of the rocks, and reached her station safely just after 8 o'clock. The Broughty Ferry Motor Life-boat and the Anstruther Life-boat were also called out, but their help was not needed.

For this fine service the Institution awarded its Bronze Medal to Coxswain D. Fenton, and extra monetary awards to him and each member of the Crew.

It also sent a Letter of Appreciation to all who took part in the launch.

Thurso.

Shortly before 10 P.M. on 18th March the news reached Thurso that a schooner, the Pel, of Chester, had gone ashore on the rocky headland of Brims Ness, five miles away. The night was foggy and very dark, with a heavy ground swell, which made the conditions on shore very bad. Half an hour after launching, the Life-boat picked up the flares of the wreck, anchored to windward, and veered down until about 60 yards away.

Nearer than that the Coxswain felt it unsafe to go, owing to submerged rocks and the remains of an old wreck which lay between the Life-boat and the schooner. By the light of the Life- boat's searchlight, a line was fired over the wreck from the line-throwing gun.

For the first time on service a night tracer was used, fitted on the projectile which carries the line, in order to show by its sparks the flight of the line. This was very successful. A breeches buoy was then rigged and sent aboard the wreck, and one of the schooner's crew was hauled into the Life-boat. He told the Coxswain that the other three on board were old men, the skipper being seventy- nine. They were already exhausted, and he feared that it would kill them to be hauled through the cold water.

On learning this the Coxswain decided to veer the Life-boat in over the rocks and the remains of the old wreck, and to get under the lee of the schooner.

There was the greatest danger that the Life-boat herself would strike, but she was very coolly and skilfully handled by the Coxswain. By the light of her searchlight he took her safely alongside the schooner, which was rolling and grinding on the rocks. There the Life- boat lay, rising and falling in the swell.

At times she had no more than a foot of water under her, and the tide was falling. The rescue had to be carried out as quickly as possible, or the Life- boat herself might have been left on the rocks; but with the wreck rolling, and the Life-boat rising and falling on the swell all the time, it took half an hour to lift the three men off the wreck.

The Life-boat then hove in on her cable, drew clear of the rocks, and reached Thurso again at midnight. By next morning the schooner had started to break up. Had the Life-boat waited for daylight and a rising tide, she would probably have been too late.

For this fine service the Institution awarded its Bronze Medal to Coxswain Angus McPhail, its Thanks Inscribed on Vellum to Second-Coxswain Adam Mc- Leod, and extra monetary award? to them and to each member of the Crew..