SHORTLY before half-past twelve on the afternoon of the 19th March the Swanage life-boat station received a telephone message from the coastguard that a small yacht appeared to be in difficulties oft Southbourne, some eight miles away. A strong gale was blowing from the south and the sea was very heavy. The motor life-boat Thomas Markby was launched at 12.37 and at 1.30 came up with the yacht, the Holly Lise. She had two men on board—an American, the owner, and a Frenchman. Her jib had been blown away. She was then near Boscombe pier, and close to the shore, where waves eight feet high were breaking.

As the hfe-boat approached her the yacht evidently struck the sands, for she was thrown on her beam ends, her keel was exposed, and one of the two men was flung into the sea. The life- boat made to pick him up, but he disappeared.

Without hesitation the assistant motor mechanic, Robert C. Brown, went overboard in his oilskins, life-belt and sea-boots. He could not see the man, but in shaking off his boots he kicked against him under water, seized him, and held him until the life-boat was able to pick them both up. Brown had then been in the water about five minutes. The rescued man was unconscious, and it was twenty minutes before he was brought round. Meanwhile the other man on the yacht had been rescued from the shore by the Southbourne life-saving apparatus.

There is no doubt that Brown's prompt action saved the man's life.

The action was all the braver because, had they been carried any nearer to the piles of the pier or to the shore, it would have been very difficult for the life-boat to pick them up, and, with the heavy backwash from the sea-wall, it would have been impossible for them to reach the shore.

In recognition of his gallantry the Institution has awarded to assistant motor mechanic Robert C. Brown its bronze medal, accompanied by a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum and signed by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, K.G., as President of the Institution, and £1. It has also paid for the sea- boots which he lost. The total rewards for the service were £10 16s. lid..