COXSWAIN JOHN T. SWAN, of Lowes- toft, one of the most distinguished of English life-boatmen, died on 20th February, at the age of eighty-three.

He was coxswain of the Lowestoft life-boat from 1911 to 1924, when he retired at the age of seventy-two.

During that time 251 lives were rescued by the Lowestoft life-boats. Cox- swain Swan twice won the silver medal of the Institution, and its gold medal, which is given only for conspicuous gallantry.

Two of the outstanding rescues in which he took part were during the war.

He won the silver medal for the rescue of the crew of nine men of the mine- sweeper Condor, which was wrecked in November, 1914. and a clasp to his silver medal for the rescue of nine men from H.M. sloop Pomona, in Sep- tember, 1918. This last was a remark- able rescue, for by that time all the younger men of the life-boat service were serving with the navy, and in the crew of eighteen which manned the Lowestoft pulling and sailing life- boat, and went to the help of the Pomona, seventeen miles away, twelve were over fifty, and two were seventy- two years old.

In 1922 Coxswain Swan won the gold medal for the rescue of the crew of twenty-four men of the Hopelyn, of Newcastle, and in 1924, with the other gold medallists of the Institution, he was received at Buckingham Palace by the King and presented by him with the medal of the Order of the British Empire.

He received a coxswain's pension on his retirement in 1924, and later a special pension as a gold medallist.

Though he was then over seventy, he continued to give his help to the life-boat service in other ways. He presented the prizes won by London children in the life-boat essay competi- tion, in 1929. Next year he spoke at a number of London theatres and cinemas.

In the same year he made an appeal on the wireless for the life-boat service, from London, through the kindness of the B.B.C., describing his service to the Hopelyn. This appeal brought in over £750. For these services Coxswain Swan received the gold badge of the Institution, which is given for distin- guished honorary work in raising funds. He is the only man who has won both the gold medal and the gold badge..