A Rescue at Portrush.

A VIOLENT westerly gale, with gusts at 70 miles an hour, swept across the British Isles on 19th October, 1935, with loss of life and great damage to property ashore and afloat. Twelve life-boats were launched on service that day.* The gale reached Northern Ireland on the evening of the 18th, and about two o'clock on the following morning a collier which was moored alongside the quay at Portrush broke adrift and went aground near the life-boat's slip- way. The crew of the motor life-boat T.B.B.H. were assembled and stood by for the rest of the night. Later in the morning the collier floated clear, and as it was feared that she might damage the slipway and make it impossible to launch the life-boat, should she be needed, the boat was launched at once and moored in the harbour. It was then 10.30 in the morning. As the gale continued, the life-boat's erew stood by all day, and at 9.45 in the evening a message came from the coastguard that a vessel was ashore at Port Ballintrae.

A Heavy Gale, Rain and Sleet.

The life-boat at once put out. With her crew went Mr. R. A. Chalmers, a member of the committee of the life- boat station. The gale was blowing very strongly from the north-west, a heavy sea was running, and the weather was cold, with squalls of rain and sleet. After the life-boat had passed the Skerries, the coxswain hauled up the wind to clear the Stork rock, and immediately afterwards a big sea hit the life-boat and she heeled over. The coxswain ducked to escape the sea, but one of the crew, John Fleming, who was standing by him, was struck full in the chest, and the sea carried him overboard. The cox- swain gave the motor mechanic " Full astern," ordered the crew to get ropes, a life-buoy and flares ready and shouted to John Fleming to keep shouting. Two of Fleming's brothers were in the crew. They remained * Accounts of these services will be found on pages 19 20 and 23.

absolutely quiet, and carried out the coxswain's orders without a word.

Sheering the stern of the life-boat to port, the coxswain went astern until he heard John Fleming's shouts for- ward. Then he went full speed ahead, with helm hard to starboard. The shouts had ceased, and a flare was lighted. By its light John Fleming was seen, and at the first attempt the coxswain got the life-boat alongside him. One of his brothers, James Fleming, was ready. At great risk of going overboard himself, he leant over the side and got a rope round him ; and John Fleming was hoisted on board.

He had then been in the sea nearly ten minutes. He had succeeded in kicking off his heavy sea-boots, but the seas, he said, " kept rolling him over like a barrel." He had swallowed a great deal of water, and it was this that had prevented him from shouting all the time. He was conscious when picked up, but was violently sick, from the water he had swallowed. He was laid alongside the engine-casing, under the canopy, with his life-belt still on to keep him warm, and the rest of the crew took it in turns to rub him.

Later on, when the life-boat was recalled, he said : " Don't worry about me if you want to go on." No Sign of a Wreck: After Fleming had been picked up the life-boat continued on her way to Port Ballintrae. Meanwhile the coast- guard had taken the life-saving rocket apparatus there by road, and Mr.

A. J. W. Christie. J.P., the honorary secretary of the life-boat station, taking a doctor with him, had also gone. So severe was the gale that several times his car was nearly blown off the road.

The coastguard searched the shore, but no trace of any wreck or ship in distress could be found, and at 11.30 P.M., the look-out hut at Ramore Head, and the rocket apparatus at Port Ballintrae burned green lights turning to white to call the life-boat home.

The lights were seen and she put about, reaching Portrush at half an hour after midnight. It was then nearly twenty-three hours since her crew had first been assembled.

In the tremendous seas running when John Fleming was washed over- board, the darkness and the rain, it was a thousand to one against him being found. That he was found and rescued so quickly was due to the presence of mind and splendid seaman- ship of the coxswain, the promptness with which the motor mechanic carried out his orders, and the coolness and discipline of the crew.

To COXSWAIN JAMES MARTIN, and the motor mechanic, K. D. Chambers, the Institution awarded its thanks in- scribed on vellum and framed.

To JAMES FLEMING, who, at the risk of going overboard himself, got the rope round his brother, a framed letter of thanks; To MR. R. A CHALMERS, a letter of thanks; To the coxswain and each member of the crew increased money awards, making a reward of £2 17s. 6d. each, and 27s. 6d. to replace the sea boots lost by the man who was washed overboard. The total awards paid amounted to £30 17s..