Barry Dock, Torbay and Longhope.

THE French Government has awarded medals to English, Scottish and Welsh life-boat crews for gallantry last winter.

During the seven months, from the beginning of September, 1935 to the end of March, 1936, life-boats of the Institution went out to the help of 28 foreign vessels, rescued 119 lives from them, and saved or helped to save from destruction 13 of the vessels. Six of these 28 vessels were French, and 52 French lives were rescued.

Three of those six services to French vessels were of outstanding gallantry, and the Institution awarded medals for them. These three services were by the motor life-boats at Barry Dock, Glamorganshire; Torbay, Devon; and Longhope, Orkneys.

Mr. A. C. Jones, the honorary secre- tary at Barry Dock, who took charge of the life-boat in the absence of the coxswain, was awarded the silver medal, and each member of the crew the bronze medal for the rescue of the crew of six men of the French schooner Goeland, of Paimpol, on 17th September, 1935. Coxswain William Mogridge, of Torbay, was awarded the bronze medal for the rescue of the skipper of the French trawler Satanicle, of Cherbourg, on 30th December, 1935. Coxswain William Dass, of Longhope, Orkneys, was awarded the bronze medal for the rescue of the crew of 41 men of the French trawler Neptunia, of Havre, on 21st February, 1936, Mr. Jones, Coxswain Mogridge and Coxswain Dass received their medals from the Duke of Kent at the annual meeting of the Institution.1 For these three services the French Government has awarded the following medals : To Mr. A. C. Jones, of Barry Dock, the silver medal of salvage, and the bronze medal to each of the seven other members of the crew; to Coxswain William Mogridge, of Torbay, the silver medal (first-class), to Second Coxswain W. Pillar the silver medal (second-class), and the bronze medal to each of the six other members of the crew; to Coxswain William Dass, of Longhope, the silver medal, and the bronze medal to each of the seven other members of the crew. With each medal a diploma was also awarded.

The Barry Dock medals were pre- sented onllth February by the French consul in Cardiff at a dinner which he gave in honour of Mr. Jones and the crew, and others who had rendered services to France. Among those present were the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Cardiff and Captain 1 Au account of the Barry Dock service was published in The Life-toot for December. 1935, and an account of the Torbay service in The Life-boat for March, 1936.

An account of the I/ongbope service Is published on page 120 of thl» issue. Kerebel, master of the Goeland, who thanked the life-boat crew. The toast of the crew was drunk, and Mr. A. C.

Jones replied. The Institution's medals were presented to the Barry Dock crew by the Right Hon. the Earl of Plymouth, P.C., president of the branch, on 3rd June.

The French medals for Torbay and Longhope will be presented later..