ON the morning of 27th January, 1937, the Russian steamer Kingissepp, of Leningrad, was anchored about a mile off the harbour of Nairn on the Moray Firth. An easterly gale was blowing, with a rough sea. A boat was seen to put off from the steamer. She had three men on board, and it was learnt later that she was attempting to make Nairn in order to get medical help for one of the crew who had been injured.

It was seen that she could not make the harbour, and the harbour- master intended to telephone to the life- boat station at Cromarty, some ten miles away on the other side of the Firth, but it was soon realized that help could not come in time from Cromarty, for the boat was being swept past the harbour entrance by the wind and sea towards Fearn Rocks, about a mile to the westward. If she got among the breakers, it was certain she would be wrecked, with loss of life. Her crew could only be saved if a boat went to the rescue at once, and Mr. George A.

Ralph, with his son and grandson, put out in his 48-foot motor fishing boat, Barbara.

It was then about 10 o'clock. A heavy sea was breaking on the bar at the harbour entrance; there was a risk in attempting to cross it; but Mr. Ralph successfully accomplished it. Mean- while the Kingissepp's boat was drifting westward. The Barbara got out to sea and reached her only just in time. The boat was already inside the Fearn Rocks, and on the edge of the heavy broken water on the shore.

Mr. Ralph skilfully manoeuvred the Barbara, bringing her head to seaward, and then went stern-first down to the boat. He did so at great risk of his own boat being swept ashore by the surf. He took the three men on board the Barbara; got their boat itself in tow; and brought them safely to their ship.

The captain of the Kingissepp then asked Mr. Ralph to pilot him to Inver- gordon. This Mr. Ralph did, and the injured man was at once put on shore and taken to the Royal Northern In- firmary at Inverness. It was impos- sible for the Barbara to attempt to enter Nairn harbour before the sea that was running, and she remained at Inver- gordon until the following afternoon.

This gallant rescue was carried out in the middle of a period of twelve days of continuous gales on the north-east coast of Scotland, the worst within living memory, during which the Aberdeen motor life-boat was out on three services for nearly forty hours.

It was only at the end of April, 1938, that the rescue was brought to the notice of the Institution, and there was then delay in getting the full particulars, as Mr. Ralph had just left Nairn on a voyage to the West Indies.

The Institution has now made the following awards: To Mr. George A. Ralph, the bronze medal for gallantry, accompanied by a copy of the vote of the medal in- scribed on vellum and framed, £2, and £1 for fuel used; To Mr. Ralph's son, Mr. George Ralph, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum and £2; To Mr. Ralph's grandson, Mr. George Ralph Grenier, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum and £2..