BY the death on 18th August, at the age of 68, of Coxswain Thomas Read, of Ramsgate, the Institution has lost one of its most distinguished coxswains.

Coxswain Read was appointed second 'coxswain about 1915, when the station was administered by the Board of Trade, and in 1924, two years after the Institution took over the station, he became coxswain. He served as coxswain for nearly twelve years, retiring in 1935. During his twenty- one years as an officer of the life-boat over 250 lives were rescued.

Coxswain Read won the Institution's silver medal for gallantry, as second coxswain, in the last war, when, in 1916, the Ramsgate life-boat made persistent, but unsuccessful attempts in a fierce gale to rescue the crew of 52 of the American steamer Sibiria, wrecked on the Goodwins. The crew were rescued later, when the gale was moderating, by the Kingsdown life-boat. He was also awarded binoculars by the Presi- dent of the United States of America for his part, as second coxswain, in the service to the American steamer Piave, which went ashore on the Goodwins in January, 1919, with a crew of 96.

On retiring Coxswain Read was awarded a certificate of service and a gratuity, which he chose instead of a pension..