HENRY GEORGE BLOGG, coxswain of the Cromer life-boat, retired at the end of last September, at the age of 71, after serving for over fifty-three years as a life-boatman. His record is unequalled in the 124 years of the Life-boat Service and his name is known far beyond the British Isles.

Henry Blogg became a member of the Cromer life-boat crew.in January, 1894, at the age of 18. He was appointed second coxswain in 1902 and coxswain in December, 1909, so that he served in command of the boat for thirty-eight years. During his fifty-three years the Cromer life-boats went out on service 387 times and rescued 873 lives.

Three Gold, Four SUver Med*ls No life-boatman has won so many medals -for gallantry. He won the gold medal of the Institution, given only 'for conspicuous gallantry, three times. No other man, except Lieut.- Colonel Sir William Hillary, Bt., the Institution's founder, has won three gold medals. Henry Blogg also won the Institution's silver medal four times, was awarded by the King the George Cross and the British Empire Medal, and was presented with a gold watch by the Queen of Holland. For the services in which he won these medals his crew won three silver and forty-one bronze medals.

Here are the details of his many awards: In 1917 he won the gold medal for the first time for the rescue of eleven men of the crew of the Swedish steamer Fernebo.

In 1924, the year in which the Institution celebrated its centenary, he, and the seven other living gold medallists, were awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal which they received in person from the King at Buckingham Palace.

In October, 1941, Blogg received the George Cross, which had been instituted the year before, in place of his Empire Gallantry Medal.

In 1927 he won a clasp to his gold medal for the rescue of fifteen men from the Dutch oil-tanker Georgia. For this service he was also presented with a gold watch by the Queen of The Netherlands, and twelve silver watches were presented.to his crew.

In 1932 he won the silver medal for the first time for the rescue of thirty men from the Italian steamer Monte Nevoso. He also rescued a dog from the steamer, and was awarded the silver medal of the Canine Defence League.

In 1933 he won a clasp to his silver medal for the rescue of the two men of the barge Sepoy, of Dover.

In 1939 he won a second clasp to his silver medal for the rescue of the crew of twenty-nine of the Greek steamer Mount Ida. This was the first lifeboat medal to be awarded in the war of 1939-45.

In September, 1941, he won a second clasp to his gold medal for rescuing 88 lives from six steamers of a convoy which had been wrecked on the Haisborough Sands. For this service he was also awarded the British Empire Medal.

Washed Orerbourd In October, 1941, he vron a third clasp to his silver medal for the rescue of the crew of forty-four men of the steamer English Trader wrecked' on Hammond Knoll. In the course of this service Coxswain Blogg and four of his crew were washed overboard.

As soon as he had been hauled back into the boat he again took command.

Such is the brief record of a great career.

Coxswain Blogg's portrait was painted for the Institution by Mr. T. C.

Dugdale, R.A., and exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1942. It now hangs in the offices of the Institution. Mr. Dugdale is painting a copy and the Institution will present it to Coxswain Blogg. It has also awarded him an annuity and a certificate of service.

The Viscount Templewood, president of the Cromer Branch, and a committee of Cromer people, have opened a testimonial fund, and contributions to it should be sent to Barclays Bank Limited, Cromer, Norfolk. The fund will be put to such purposes as Coxswain Blogg himself shall decide..