THE portrait on the cover is of Coxswain Jeffrey Wright who, after serving for 10 years as bowman of the Fleetwood life-boat, was its coxswain from the autumn of 1933 until the end of 1947.

He won the silver medal for gallantry during the war when, on August 5th, 1941, the life-boat rescued the crew of the motor schooner Stella Marie of the Faroes. The schooner was fast on a sandbank, the seas pouring over her deck, her crew clinging exhausted in the rigging. Coxswain Wright saw that there was not a moment to be lost and drove the life-boat right against the wreck. Her rudder was displaced and two-thirds of his control of her was gone, but in spite of this he kept her alongside until the crew were rescued, and brought her safely home..