MR. HENRY MADICK SMARDON, of Torbay, who died at Brixham on the 28th of October of last year, was a noted figure in the town, where he was affectionately known as H.M.S. Brixham. He was a retired school- master and a man of many interests.

He had been chairman of the Brixham Urban District Council, president of the Devon County Teachers' Associa- tion, honorary secretary of the Brixham Hospital, president of the Devon Rugby Union, and Brixham correspondent of The Times and the Western Morning News.

But his great enthusiasm was the sea, and his chief work was done for the Brixham Yacht Club, of which he was one of the founders, the Brixham Royal Regatta, of which he was honorary secretary for fifty years, and the Torbay life-boat station. He was the honorary secretary of the station for nearly twenty-five years, from his appointment in January, 1924, until his death. He occasionally went out as one of the crew, and the full and glowing accounts which he sent to the Institution of the life-boat's services showed his tremendous interest and pride in the station and its crew. He was awarded the Institution's binocu- lars in 1934, and in 1944 he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his public services.