ON Saturday, 19th November last, the St. Helier life-boat took part in another midnight rescue two months after that which earned Coxswain Thomas King a Gold Medal and his crew bronze medals, last September 14th. This time the station boat—the Elizabeth Rippon—performed the service, under the command of the second coxswain, Silver le Riche, who had not taken part in the Gold Medal service.

At 10.50 p.m. the life-boat station received a report that rockets had been seen between Sark and Grosnez Point, off the north-west of Jersey.

At once the life-boat was launched.

It was a fine night, with a moderate northerly wind, but very dark. The tide was low.

By 11.25 the life-boat had cleared the pier heads and had negotiated Corbiere inner passage. It was ten miles from St. Helier that she found the source of the rockets, an auxiliary ketch hard and fast on the rocks of L'Etacq reef. This was the Hanna, of Poole, which had left Plymouth that morning with a cargo of carbonate of lime for Jersey. She was lying with her head towards the shore, and over her star- board side heavy seas were breaking.

The life-boat searchlight was turned on her and the crew studied the position from the westward. Everywhere the seas were boiling, except in one narrow channel, giving access to the wreck from the north-west. This offered the only chance of success. The coxswain made a quick decision. Using his searchlight and loud hailer, he took the Jife-boat through the channel of deep water until she reached the Hanna's port side. Once he touched a sub- merged rock; but fortunately no damage was done; the life-boat was able to go on.

She ran alongside the ketch. There were three men on board, her total crew, anxious and exhausted. With- out more ado, they were taken on board the life-boat and Coxswain Le Riche prepared to make his way back.

Back through the small channel again, with the same high skill and care, the life-boat took its cvew and rescued seamen, until she emerged unscathed into the open sea. It was a remarkable piece of seamanship.

Once clear of the wreck, the life-boat made course for St. Helier, and at 2.80 landed the three men from the Hanna safely on shore.

It had been a dangerous and tiring rescue, on a pitch-black night; and the success which crowned it came as a balm to the crew of the life-boat.

When the district inspector investi- gated this service, he laid especial emphasis on the great seamanship which had been displayed by all the life-boatmen, and on the exceptional judgement and courage of Acting- Coxswain le Riche in taking the life- boat through such a dangerous passage of sea in such unfavourable weather.

"To have taken his boat in daylight would have been an accomplishment to be proud of, but on a very dark night with the swell that he had to contend with was a most gallant thing to do." The Institution has made the follow- ing awards: To ACTING-COXSWAIN SlLVER LE RICHE, the bronze medal for gal- lantry, and a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum and framed.

To the coxswain and each member of the crew, a special reward of £1 10s., as well as the reward on the ordinary scale of £1 10s. each.

Scale rewards, £12; additional re- wards, £24; total rewards, £36..