ON the 25th of May a fishing coble, the Ricia, from Cloughey, Co. Down, went out lobster-fishing. She had three men on board, Andrew Young, his brother, John Young, and John's son, Andrew Young, junior. They were expected back before dark, but they did not return. The life-boat coxswain, George Young, a nephew of Andrew and John, who was also out fishing, had seen the Ricia coming across towards the North Rock in the afternoon, and when he came home himself, just after seven, he thought that she was already home.

When he heard at nine o'clock that she had not returned, he went out again.

He found nothing, came back, and arranged with the honorary secretary of the life-boat station to take out the life-boat. An easterly wind was blow- ing and the sea was rough.

The life-boat was launched just before 11.30 and searched for the rest of the night, but it was not until about four next morning, when day was breaking, that her crew saw something on the water. They pulled it up and with it came the sail of the Ricia. Still pulling they drew the boat towards the sur- face. Mast and sail came away and the boat sank again, but they had been able to see that there were no bodies on board her.

By this time some fishing boats had come up, and with their he'p the life- boatmen raised the Ricia again and towed her to Portavogie harbour. It was not until just before seven next morning that the life-boat returned to her station. Next day and the'day after the bodies of the two Andrews were found.

Andrew Young was in his eightieth year. His brother John was 75; and John's son was twenty-five. Both Andrew and John had spent manv years in the Cloughey life-boat crew. John was coxswain from 1919 until 1927, when he gave it up on going to sea.

Andrew, who had then been second coxswain for nearly four years, suc- ceeded him and served as coxswain until 1935, when he retired at the age of 64. He in his turn was succeeded by another Young, Robert, who served until August, 1949, when the present coxswain, George Young, took his place.

In 1924 Andrew Young, while a member of the crew, won the Institu- tion's bronze medal for gallantry.

John was then coxswain, and another brother, Robert, was second coxswain.

On the night of the llth of January the life-boat was called out to the help of a sailing ship that had sunk among the rocks. John was away from the sta- tion, Robert was dying. Andrew took command. A strong gale was blowing, with heavy seas and showers of sleet and hail. Handling the life-boat most skilfully, he rescued the crew of the ship, clinging exhausted to the rigging.

He brought the life-boat back to Cloughey at nine next morning to find that Robert had died two hours after the life-boat has been launched.

Andrew received his medal from the Prince of Wales at the centenary meet- ing of the Institution held in the Mansion House with the Lord Mayor of London presiding.

It adds the final touch to his gallantry that this man who had been an officer of the life-boat for over twelve years, who died while fishing at nearly eighty, had been lame from birth, and for many years had used a wheeled chair..