ON the morning of the 8th of December, 1954, the weather worsened while Scarborough fishing boats were at sea, and at 11.40 the Scarborough life-boat E.C.J.R., a 35-feet 6-inches selfrighting boat, was launched to escort them in.

Off Cayton Bay she sighted the fishing boat Venture, which had one man on board, and towed her to the harbour. A full gale was blowing from the south-east and a very heavy sea was running.

Ten other fishing boats were known to be to the northward, and the lifeboat put off again at once. She escorted in the cobles Premier, Betty Sheader, Betty and three others.

By 3.20 in the afternoon all the boats, except the Rosemary, Courage, and Pilot Me II, had been safely escorted into harbour. These three boats were still unaccounted for, and the life-boat began to search for them.

It was later learnt by radio telephone that the Courage and Pilot Me II hadbeen safely escorted into Whitby harbour by the Whitby No. 1 life-boat, Mary Ann Hepworth, and that the Rosemary had also reached Whitby.

Steep Breaking Seas A whole south-east gale, blowing against the ebbing tide from the harbour, caused steep breaking seas, which sometimes reached 15 feet in height. There was heavy cloud and driving sleet.

The life-boat made for the harbour on a north-westerly course, with the wind and sea astern and her drogue streamed at full length. The coxswain, John Sheader, and another man were at the wheel. The engines were eased as heavy seas from astern approached the life-boat, and then run at half-speed. In this way the life-boat was worked back towards the harbour for the eighth time. The drogue was holding the boat well.

About 4.45, when the life-boat was approaching the eastern pier, only about 200 yards from safety, an enormous sea overtook the boat and completely overwhelmed her. The lifeboat was then in three fathoms of water.

Coxswain Sheader saw this sea coming, put the engines in neutral and shouted to everyone to hold on. The life-boat then seems to have run almost completely submerged for about 30 yards without altering course and with her engines in neutral. Then she broke surface. She sheered to port, probably out of control and was struck by another sea on the port quarter while she was still in an unstable condition through not yet having emptied herself of water. As she did so she turned right over and immediately righted herself. The engines, as they were designed to do, cut out at once. o ' Three Remained Aboard Three members of the crew managed to remain aboard. They were the motor mechanic, Allen Rennard, the bowman. William Sheader, and Tom Scales. The other five members of the crew had been flung into the sea.

The motor mechanic started the port engine at once, but the starboard engine could not be restarted. The bowman took the wheel, and the three men still aboard managed to haul two other members of the crew back to safety. They were Ernest Eves and Jack Crawford. They also tried to grasp the second coxswain, John Cammish, but the seas swept him away. The coxswain and the signalman, Francis Bayes, had already been swept out of reach.

The five men on board managed to bring the life-boat safely into harbour on one engine. Coxswain Sheader and Second Coxswain Cammish were washed ashore within twelve minutes of the capsize. Many people came to their help and they were taken to a hospital only 100 yards away, but there they both died. The body of Francis Bayes, who had received a blow on the forehead, was not recovered for more than two and a half hours.

Machinery Undamaged Officials of the Institution immediately went to Scarborough to investigate the causes of the accident. They found the drogue missing, for both the drogue rope and tripping line had been cut by the port propeller when the port engine had been restarted.

There is little doubt that the sea had overwhelmed the boat, picked up the drogue and flung it against her stern.

The reason why the starboard engine could not be restarted was that the drogue rope had fouled the propeller.

The life-boat suffered no more than superficial damage from the capsize and the machinery and radio telephone continued in perfect order.

On the 20th of December an inquest was held by Mr. C. R. Royal, the Scarborough Coroner. A verdict of accidental death was returned, and the Coroner paid a tribute to the gallantry of the three men who had lost their lives.

Within 48 hours of the capsize the crew, including the five survivors, had been reformed, and on the afternoon of the llth of December, after a satisfactory exercise afloat, the life-boat was again ready for service.

Coxswain for Ten Years Coxswain Sheader, who was awarded the bronze medal of the Institution in January 1952 for a service inDecember 1951 to the Dutch motor vessel Westkust, was aged 63 and had been a member of the crew for 42 years. He had been coxswain of the Scarborough life-boat for ten years.

Second Coxswain Cammish, aged 55, had been second coxswain also for ten years and had served in Filey and Scarborough life-boats for 37 years.

Signalman Bayes was aged 29 and was a regular member of the crew.

As in all cases in which members of life-boat crews lose their lives on service, the widows and dependents received pensions from the date of the men's death. These pensions, which are irrespective of any State awards, are based on the Navy scale.

The Mayor of Scarborough, Councillor Miles Bird, launched a memorial fund.

At a funeral service held at St.

Mary's Parish Church on 13th December, the Archbishop of York preached the sermon. The full text of this is given on page 12.

Scale rewards to the crew and helpers £41 15s. Additional rewards, £80. Total rewards, £121 15s..