Aith, Shetland. — At 1.40 on the afternoon of the 14th of January, 1955, the County Medical Officer of Health rang up to say that a surgeon and a sister from a hospital in Lerwick, who had been sent to Tangwick to attend a woman with appendicitis, had been unable to go further than Hillswick because of heavy snow. He asked if the life-boat would take them on from Hillswick, and at 2.15 the life-boat The Rankin put out in a rough sea.

A fresh north-north-west breeze was blowing, and there were heavy snow showers. The life-boat reached Hills- wick at four o'clock, embarked the surgeon, the sister, the local doctor and stretcher bearers, and then made for Tangwick, which she reached at 5.20. A small boat took the medical attendants ashore, and about three hours later the life-boat re-embarkedthem and the patient. They were all landed at Hillswick at 9.55. The | woman was taken at once to hospital in Lerwick by road, and the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 11.45. The patient's life was saved.

The surgeon and the doctor from Hillswick thanked the life-boat station.

—Rewards, £22 17*. Refunded to the Institution by the St. Andrew's and Red Cross Scottish Ambulance Service..