AT 8.30 on the evening of the 21st of January, 1955, Mr. Jack Hicks, a Scilly Isles pilot of St. Agnes, tele- phoned the honorary secretary of the St. Mary's, Scilly Isles, life-boat station, Mr. Trevellick Moyle, to say he had heard the Round Island radio inform Land's End radio that a steamer was sounding her siren continuously about one mile south-west of Round Island.

Mr. Hicks presumed the steamer was ashore near Menavaur rock.

Mr. Moyle telephoned the coxswain, Matthew Lethbridge, and gave instruc- tions for the life-boat crew to assemble.

Mr. Hicks then telephoned again to say the steamer was still making- a distress signal, and Mr. Moyle ordered the life- boat out at once. At 9.5 the life-boat Cunard was launched.

It was a dark night, with a moderate west-north-west wind blowing and dense fog. Visibility was down in some places to fifty feet. There was a moderate swell.

Detour Round Rocks It was then one hour before low water, and for this reason the life-boat could not pass over Tresco Flats and through the channel between. Tresco and Bryher. Coxswain Lethbridge therefore made for the southern end of Samson Island. As the chart shows,this meant a considerable detour. Off Southward Well Point Coxswain Lethbridge decided to make for White Island because of the broken water, and again off White Island he made a further detour to the west and then to the north.

After passing to the west of Castle Bryher and Black Rock Coxswain Lethbridge brought the life-boat near Menavaur Rock, and about ten o'clock he saw burning tar barrels and a red flare' from the ship in- distress; He closed the ship, which was ashore between Menavaur 'Rock and Gold Ball Rock.She was the Panamanian steamer JMando. Two of her boats had been lowered and were lying along her port side abreast the bridge. The Mando's bow was pointing to the south-east, and her boats were made fast by long- painters.

The falls were hanging from the davits; other ropes and wires were projecting and there was a small rock some twenty feet away. This made the life-boat's approach to the Mando a difficult one. and there was a considerable swell from the north- west.

Twenty-five Rescued Coxswain Lethbridge brought the life-boat round the stern of the Mando, and along her port side. He kept the life-boat in position, as she rose and fell on the swell, by tending her moor- ing ropes and working the engines.

He managed to do this long enough for the entire crew of 25 to be embark- ed from the Mando by, a Jacob's ladder.

The life-boat left the Mando at eleven o'clock. The ship's boats were loaded with the crew's personal possessions, and Coxswain Lethbridge took these two boats in tow. Shortly afterwards a thirty-feet gig front Bryher, manned by six oars, which had been launched when the siren had been heard, reached the scene. The life-boat took her in tow also.

Coxswain Lethbridgc had sent a message by radio telephone asking for a lantern to be shone on Shipman Head. This was done, and when the life-boat reached Hangsman Island the personal belongings of the Mando's crew were transferred to the life-boat.

The two ship's boats were turned over to the men from Bryher in the gig.

The life-boat then made for St.

Mary's, which was reached at 12.30 early on the morning of the 22nd of January. The return journey was less hazardous than the outward passage. Visibility had increased and the rising tide had made it possible for the life-boat to use the channel between Tresco and Bryher.

For this service Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge was awarded the bronze medal of the Institution.

Scale rewards to the crew and helpers, £14 17*. Additional rewards to the crew, £16. Total rewards, £30 17*'..