Padstow, Cornwall.—At 12.45 on the afternoon of the 16th of September, 1955, the Trevose Head coastguard rang up to say that a message had been received from St. Eval that an R.A.F. airborne life-boat was in diffi- culties off Bude. An aircraft was circling her. At 1.30 the No. 2 life- boat Bassett Green was launched.

There was a heavy swell, a moderate north-north-west breeze was blowing, and the tide was flooding. Guided by a helicopter, the life-boat found the R.A.F. boat in Widemouth Bay. She was bound from Padstow for Porth- cawl, but had got into difficulties in the bad weather. The life-boat res- cued her crew of five and took the boat in tow. However, the boat broke adrift and was taken in tow by another R.A.F. boat. This boat fol- lowed the life-boat back to Padstow, which was reached at 8.30. The rescued men expressed their thanks and the Officer Commanding the R.A.F. station at St. Eval and his officers made a donation to the Pad- stow life-boat station.—Rewards to the crew, £11 18s.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £3..