COXSWAIN JOHN McLEAN, of Peter- head, died on the 9th of January, 1956, at the age of 62. He was the holder of the gold medal, the highest award for gallantry which the Insti- tution can confer. He won this award for services in three days in January 1942, when in heavy seas, blinding snow and winds which at times reached 105 miles an hour the Peterhead life- boat rescued 106 survivors from three ships.

Coxswain McLean retired in 1954 after having served for 16 - years as coxswain. During that period the Peterhead life-boat was launched on service 106 times and rescued 444 lives.

He was awarded the Royal Humane Society's testimonial on parchment in 1951 for diving fully clothed into the sea to rescue an eight-year-old girl..