Stromness, Orkneys.—At 3.40 on the afternoon of the 5th of June, 1956, a doctor rang up to say he had attempted to visit a patient at Graemsay by fish- ing boat, but because of the rough sea the vessel had had to return to Strom- ness. As it was thought the patient would have to be brought to the main- land for hospital treatment, and as an exercise of the life-boat was due, it was decided to combine the missions.

The life-boat Archibald and Alexander M. Paterson was launched at 3.50, with the doctor on board, in a moder- ate but choppy sea with a fresh westerly gale blowing and a flooding tide. The doctor was landed at Graemsay while the life-boat proceeded on exercise. The life-boat then re- turned to Graemsay, but it was found that the patient was too ill to under- take the passage in the prevailing con- ditions. The life-boat returned with the doctor, arriving back at her station at 6.50.—Rewards to the crew, £8 8s.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £1 16s..