AT 4.45 on the afternoon of the 18th of May, 1956, a ten-feet dinghy in which two boys aged fourteen and fifteen were sailing capsized about half a mile from the shore at Minnis Bay, near Birchington, Kent. A small boy saw the dinghy capsize and immedi- ately told a Corporation employee.

The police were informed and the Margate life-boat North Foreland (Civil Service No. 11} was launched.

Another boy also saw the incident.

He was Michael Boyes, who was aged fourteen and was a friend of the two boys in the sailing dinghy. He at once put out in his ten-feet single- seater canoe. A fresh north-westerly wind veering to the north-east was blowing, and the sea was rough. The tide was half flood. Shortly after- wards Mr. Charles Kite, a man in his sixties, who had heard that the dinghy had capsized, went to the boat park and with the help of Mr. T. Nicholson launched a pulling dinghy.

Held on to Canoe Meanwhile Michael Boyes, after paddling for twenty minutes, reached the capsized dinghy. The boys in the water held on to the stern of the canoe and with considerable difficulty were towed into shallow water where they waded ashore. Michael Boyes had realised he would have to make use of the tide, which was setting to the westward at about two knots, and the canoe came ashore a mile and a quarter west of the point from which he had put out. He beached his canoe, which was half full of water, and was then taken home by the police. The rescue had lasted about an hour.

t The two rescued boys were taken by car to the Minnis Bay tea pavilion, where the manageress, Mrs. L. M.

Skinner, who had seen the dinghy capsize, had prepared blankets and hot drinks. She had also sent blankets to the beach. The boys were stripped and massaged and given dry clothes before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

Skill and Courage Several witnesses paid tribute to the skill and courage shown by Michael Boyes in carrying out the rescue. He had had to rely entirely on his own efforts in conditions which were bad enough to have made it difficult for the two fully grown men, Mr. Kite and Mr. Nicholson, to reach the capsized sailing boat. Mr. Kite and Mr.

Nicholson were still searching for survivors when the Margate life-boat arrived.

For the courage, skill and judgment he showed in carrying out this rescue, in which he was fully aware of the risks he was running, Michael Boyes was awarded the bronze medal for gallantry by the Institution. Letters of appreciation were sent to 3Ir.

Charles Kite, Mr. T. Nicholson and Mrs. L. M. Skinner..