Ox the afternoon of Saturday, the 17th of November. 1956, a man who lived at Portland in Dorset. Mr. H.

W. Wilkinson, went out in his 20-feet motor boat Hilda Mari/ from Castletown and made for Portland Bill, where he intended to haul his crab pots. He was accompanied by a thirteen-year-old boy, Charles Mayo.

The weather was fine with light airs and a smooth sea. It was two hours after low water.

At two o'clock, when the boat was some two hundred yards off Durdle pier, Mr. Wilkinson, who was fixing a grab rail, slipped and fell overboard.

Charles Mayo was at the helm, and he immediately turned the boat to starboard to try to pick the man up.

He missed him at his first attempt, but he then brought the boat round a second time. He managed to grab him but could not hold on. Mr.

Wilkinson weighed some sixteen stone and was wearing a heavy overcoat and sea-boots. He was a man of about fifty and was a non-swimmer.

Head Under Water Charles Mayo then brought the motor boat round a third time, and this time he noticed that the man's head was under water. This fact and the height of the bow of the boat prevented him being able to judge where to bring the boat alongside.

He therefore decided to launch a 7-feet pram dinghy, which was stowed in the open cockpit of the motor boat.

He rowed the dinghy to Mr. Wilkinson, who was then fifteen yards away.

On reaching him he held his head clear of the water and supported him in this way, lying full-length in the dinghy in order to do so. He also shouted for help.

On learning from two other boys that there was a man in the water, Mr. John Stone, who was at the time making lobster pots in his shed at Durdle pier, at once lowered his boat into the water with a man named Michael Gibson and went out to the rescue.

Becoming Exhausted When they reached Mr. Wilkinson they framd that Charles Mayo had his arms round him and was supporting him. He had been doing this for twenty minutes and was becoming exhausted. Mr. Stone and Mr.

Gibson dragged Mr. Wilkinson into their boat and took him ashore, where they were met by a doctor and an ambulance, which had been summoned by another fisherman. Mr. Wilkinson was taken to hospital, where he recovered completely.

Charles Mayo returned to the Hilda Mary, and after securing the dinghy astern returned to Portland and berthed the Hilda Mary at Castletowji.

For this service an inscribed wristlet watch and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been awarded to Charles Mayo. Monetary rewards were made to Mr. Stone and Mr. Gibson..