THE Maud Smith award for the bravest act of life-saving in 1957 has been won by Mr. William Morris, the motor mechanic of the Barmouth life-boat.

He wins the award for the rescue in his own motor launch of four swimmers who were in difficulties off Barmouth on the 16th of July. This is the first occasion on which the award has been made for a rescue carried out by a member of a life-boat crew who went out in his own boat and not in a life-boat. A full account of the service appeared in the December 1957 number of the Life-boat on page 518.

The award, which is an annual one made, according to the terms of a will, by the Committee of Management of the Institution, was won the year before by Second Coxswain Reginald Carey, of Coverack, Cornwall..