Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford, and Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. At 7.34 on the evening of the llth of May, 1958, the Superintendent of the Irish Coast Life-Saving Service passed on to the acting honorary secretary at Rosslare Harbour a message from Lands End radio that the trawler radieuse, of Lorient, was on fire 20 to 30 miles east of Tuskar Rock and needed immediate help and the services of a doctor. The message was received direct from Lands End radio at 8.5, and the coxswain of the Fishguard life-boat was also in- formed. Despite repeated efforts, a doctor could not be obtained for the Rosslare Harbour life-boat Douglas Hyde, and she put out at eight o'clock.

Twenty minutes later the Fishguard life-boat Howard Marryat was launched with a doctor on board. There was a rough sea, a fresh south-westerly wind was blowing, and it was low water.

Both life-boats made for the position, and at 9.25 the St. David's coastguard informed the coxswains that an aircraft would be over the casualty in half an hour. Later the aircraft reported that the trawler was 21 miles south-east-by- east of Tuskar Rock and dropped flares to indicate the position. The Douglas Hyde reached the Radieuse first at 11.20, and the injured seaman, who had been badly burned when an explosion had taken place in the engine room, was transferred to her. As the life-boat had no doctor on board, the coxswain decided to leave immediately for Rosslare Harbour, and he wirelessed for a doctor and an ambulance to be waiting on shore to receive the injured seaman.

Twenty minutes later the Howard Marryat reached the trawler, and her coxswain was informed that the injured seaman had been taken off in the Rosslare Harbour life-boat. He also learnt that although the engine of the trawler was out of action the vessel was in no danger, and that another French trawler was on the way to help. The Howard Marryat stood by for two hours, and when an assurance was given by the skipper of the Radieuse that no more help was needed, she returned to her station, arriving at 5.15 on the morning of the 12th of May. The Douglas Hyde reached her moorings at 3.40 that morning. Rosslare Harbour : rewards to the crew, £12. 7s. ; reward to the helper on shore, 19s. Partly paid permanent crew. Fishguard : rewards to the crew, £18. 2s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £5..