AT 2.20 on the afternoon of the 13th of November, 1959, the coastguard at Hartland Point informed the honorary secretary of the Appledore life-boat station, Captain P. Brennan, that the Polish vessel Gliwice was in distress ten miles west-by-south-half-south from Hartland Point. At 2.40 the Appledore life-boat Violet Armstrong, which is one of the 46-feet Watson type, put out.

A full gale was blowing from the west- south-west with gusts of hurricane force.

Conditions on the bar were extremely severe and were described by those with experience of the station as being the worst for thirty years.

The coxswain, Sydney Cann, made down channel for the Fairway buoy, some three miles away. For the first two miles there was a steep, breaking, confused sea on her port bow. Flying spray reduced visibility so much that the small channel buoys could not be seen. The seas, estimated at twenty feet from trough to crest, caused the life-boat to labour violently in the shallow water and repeatedly filled both the fore and after cockpits. Coxswain Cann was knocked from the wheel more than once and was struck in the face when the windscreen was forced back by a sea. About 3.20, an hour before high water, the life-boat suc- ceeded in crossing the bar.

Impossible to Enter Harbour At 4.14 the Polish vessel was seen from a Search and Rescue aircraft.

She was making some three knots towards Lundy Island. Heavy seas had put the life-boat's medium fre- quency radio transmitter out of action when she crossed the bar, but it was possible to maintain communication with the aircraft by very high frequency radio-telephone. By this means and with the help of flares the aircraft was able to guide the life-boat to the position of the Gliwice, which was reached at 6.50. Shortly afterwards the Gliwice and the life-boat both anchored under the lee of Lundy Island. Repairs were carried out on board the Polish vessel, which then reported that she no longer needed the help of a life-boat.

Coxswain Cann decided that it would be impossible to enter Appledore harbour in the prevailing conditions, and the life-boat therefore remained at anchor throughout the night. Next day conditions were a little better, and Coxswain Cann decided to make for Ilfracombe, which was reached at two o'clock in the afternoon. The life- boat eventually reached her station at 6.15 on the evening of the 15th of Nov- ember. Superficial damage which she had sustained was quickly put right.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Coxswain Cann.

Vellum service certificates are being issued to Bowman William Cann, Mechanic Leon Richards, Assistant Mechanic Gordon Judd, Boat Signalman Frederick Cane, and three members of the crew, Basil Marshall, Percival Eastman and Thomas Jewell.

Scale rewards to the crew, £62 10s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £5 3s.

Additional rewards to the crew, £24.

The owners made a donation to the Institution's funds..