AT 11.40 on the night of the 6th of December, 1959, the honorary secre- tary of the Longhope, Orkneys, life- boat station, Dr. S. Peace, was told by the Kirkwall coastguard that the trawler George Robb was ashore on the Stacks of Duncansby.

The Longhope life-boat Thomas Mc- Cunn, which is one of the 45-feet 6-inches Watson type, and a sister ship of the life-boat Mono, which was lost in the disaster at Droughty Ferry, was launched at 12.10 with Dr. Peace on board. A strong gale was blowing from the east-south-east against the flood tide. It was two and a half hours after low water.

HelplNeeded Immediately As the life-boat was about to launch Coxswain Daniel Kirkpatrick was in- formed by the Kirkwall coastguard that the trawler's last message was to the effect that she was making water very fast and needed help immediately.

It was therefore necessary to maintain full engine revolutions despite the high, steep seas encountered in the Pentland Firth, and the life-boat pounded very heavily. At one point she fell several feet on a level keel into the trough of a wave. Continuous spray and spindrift swept over the boat, and solid water frequently came up over the port side.

At 12.15 the mechanic, when asking for a time check, discovered that the seas had put his wireless receiver out of action. At some risk he tried to repair the fault but was unable to do so, as he could not leave his engines for long.

Visibility was so poor that although Duncansby Head light is 205 feet high and has a twenty-mile range it could not be seen until the life-boat was within five miles of it.

On Her Beam Ends The seas lengthened after the life- boat passed the Outer Sound, and Coxswain Kirkpatrick was careful to keep north of the worst parts of the Bores of Duncansby, but the flood out- let at the east of the firth had to be crossed. Here the seas shortened and steepened, and at one point the boat rolled heavily over to starboard, a solid mass of water pouring across her.

Another sea then struck her and she went on to her beam ends.

South of Duncansby light the coast- line was in complete darkness, and although at one point a ray of light was seen there was no sign of the wreck.

The wind had now increased to hurricane force.

Coxswain Kirkpatrick decided to run in towards the estimated position of the trawler, burning a parachute flare. This manoeuvre was repeated again and still there was no sign of the wreck. At one point the strong eddy tide carried the life-boat to within thirty yards of the cliffs.

By 3.30 in the morning it was clear beyond reasonable doubt that the traw- ler would not be found, but as no message could be received by radio- telephone it was decided to seek further instructions at Longhope. The life- boat reached Longhope pier at 5.55, and it was then learnt that the coast- guard had tried to recall the life-boat as the trawler could certainly be pre- sumed lost, but because of the damage to the life-boat's wireless receiver this had been impossible.

Thanks of the Institution For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Coxswain Daniel Kirkpatrick. This is the second award made to Coxswain Kirkpatrick for a service in 1959. He was awarded the silver medal for the rescue of the crew of fourteen of the steam trawler Strathcoe on the 4th of February. A full account of this service appeared in the June 1959 number of the Life-boat on page 222.

Vellum service certificates are being issued to Second Coxswain James Johnston, Motor Mechanic Robert Johnston, Assistant Mechanic Robert Rattray Johnston, and four members of the crew, James Swanson, James Nicolson, Robert Johnston and Dr.

S. Peace.

Scale rewards to the crew, £18 ; reward to the helpers on shore, £3 13s.

Additional reward to the crews, £17 10s..