THE portrait on the cover is of Cox- swain Sidney Cann of Appledore, who was appointed bowman in 1922, became second coxswain in 1931 and has been coxswain since 1933. Since he became a boat's officer Appledore life-boats have been launched on service 119 times and have rescued 105 lives.

In 1944 the Appledore life-boat rescued the crew of seven of a concrete harbour unit, one of the concrete caissons used for building the break- water of the invasion port on the coast of Normandy, in a south-westerly gale.

Although the craft was rolling heavily and two broken towina wires were leeward, Cox- life-boat under bringing off in trailing from her to swain Cann took the her lee and succeeded her whole crew. For this service he was awarded the bronze medal for gallantry. Five years later, in Novem- ber 1949, twenty-four sailors were rescued from the Spanish steamer Monte Gurugu in a service in which the [Ifracombe, Appledore and Cloveily life-boats all put out. For this service Coxswain Cann received a second service clasp to his bronze medal.

The photograph is reproduced by courtesy of the Western Times Co.

Ltd..