AT 6.20 on the evening of the 4th of October, 1960, the honorary secretary of the Dunmore East, Co. Waterford, life-boat station, Mr. A. Westcott-Pitt, learnt from the coxswain, Patrick Power, that two barges, which had been shelter- ing in Dunmore, had sailed. The weather was growing worse, and the coxswain was of the opinion that the help of the life-boat would probably be needed. At that time the weather was still fine and there was not more than a fresh breeze blowing, its direction being east-by-south, but an imminent gale was forecast. A heavy ground sea was com- ing in from the south-south-east. It was shortly after high water, and off Dun- more the ebb tide from the river was setting along the shore to the south- west.

The Dunmore East life-boat Annie Blanche Smith, which is one of the 46- feet Watson type, left her moorings at 6.30. A number of those on board were not regular members of the crew. Soon after the life-boat passed the lighthouse on the pierhead flares were seen to the north-east of the harbour. After the life-boat had gone half a mile Coxswain Power recognised the vessel in distress as one of the two barges which had been sheltering.

Engine out of Action The barge's engine was out of action, and she was lying across the wind, parallel to the shore and very near the rocks. The low-lying Wexford coast, some two and a-half miles across the bay on the eastern bank of the Water- ford river, offered little lee, and the seas were about six feet high. The barge, which was light, was drawing 18 inches forward and 30 inches aft, and by this time she had drifted into about eight feet of water.

The barge was being rapidly driven ashore inside the Laweesh Rock by the wind and ebb tide, and if she came inside the rock, Coxswain Power knew it would be impossible for him to bring the life-boat alongside her. He there- fore decided his only chance of taking off the one man who was on board the barge was to put the bow of the life- boat into the barge amidships before the barge grounded and broke up.

With the sea astern and the wind on the starboard quarter, he had some difficulty in manoeuvring the life-boat for the run in. At the third attempt he succeeded. Guided by the searchlight and with one man stationed on either side of the stem head standing outside the guard chains, he approached the barge. As soon as the man on board came within reach, he was hauled over the bow of the life-boat.

Barge Crashed Against Her The barge had a freeboard of two feet six inches and no guard rails of any sort. The man on board had only the tiller to hold on to. As the life-boat approached, the barge, which was labouring heavily in the backwash, crashed against her and some damage was done to the stem of the life-boat and to the fender on the starboard side.

But Coxswain Power succeeded in bring- ing the life-boat out astern. The time was then 6.45.

The second barge, which had no engine and had originally been in tow of the first barge, had been cut adrift when the man who was later rescued had realised that he could not make the shelter of the Wexford coast. Because she had 40 tons of ballast she had not drifted at the same rate as the barge with the man on board, and Coxswain Power was able to put two men on board the drifting barge and take her into Dunmore.

The life-boat returned to her station at 8.45. The necessary repairs were carried out without delay.

Second Clasp to Medal For this service a second clasp to his bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain Patrick Power. Medal ser- vice certificates were granted to the other members of the crew: Acting Second Coxswain Maurice Power; Acting Me- chanic John Power; the honorary secre- tary, Mr. A. Westcott Pitt, who acted as assistant mechanic; and members of the crew, JeffPower, Edward Power, C. H. Hassell and M. Westcott-Pitt.

Coxswain Power was awarded his first bronze medal for the rescue of the crew of seven of the motor trawler Ibis on the 28th of February, 1941, when he had to bring the life-boat five times alongside a trawler, which was sheering violently and surrounded by rocks, before the trawler's crew could be taken off. The first clasp to his bronze medal was awarded for the rescue of the crew of five of the fishing boat St. Declan on the night of the 14th of December, 1950..