THE Queen of the Netherlands awarded the silver medal of humane assistance to ex-Coxswain H. O. Thomas of Torbay for the rescue of a man from a Dutch lighter on the 7th of December, 1959. The other seven members of the crew were each awarded the Dutch bronze medal of humane assistance.The medals were presented by the Vice-Consul of the Netherlands in Plymouth, Mr. F. R. Dunstan, at a ceremony in Brixham on the 20th of February. A full account of the service for which the awards were made appeared in the March 1960 number of the Life-boat on page 390..