Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumber- land. At ten o'clock on the night of 26th April, 1961, the harbour master in- formed the honorary secretary that the tanker Clydefield of Newcastle, on passage for Canada, had a man aboard with an injured spine. At 10.40, when the life-boat William and Mary Durham was launched, with Dr. J. T. Sadler on board, there was a light south-easterly wind with a smooth sea. The tide was half flood. The life-boat met the tanker at 11.15 and Dr. Sadler went aboard.

The doctor carried out treatment, and he and the patient were transferred to the lifeboat. An ambulance was waiting for the injured man when the life-boat reached her station at midnight..