Flamborough, Yorkshire. At 2.5 on the afternoon of the 3rd September, 1961, the police informed the coxswain that a man had fallen down the cliffs at Bempton, three miles north of Flam- borough Head. The life-boat Friendly Forester was launched at 2.30 in a gentle north-easterly breeze and a slight sea. It was two hours after high water.

When the life-boat reached the position given there was no sign of a body on the beach below the cliffs. There were large boulders inshore, and the coxswain was unable to take the life-boat closer than thirty yards from the shore. After dropping anchor and allowing the life- boat to veer in as close as possible, the coxswain accepted the offer of one of the life-boat crew, who volunteered to swim ashore. A rope was fastened to him, but when half way to the beach he signalled to the coxswain that he should be hauled back aboard the life- boat, as after making several attempts he found he could not land because of the backwash. Another member of the crew volunteered to try, but he too was prevented from landing by the back- wash and was hauled back into the life-boat.

The coxswain then decided to get a man ashore by breeches buoy, as another man had in the meantime been lowered down the cliff and was able to haul the breeches buoy in. The man who had fallen down the cliffs was found with severe injuries and unconscious, and it was decided to haul him up the cliff face. A stretcher was lowered, and after the injured man had been made as comfortable as possible on the stretcher he was hauled up the cliff face.

The coxswain helped to direct opera- tions from the life-boat, and the member of the life-boat crew who went ashore in the breeches buoy was himself finally hauled up the cliff face. The life-boat reached her station at 8.15..