Fahnouth, Cornwall. At 6.30 on the morning of the 13th December, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that red flares were seen off Greek Point. There was a strong south- south-west wind blowing, and the sea was rough. At 6.55 the life-boat Craw- ford and Constance Conybeare put out.

On reaching the position given, she found the tanker Allegrity of London rolling with a 60° list about two miles south-east of the point. The captain of the Allegrity requested the coxswain to take off the crew. The angle of the list and the heavy seas were clearly going to make this a difficult operation.

The life-boat succeeded in coming alongside, and twelve men jumped and slid down into her. The captain, how- ever, refused to leave his ship. Because of the heavy seas the life-boat had to sheer off, but after she had made a second run alongside the Allegrity the captain was persuaded to leave. Mean- while the vessel was listing more and rolling dangerously.

When the life-boat left the Allegrity the second time the captain was asked to check the number of his crew, and it was found that one man was missing.

The coxswain of the life-boat ordered a search and the man was seen strugglingup from below the deck of the tanker.

He was hailed, but when the life-boat went alongside once more he refused to jump. Two of the crew of the life-boat then went to his help and lifted him down, and he was found to be suffering from shock. The life-boat continued to stand by the Allegrity for an hour, having already sent messages asking for the services of a tug and an ambulance.

Apart from the man suffering from shock, another member of the Allegrity''s crew had injured his leg. When the cox- swain was satisfied that the life-boat crew had rendered all the help they could, the life-boat returned to her station, which she reached at 11.30..