Porthdinllaen, Caernarvonshire. At 11.47 on the night of the 22nd October, 1961, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a vessel was in difficulties ten miles south-west of Bardsey Island. A very strong south- south-westerly gale was blowing with a very rough sea. At 12.20 the life-boat Charles Henry Ashley was launched on the ebb tide. The life-boat was washed by a series of heavy seas, which eventually put the radio-telephone out of action. As a result there was for a time no direct communication with the shore, and at the life-boat station there was no means of knowing whether thelife-boat and her crew had been lost or not. In fact the life-boat reached the position indicated and found that the vessel in distress was the Panamanian steamer Aguila. Her steering gear had broken down, and a jury rudder had been rigged. The Aguila was making slow progress, and after standing by the life-boat escorted her clear of Bardsey Island until she was on a course for Holyhead. The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at 11.20 in the morning. A doctor living in London, who had heard over the radio that the life-boat had been reported missing, made a substantial contribution as a thank offering for her safe return..