H.R.H. PRINCESS MARINA, DUCHESS OF KENT, President of the Institution, once again attended the annual general meet- ing of the governors of the Institution at the Central Hall, Westminster, on the 2nd April, 1963. The meeting was an exceptional one in that as many as fourteen medals for gallantry were presented, and there were a number of other awards. Reporting on the past year's work, Earl Howe, Chairman of the Committee of Management, said: "My first duty today is to report to you on the work of the life-boat service in 1962. In the course of that year the lives of 422 people were saved by our life- boat crews. This is six higher than the figure for 1961, which was the busiest year that our life-boat service had known in time of peace.

"In other respects too, the year was one of notable achievement, particu- larly in the technical field. During the year work continued on the building of a new type of life-boat, which has now been completed. This life-boat is the 48-foot 6-inch Oakley boat, and she is the first life-boat of the larger class with a cabin in which the self-righting principle has been incorporated. A few years ago we introduced the 37-foot Oakley boat, which was revolutionary in that it was a self-righter yet had greater initial stability than other life- boats of comparable size which had been built before. Now we have taken a further important step forward, and the new life-boat will be shown to representatives of life-boat societies all over the world at the Ninth International Conference, which is to be held in Edinburgh in June and which Your Royal Highness has graciously con- sented to open.

Design for New Life-boat "We have also invited designs from a number of leading boat builders for another new kind of life-boat, which will be 70 feet in length, will have a higher cruising speed than other life- boats and from which it will be possible to launch a smaller or, as it is sometimes called, a 'daughter' boat for inshore work.

"On the financial side results have also been satisfactory, and for this we have to thank the wonderful body of voluntary workers who devote so much time and effort to raising money for us in all parts of the country. The work they did last year was truly magnificent and reflected in the results, but even so I feel I must sound a note of warning.

As the few examples of technical developments which I have mentioned may indicate, we are engaged in a huge programme of reconstruction and re- equipment, our reserves for a service of this nature are not high, and there is no doubt whatever that we shall have to raise more money in the future to carry out our task of giving our life-boat crews the best of everything. We shall carry out that task—have no doubt about that; and I believe that with the help of all our splendid voluntary work- ers we shall raise the necessary funds.

Seaham Disaster Fund "The year was, as I have suggested, in very many ways a successful one, but it was not without tragic losses. Last year six members of our life-boat crews gave their lives on service. Five of them were involved in the capsize of the Seaham life-boat last November: the other was a member of the New Brighton crew. These were terrible losses. It has been our privilege, as it always is, to give pensions to the dependents of these men out of the Institution's general funds, and in addition it is gratifying to learn that the fund launched by the Chairman of the Seaham Urban District Council raised over £48,000. But nothing can compen- sate for the loss that is felt.

"We did, of course, make a most thorough inquiry into the circumstances of the disaster and a most detailed examination of the boat, and from this it was clear that the cause of the disaster was simply the terrible state of the sea just outside the harbour at the time when the life-boat was returning. Even after all the pounding she received following the capsize the boat was still seaworthy, and such is her condition that after re-engining her and carrying out certain repairs we shall place her in the reserve fleet.

Experts from Many Countries "This disaster was not attributable to any defect in the boat or its machinery.

Nevertheless, our task of constantly improving our life-boats goes on and will go on. The real purpose of the conference in Edinburgh this year is to enable experts from all over the world to come together and to learn from each other's ideas and experiences. We in this country have led the world in the life-boat service, but we are certainly not too proud to learn all we can from our friends overseas.

"Before I propose formally that the report and accounts be adopted I have the extremely pleasant task of welcom- ing once again Your Royal Highness, whom we are all delighted to see here again. I wish I could tell you what an enormous encouragement it is to the whole service, men and everybody, that you should be able to come here and see us as you have today. I have much pleasure too in introducing our guest speaker. This year we are to have an address from someone who has served as coxswain of a life-boat for a number of years. He is also a member of our Committee of Management. This is Mr. P. Denham Christie, who until recently was coxswain of the Tynemouth life-boat.

"Other guests I am delighted to wel- come include His Excellency the Netherlands Ambassador. I am glad too, to think that there are many members of Parliament, whose con- stituents have won awards for gallantry, and many heads of civic authorities present." Presidential Address The report and accounts for 1962 were adopted, and the president, vice-presi- dents, treasurer and other members of the Committee of Management and the auditors were elected.

PRINCESS MARINA then gave her presidential address. After thanking the Chairman for his welcome she said: "This has been as bad a winter as any of us can remember; it has been an especially gruelling one for our life-boat crews. Lord Howe has already referred to the tragedy at Seaham which shocked and distressed us so deeply. Once again, on behalf of you all, I would like to express our heartfelt sympathy to the families of the very gallant men who lost their lives in that catastrophe.

Fourteen Medallists "Conditions at that time were terrible everywhere; this will be evident to you when you hear some of the accounts of services undertaken by life-boat crews from all over the country. And it is not without significance that last year, for instance, there was only one medallist to come up to this platform; this year there will be no less than fourteen.

"A number of these splendid actions were undertaken by men such as Thomas Fawcus, of Blyth, and Sidney Cann, of Appledore, both of whom have been in the service of the Institution for very many years.

"But there were also a number of most gallant rescues carried out by much younger men, and some of these you will see on this platform this afternoon, when I have the honour of conferring upon them their medals and awards.

Visit to Edinburgh "This year, I am greatly looking forward to the International Conference which is to take place at Edinburgh and to the opportunities it will give me of meeting representatives of many life- boat societies from overseas. I am sure the exchange of ideas will be of the greatest value to everyone and a most rewarding experience.

"Finally, I would like to send my good wishes to all those who work so faithfully on behalf of the Life-boat Institution. In particular, I send once more my congratulations to the life-boat crews on their outstanding record this year, and my very best wishes to them for the future. I would also like to add my thanks and sincere wishes to all those who through their voluntary efforts help to keep this magnificent service alive and uphold its splendid reputation throught the world." Princess Marina then presented: To COXSWAIN MALCOLM MACDONALD, of Stornoway, the silver medal for gallantry for the rescue of two of the motor fishing vessel Maime on 30th January; To MOTOR MECHANIC JOHN MACLEOD the bronze medal for the same service; To ASSISTANT MECHANIC JOHN MACDONALD the bronze medal for the same service; To COXSWAIN HAROLD CAMPINI, of Rhyl, the silver medal for the rescue of the crew of three on board the hovercraft VA3-001 on 17th September; To COXSWAIN SIDNEY CANN, of Appledore, the silver medal for a service to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Green Ranger on 17th/18th November; To COXSWAIN THOMAS FAWCUS, of Blyth, the silver medal for the rescue of the crew of two of the motor vessel Paullgate on 18th November; To BOWMAN JOHN KERR the bronze medal for the same service; To COXSWAIN COLEMAN HERNON, of Galway Bay, the bronze medal for the rescue of the crew of eight of the Dutch motor vessel June on 16th January; To ASSISTANT MECHANIC BARTLEY MULLEN the bronze medal for the same service; To PATRICK QUINN the bronze medal for the same service; To THOMAS JOYCE the bronze medal for the same service; To COXSWAIN WALTER SEMPLE, of Cloughey, the bronze medal for the rescue of the crew of five of the Dutch coaster Frida Blokzijl on 7th March; To COXSWAIN HAROLD PARKINSON, of Lytham-St. Anne's, the bronze medal for the rescue of the crew of four from the yacht Lone Seeker on 21st July; To CAPTAIN ARTHUR JENNINGS, of Alderney, the bronze medal for the rescue of the crew of seven of the motor vessel Ridunian on 28th March; To MR. G. G. WRIGHT and MR. L. S.

BETTISON the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum for the rescue of one man and five children from a cabin cruiser near Conway on 16th September; To Miss LIZETTE JOHNSON and MASTER MICHAEL JOHNSON engraved wrist watches for their parts in the same service; [JUNE, 1963 To MASTER CHRISTOPHER DUFFY, of Ham- worthy, an engraved wrist watch for the rescue of an eight-year-old girl on 10th June; To MR. NIGEL HARDING and MR. DAVID METTAM engraved wrist watches for the rescue of one man, two women and a dog at Axmouth harbour on 15th July: To MASTER DEREK HUMFRYES of Bembridge, an engraved wrist watch for the rescue of a man, a woman, and a boy from a dinghy on 31st July.

Earl Howe then asked Mr. P. Denham Christie, a member of the Committee of Management, to propose the usual resolution of appreciation of the Insti- tution's coxswains and crews, its local committees and officers of station branches, financial branches and the ladies' life-boat guild.

In doing so, he said: "I would like to tell you about the life-boat from the point of view of those who man and serve the boats.

"In the old days the coxswains and crews used, in the main, to be inshore fishermen, though in certain cases every able-bodied man turned out to launch or man the boat, and sometimes the women had to do the launching.

"Now, with the alteration in fishing methods, and the fact that motor life- boats, with their longer range, may be stationed where there are no fishing boats, the fisherman is not always available, and we have to draw on the ordinary Briton's understanding of the sea.

Policeman, Carpenter and Printer "In the Tynemouth life-boat the second coxswain was a builder's fore- man, and we had a policeman, a joiner, a carpenter, a printer, and a young shipyard manager.

"In some cases it has even been known for the local clergyman to be pressed into service, but the position of clergy- men in ships is a disturbing one. In days of old, when the king gathered together a fleet of ships, he went to the church to supply his senior officers as there were few other suitable people who could read and write. So monks were appointed as admirals, and as monks could have no belongings of their own, they were made archdeacons to enable them to keep their pay, and anything else they obtained from their appoint- ment. Later on, however, ideas changed, probably in the days of the Armada, when every ship had her clergyman, and some forgot that man must do what he can to help himself when in difficulties, and many ships were lost through the crew being called from handling sails and gear in an emergency in order to pray. So today, clergymen—together with ladies—who also take men's minds from their work—are classed as menaces aboard ship.

Time of Great Advance "The fact that the crew of the boat is made up of such a mixture of people has on more than one occasion been thrown in my face with the contemptuous re- mark, 'Oh, amateurs, surely you can do better than that!' "My reply is, 'Volunteers, certainly, with all the advantages of the volunteer, but there is nothing amateurish about their work: trained as a team, trusting each other, and with boats and gear on which they can rely, you won't find crews to touch them anywhere in the world.' "With regard to boats, I would just like to say this: now is a time of great advance. Future boats are going to be built that are far finer and better life- boats than those we have at present, but I myself have been frightened on occasions during service with the terrible and lonely feeling of inadequacy, but never once have I had a moment's fear that the boat would not do what I wanted her to do or more.

Long Periods of Waiting "Imagination is caught by the life- boatman who goes to sea in weather which causes others to run for safety, and whose only thought is the saving of life. There are other sides to the job— work on the boat to keep her in a first- rate state, exercises at sea, long periods of waiting, and the feeling of being tied, of never going out without leaving an address, cancelling your evening's enter- tainment if the weather deteriorates and you feel you should remain in easy call, and the quickening of the heart if the 'phone rings at an unusual time, so it is actually a relief when a call does come.

"It is perhaps during this period of waiting that the good coxswain does his best work in keeping up the efficiency of the boat and the morale of his crew, so that when they go to sea they work as a well-trained team. In service it is not his job to try and earn medals—in fact it is his duty to avoid as much risk as possible and to know when to wait and when to take a calculated risk, for smashed boats and injured crews do not make rescues. There are times when the decision to wait is of much more value to the shipwrecked than just to go in regardless of everything, but it is a very hard decision for the coxswain to make.

Happy Crew an Efficient One "So, you see, a very brave man who ignores danger is not necessarily the best coxswain, for he needs vision to weigh up a situation, self-discipline to take the unpopular decision, moral courage to face uninformed criticism ashore and not to let it affect his judgment, and the organizing ability and imagination to keep the crew keen, efficient and happy during long periods of inactivity between calls. For a happy crew is an efficient one.

"In the life-saving team are others too: the honorary secretary who author- izes the launch, the head launcher and his helpers, who have the work of launching the boat, preparing the slip- way and gear for her coming back, put- ting on hot soup for the crew, and then waiting and waiting—and wondering what is happening. Plenty of work and worry and none of the excitement.

Behind them are the committees and those who work for funds and never even see a life-boat, but know that their efforts have made possible every rescue around our coast.

"The big rescue job only comes along occasionally. A description of some of the work of the Tynemouth boat will show the usual sort of thing that happens.

"Two boys and a dog put out in a small boat in a 20 m.p.h. offshore wind, and once clear of the shelter of shore began rapidly drifting towards Norway in an increasing sea. They were very pleased to see the life-boat when picked up two miles off the coast, but their pride rapidly overcame their gratitude when it came to explaining what had happened to the press and to their friends.

"A swimmer went out in a heavy on- shore swell and got into difficulties, so that two life-boats had to search over a bad reef in breaking water and in failing light, with little hope of success.

Dimly out of Blackness "One Sunday night we received a call to a German trawler 30 miles out into a very stormy North Sea; afterwards there was some doubt whether it had been a real SOS or a hoax, but we did not know that at the time.

"That night the phrase 'brotherhood of the sea' took on a new meaning for me; as we neared the search area in shocking weather we sighted dark form after dark form dimly appearing out of the blackness—a trawler, a coaster, another trawler, and a lordly mailboat, brilliantly illuminated and rolling so heavily that it made me queasy to watch her; all of them searching hour after hour for signs of survivors, at enormous cost to their owners and inconvenience to their crews and passengers.

"Eventually the search was called off, and dawn found us wet, cold and desperately disappointed approaching the piers; as we entered we saw a small fishing boat sheltering behind the north pier where no boat would normally think of lying, and as we came past she followed us upstream: she had run for shelter as we went out the night before; her crew had listened to our search all night on their radio, and they felt that they must at all costs see us safely over the bar. Talk of 'sympathy in action'.

I cannot tell you how much it meant to us at that hour.

Went on Fishing "Comedy plays its part; one night we went out to collect a badly injured engineer from a trawler, and she was late due to engine trouble, so we decided to go ashore and raid the larder and come out again. As we cast off the second time someone threw on board a very early edition of the newspaper, and as we left harbour we delightedly read a glowing account of the service we had not yet performed.

"Then there was the man that we came upon at the harbour entrance as we returned from a service call, fishing happily and so intent on his line and deaf to the calls of a large crowd gathered on the cliff top, that he never realized that he had drifted out of smooth water into a really frightening sea, and who, when we had towed him to safety, smiled kindly upon us—and went on fishing.

"Helicopters always gave us a nasty feeling that they might settle on us, and one nearly did. She proved extremely difficult to come alongside because her rotor tips kept suddenly appearing out of the sea in unexpected places and at incredible distances from the machine.

Fog the Main Worry "It was fog, however, that really worried me. The design of small, transistorized navigation instruments is now making such rapid strides that many of them are becoming suitable for fitting in life-boats. But even a year ago you only had compass, hand lead-line and your own ears to find your way home perhaps for four or five miles along a rocky coast, grope your way through a harbour entrance you never even saw, and then navigate a mile of a river in fog so thick that you could not see bows from cockpit. This is the most difficult thing I ever had to do; it leaves you with nerves raw, eyes sore and strained, and dog-tired. Above all things preserve me from fog.

"The head sea in heavy weather is not the greatest danger; the going out can can be wet and even exhilarating, but the sea, like other enemies, is at its deadliest when you turn your back upon it, for it comes up behind, lifts your stern, thus reducing your rudder area, and at the same time forces your bow down into the water, so that there is a risk that the boat swings violentlybroadside on and is rolled over and over by the next wave.

Value of Drogue "We have, however, a device we use in these cases; it is called a drogue and is a conical-shaped sleeve made of very stout canvas, open at the ends. It is most effective but gives a peculiar sensation of life hanging on a thread—as indeed it does. Such a simple device, but it must have saved thousands of lives, and it is to my mind the most important piece of equipment in the life-boat.

"On these occasions the worst mo- ment is just before reaching home, when the waves begin to build up in the shallowing water and form extremely steep following seas.

"I remember one occasion with the harbour entrance completely obscured when the boat was in the trough, and an awe-inspiring view when on the crest, with a cauldron of breaking water to the side of the entrance and the end of the pier taking a terrific battering and huge sheets of flying spray forming fans of white tracery many times the height of the lighthouse.

"The drogue was tending to jump, so the line was paid out a little, and you could feel the tension ease as it became obvious that the drogue was holding the stern up to the seas, and one by one we were attracted by the wonder and beauty of the scene, and very vividly to my mind came the words: 'They that go down to the sea in ships and occupy their business in great waters, these men see the works of the Lord and the wonders of the deep.' A Small Boat Sailor "You know, whoever wrote the one hundred and seventh psalm must have been a small boat sailor—it is so wonderfully and magnificently true.

"I have tried to tell, very simply, how the day to day work of the life-boat affects the lives of some of those taking part, and with all my heart I move the adoption of the resolution." The resolution was carried unani- mously and Princess Marina then presented the certificate of an honorary life governor to: MRS. W. D. GALE, of West Cowes.

Her Royal Highness then presented bars to their gold badges to: Miss M. TART, Dungeness; MRS. C. LEYLAND, O.B.E., Southend-on-Sea; and gold badges to: MRS. A. EDDY, Central London; MRS. R. MATHERS, Dundee; ALDERMAN G. T. PAINE, M.D.E., J.P., Dunge- ness; MR. W. MILLS, Forest Row; MRS. E. P. LE MASURIER, Jersey; MR. J. M. F. GROAT, Longhope; MRS. C. C. SAYLE, Rhyl.

Captain G. E. Barnard, a member of the Committee of Management and Deputy Master of Trinity House, moved a vote of thanks to Princess Marina, saying: Thanks of Elder Brethren "It is an honour and privilege for me to move this vote of thanks to your Royal Highness for coming here today to preside over this meeting and to present the awards won by the members of the crews of your life-boats who have hazarded their own lives in services to all in danger from the seas and rocks around our coasts during this past year and others who have rendered valuable service in saving life to the Institution.

"I am sure that it is right to say that those who have received awards this afternoon must feel doubly rewarded that you, Madam, have been able to be here today to make these presentations.

"As in many previous years, there have been numerous dangerous services during the year, all brought to a safe conclusion apart from that off Seaham on the 17th November last, which Your Royal Highness has mentioned and in which casualty Your Royal Highness showed such a deeply sympathetic concern. Those who suffered most were heartened and the whole service is very grateful.

"Among the many missions under- taken by your life-boats a number are on behalf of Trinity House and I would particularly wish to express the thanks of the Elder Brethren for the ever- willing assistance given.

"Mr. Christie has already said some- thing of the life facing life-boatmen.

Many times during my thirty-five years at sea, most of it spent in large, powerful steamers, the sight of gale-driven break- ing seas has been awe-inspiring and even frightening in their destructive force. What they must look like from a 48-foot 6-inch life-boat in shoal water I can only imagine, but whatever it may be the crews take it all as part of the day's work.

Tribute to Coxswains' Skill "When we consider the sort of weather conditions and the many services carried out, it is not perhaps surprising that there has been an occasional casualty; it is much more sur- prising that there have been so few.

This is a great tribute, not only to the skill of the coxswains and crews of your life-boats, but also to the seaworthy qualities of these boats as stressed by Mr. Christie in his speech. As the Earl Howe has already said, we are never complacent about this matter of quality.

Improvements and possibilities for im- provement are under constant con- sideration.

"Your Royal Highness, we are greatly indebted to you, and I am sure all present will be very ready to support this vote of thanks." Seconding the vote, Sir Charles Baring, a member of the Committee of Management, said: "In the usual way it would be entirely inappropriate for me to introduce a personal note into the proceedings, but I should be less than human if I did not make a brief reference to one who so often presided at these meetings. Your predecessor, my Lord Chairman, so often spoke of the charm and distinction with which Her Royal Highness dis- charges her duties, and it is warming to know that to the end of his life he retained the happiest memories of the kindness and consideration which our President extended not only to him and the Committee of Management but to the crews and workers of the Institution.

Isle of Wight Awards "It is therefore a great privilege for me, as a new member of the Committee of Management, to be allowed to take part in these proceedings and above all it is an honour for me to be associated with this expression of thanks to our President for her presence here today.

In addition, perhaps you will allow me to say, my Lord Chairman, as repre- sentative of the Isle of Wight life-boat board, that it is a great honour for the members of the board to know that a young man (I will not say of tender years, for that will offend him, but certainly very young) has been awarded a wrist watch for gallantry, and also honoured is a lady who is a member of the ladies' guild in the Isle of Wight.

"Perhaps I should explain the Isle of Wight is still part of the United King- dom. A lady asked me the other day where the Customs and Currency Office was. I assured her that with or without a railway the Isle of Wight was still part of the United Kingdom.

Carried with Acclamation "The grace and fervour and freshness which Your Royal Highness brings to us as President commands our constant admiration. Perhaps I may mention an attribute which is more enduring, and that is the sincerity which you, Madam, bring to your task. This is a quality which springs straight from the heart and must always command our respect and affection.

"For the family reasons that I have mentioned, may I assure you, Madam, that this occasion will remain for me a treasured memory and with a great feeling of obligation I beg leave to second this vote of thanks." The vote of thanks was carried with acclamation.

Supporting Princess Marina on the platform were His Excellency the Netherlands Ambassador; the Mayor and Mayoress of Westminster; the members of Parliament for Blyth, Edinburgh, N. Devon, South Fylde, Torrington, W. Flint, West Southend, and the Western Isles; the mayors and mayoresses of forty-nine towns and boroughs; the chairmen of two urban district councils; representatives of the Ministry of Transport; donors of life- boats or their representatives, including the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows and the Canadian Pacific Steamship Com- pany; representatives of charitable trusts which have been actively supporting the life-boat service; honorary life-govern- ors and vice-presidents of the Institution; members of the Committee of Manage- ment; the President of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild and the chairman and vice-chairmen of the Central London Women's Committee of the Institu- tion.

In the evening those who had received awards for gallantry and their families saw the Black and White Minstrel show at the Victoria Palace,.