AT half past nine on the evening of Saturday the 18th May, 1963, the Wells coastguard told the honorary secretary, Dr. E. W. Hicks, that a cabin cruiser was aground at the entrance to Blake- ney harbour.

The life-boat Cecil Paine, which is a 35-foot 6-inch Liverpool type, was launched at 10.5 with Francis Taylor the second coxswain in charge. The hon- orary secretary was also on board. The delay in launching was due to the state of the tide. The tractor and carriage had to negotiate deep water before reaching the launching site. There was a strong breeze from the west-north-west and a rough sea. It was low water.

The life-boat reached the casualty forty-five minutes later. She was aground on the bar but had let go an anchor which had fouled, making the boat lie with her stern to the seas which were breaking on board and gradually filling her. The cruiser, the Seamu, of Frinton, with a crew of two on board, was constantly under observation by the warden of the Blakeney Point bird sanctuary. He assisted the rescue opera- tion by passing information to the coastguard, who relayed it to the life- boat.

In her first exploratory approach to the Seamu the life-boat touched bottom on a sandbank before she could get close enough to render assistance.

Second Coxswain Taylor then worked his boat westward round the sandbank and anchored about 200 yards from the Seamu. The life-boat's searchlight was then trained on the cruiser.

At eleven o'clock Second Coxswain Taylor found there was sufficient water on the sandbank for the life-boat to cross, and he took her about ninety yards upwind of the Seamu, where he let go his anchor again. By this time the wind had increased to near gale force and the sky had become overcast with poor visibility.

Four Attempts to go Alongside From this position the life-boat was veered down on the anchor cable and four attempts had to be made before the life-boat could get alongside the Seamu. At the fourth attempt the life- boat was alongside for a few seconds and the Seamu's crew of two were pulled on board the life-boat. But in these few seconds the life-boat bumped against the cruiser's quarter and was slightly damaged.

Anchor Cable Parted The life-boat then hauled clear and Second Coxswain Taylor stood by in the hope that there would be an opportunity to take the Seamu in tow, but her anchor cable parted and she was driven ashore on the beach near the coast- guard look-out. When this happened the life-boat sailed for her station, where she arrived at 3.15 on the morning of May 19.

For this service, undertaken in haz- ardous conditions, the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Second Coxswain Taylor, D.S.M., and medal service certificates were issued to the six other members of the crew: Bowman John Cox, Motor Mechanic James Cox, Assistant Mechanic Alan Cox and to Robert Taylor, Barry Leggatt, Alan Cooper, as well as to Dr. E. W. Hicks, honorary secretary. Additional mon- etary awards were made..