William Archibald Rowe died on 30th July, 1963, after his boat had struck a rock. He swam ashore, and a member of the Coverack crew gave him first aid. He was taken to hospital by helicopter but died there.

He had been an officer of the Cover- ack life-boat for 32 years and had been coxswain for nearly 25. During his per- iod of service as a boat's officer Cover- ack life-boats were launched 55 times and rescued 82 lives. He was awarded the Institution's thanks inscribed on vellum for a service to a Spanish steamer on 3rd November, 1951.

Mr. C. W. Clapham writes: "Everybody knew Archie as he was affectionately known. Visitors to his Cornish seaside village of Coverack came hundreds of miles to see him.

"I knew him many years and I never heard him say an unkind word about anybody. Always ready to do a good turn to anybody, Archie loved people, particularly children. When I was at Coverack one small girl arrived late at night for a holiday and at once came to me to ask 'Where is Archie?' When the child knew Archie was lifting his crab pots at 4 a.m. next morning she got up early specially to see him.

"Archie was once the subject of the B.B.C.'s programme This is Your Life', and what a job we had to get him up to London without his knowing. I remem- ber the wonderful party we had after the show and the day out in London afterwards, a place he had never been to before, and equally how glad he was to get back to his beloved Coverack.

"The life-boat was his life, his crew adored him and would have followed him anywhere, whatever the weather or conditions. He was never flurried, in a temper or appeared to be in a hurry but he got there just the same.

"Archie was 'Coverack'. There will never be another like him. With his passing part of Coverack has gone and the whole village mourns him.".