AT 5.50 a.m. on 2yth October, 1963, Valentia radio station informed the honorary secretary of the Youghal life- boat station, Commander B. Arbuth- not, that the French trawler Fee des Ondes was ashore in Youghal Bay. The position given, which was not thought to be correct, indicated that the trawler was probably to the east of Youghal.

There was a strong breeze blowing from the south-east, and the sea was rough outside the harbour. It was misty, and visibility was reduced to about a mile. It was half an hour before low water.

At 6.29 the Youghal life-boat Her- bert John, which is one of the 35-foot 6-inch Liverpool type, was launched with instructions to search to the east- ward.

At 6.40 the Civic Guards at Ard- more located the casualty in Ardmore Bay, and at 7.5 the new position was relayed to the Youghal life-boat by the Ballycotton life-boat.

Rough Passage of Seven Miles After a rough passage of seven miles the Youghal life-boat reached the trawler at 7.40, She found that of the crew of nine, seven had already landed on the beach in an inflatable dinghy.

The master and one member of the crew had remained aboard.

There were two other men on board, a Youghal skipper and a member of the rocket brigade, who had boarded the trawler by means of the inflatable dinghy in order to try to give help.

The Fee des Ondes was lying about300 yards from Ardmore beach and rolling heavily with her bows towards the shore. Ardmore Strand is a sandy beach exposed to winds from the east and south-east. There is a patch of rocks, into which the trawler was later driven as the tide made.

The life-boat anchored to seaward of the port quarter of the trawler in about a fathom and a half. She veered alongside four or five times, but the master refused to abandon his ship at this stage, as a salvage tug was expected.

Tried to Hold Off Rocks In the meantime the coxswain of the Helvick Head life-boat John and Lucy Cordingley had been told that the French trawler was in distress. The life-boat left her station at 7.15 and arrived on the scene about 8.30. Both life-boats attempted to hold the trawler off the rocks but they were unable to do so and had to abandon their efforts.

The Helvick Head life-boat was then recalled and reached her station at 1.15.

About eleven o'clock the trawler, pivoting on a rock, slewed around 120° to port and drove towards the shore into more rocks. Her port side was now exposed to the sea, she was holed, and she began to list dangerously to port. The master then decided to abandon ship.

Swinging Trawl Boards The Youghal life-boat veered down on to the weather side of the trawler, which was still rolling heavily. Cox- swain Richard Hickey found his task was made even more difficult by the trawl boards, which were swinging from the gallows. There was considerable danger from rocks, over which in places there was less than a fathom and a half of water, and the life-boat was in fact damaged by the trawl boards.

Jumped into Life-boat About 11.15 f°ur men jumped into the life-boat, which then hove off and weighed anchor. She had a rough re- turn passage to Youghal, which she reached at 12.30 p.m. On her return it was found that the stemhead fitting belting, guardrail stanchions and rud- der were all damaged.

For this service the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain Richard Hickey. Medal service certifi- cates were issued to the other members of the crew; M. Murphy, M. Hennes- sey, J. Murphy, C. Hennessy, P. Hen- nessey, and J. Delaney. Additional service allowances were paid..