LIFE-SAVING Apparatus Companies in the Hebrides and the Shetland Isles share the award of the Minister of Transport's shield for the best wreck service of the year 1963-4. The shield will be held for six months by the Port Ellen and Mull of Oa companies, Islay, and for the remainder of the year by the Lerwick L.S.A. company.

The two Islay companies were con- cerned with the rescue of the 15 mem- bers of the crew of the trawler Margaret Wicks, which grounded at Mull of Oa on 8th December, 1963.

The Lerwick company rescued 13 members of the crew of the trawler Rangore which stranded at Munger Skerries, Lerwick, on iyth January, 1964.

WENT ASHORE The Margaret Wicks went ashore on the Mull of Oa, a wild isolated part of Islay where there are few roads, at 3 a.m. on 8th December. Within T. hours, the Mull of Oa company, who live in a small isolated community about three miles away, were on the scene. Shortly afterwards the Port Ellen company arrived, having carried their life-saving gear for two miles across very rough, boggy terrain from the road where they had left their lorry.

DESCENDED CLIFF The trawler was hard ashore, close in under a steeply sloping cliff 250 feet high; and the Volunteer-in-Charge, Mr. John Lockhead,took his men down the cliff to a point about 20 feet above the bows of the stranded vessel, from which they carried out the rescue. A whip and breeches buoy was used, and within hah0 an hour the first survivor was landed. The other 14 were brought ashore uninjured within the next hour. The Islay life-boat and H.M.S. Hampshire were both lying off- shore, unable to help because of the rocks which surrounded the wreck.

RECORD TIME The trawler Rangore ran on to rocks about a hundred yards off-shore shortly before i a.m. on iyth January, after failing to heed warning signals from the coastguard. The L.S.A.

company at Lerwick turned out in record time. A rocket was fired across the wreck and secured. Led by station officer J. Hughson, the company sent out their whip, followed by a hawser.

RESCUED FROM ROCK Unfortunately one of the crew tried to come ashore before the breeches buoy was sent out and was knocked over- board, but luckily was able to scram- ble on to a rock from which he was later rescued. By 2.15 a.m. the first man was brought ashore in the breeches buoy, and the remainder of the crew were landed within an hour. The Lerwick life-boat had been standing by, but again was unable to approach the wreck because of rocks..