MEN ON THE ROCKS Torbay, Devon. At 4.19 p.m. on i6th January, 1964, the coastguard told the honorary secretary that two men were in the sea off Durl Head. There was a strong east-north-easterly breeze with a rough sea. The tide was flooding. The life-boat Princess Alexandra of Kent set out at 4.30 with the boarding boat in tow, but owing to the weather was unable to come close to the rocks. Three members of the crew were consequently transferred to the boarding boat to see if they could help. Two men, members of a party of 10 rock-climbers, were seen on the rocks.

With the help of the life-boat searchlight they recovered the body of a young man from a deep crevice and successfully scaled the cliffs with the body. Because of very rough weather and the hazards of searching close inshore with the boarding boat for the second man the coxswain recalled the three crew members to the life-boat. When darkness fell the life-boat was recalled and returned to her station at 6.45..