MR. F. DOWNS, a member of the Whitstable inshore rescue boat crew, recently helped to save his own fishing boat from a possible explosion by a German magnetic mine.

His fishing boat, Harvester II, was found to have a German type D mine caught in her nets just as she was about to enter Whitstable harbour at 2 a.m. on 28th May. Mr. Downs was asked to anchor outside the harbour entrance while the police made an urgent call to the Portsmouth Com- mand Bomb and Mine Disposal Unit of the Royal Navy. It was low water when the unit arrived and there would not have been enough water to float a boat for several hours.

At the request of the police and the unit, Mr. B. E. Hardy, honorary secretary of the station, agreed to launch the inshore rescue boat to take members of the unit out to the fishing boat.

His Insistence Heavy sea mist prevented any imme- diate action but at 2 a.m. the next morning the help of the inshore rescue boat was again given. Acting as cox- swain, Mr. Downs took out Lieut.- Commander Wray, of the Bomb and Mine Disposal Unit, and his chief petty officer. Mr. Downs insisted on moving his fishing boat to a position where the mine could be safely released for detonation. He stood by in the inshore rescue boat during the counter- mining action and by 4.30 a.m. on the 29th the mine had been safely disposed of by the unit. The inshore rescue boat returned to shore hah0 an hour later.

A few days later the Institution received a letter written by Admiral Sir Wilfrid Woods, from Admiralty House, Portsmouth. He wrote: "The mine was identified as a German type D mine, designed to function either magnetically, acoustically, or by hydro- static clock or switch. It was also fitted with a bomb fuse, designed to explode the mine if it fell on land or in shallow water. Any of these devices might have caused the mine to explode while it was being moved.

Traditions Upheld "Mr. Downs was fully aware of the hazards involved, but insisted that he and his crew should take Harvester II to a position where the mine could be safely released for detonation "Mr. Downs and his crew acted throughout in accordance with the best traditions of the Royal National Life- boat Institution, and were of the greatest assistance to the Portsmouth Command Bomb and Mine Disposal Unit".

Further Appreciation Appreciation of the help given by another of the Institution's inshore rescue boats has also been expressed recently by H.M. Coroner, Dr. Som- merville, at an Eastbourne inquest, and by the Chief Constable for East Sussex.

On 29th June, 1964, the Eastbourne inshore rescue boat searched for Mr.

Brian Matthewman, a missing swim- mer, in Pevensey Bay. News that he was missing came from the coastguard at 12.9 p.m. and six minutes later the inshore rescue boat was launched.The swimmer was picked up 10 minutes later, and on the beach the police and an ambulance were waiting.

Despite efforts to resuscitate him, the swimmer unfortunately did not revive.

The inshore rescue boat returned to her station at 1.48 p.m.

A subsequent letter from the Chief Constable of East Sussex to Mr. Cecil F. Baker, Eastbourne honorary sec- retary, read: "At an inquest held at Eastbourne on the ist of July, H.M. Coroner, Dr. Sommerville, said that he would like to offer his thanks and the thanks of the public to the R.N.L.I. inshore boat from Eastbourne which arrived in about five minutes to assist with the rescue of the late Mr. Brian Matthewman who had disappeared whilst swimming off Pevensey Bay.

"Mr. Matthewman died in the water as a result of a coronary attack which would not have been fatal had he not been in the water and for this reason the efforts of your crew were of no avail. I would however like to add my own appreciation of your services to that of H.M. Coroner.".