Coxswain Robert Cross, who had the remarkable distinction of twice winning the gold medal for gallantry, died at the age of 88 on I4th June, 1964. He was former coxswain of the Humber life-boat.

He joined the life-boat crew at Spurn Head on the Humber in 1902, when the station was controlled by Hull Trinity House, and he left six years later, buying a share in a herring drifter. In 1909 he was out with the Flamborough life-boat when his brother and his brother's two sons were drowned while in a fishing coble. From then on he decided to devote himself to the life-boat service and two years later, when the Institution took over the station, he became the Humber coxswain.

During the 1939-45 war he had as fine a record as any life-boat coxswain in the Institution's service and he took part in the rescue of 244 lives. During his 31 years as coxswain he rescued 403 lives and gained the George Medal, two gold medals, three silver and two bronze medals, and the Institution's thanks on vellum. He retired in 1943 when he was 67.

He was awarded his first gold medal for the service by Humber life-boat on I2th February, 1940. With only five men with him in the boat instead of the usual crew of seven, he rescued nine men from the steam trawler Gurth of Grimsby, with squalls at gale force and seas breaking continuously over the life- boat.

He was awarded a clasp to his gold medal for the service to H.M. trawler Almondine on 7th January, 1943, when 19 members of the crew were rescued..