A FINE service carried out in an easterly gale resulted in the rescue of all nine people on board a Dutch motor vessel. For this service Coxswain Walter Jonas Oxley, of Walton and Frinton, was awarded the bronze second service clasp for gallantry.

The first news of a vessel in distress reached the life-boat station at 2.50 a.m. on Sunday, I5th March, 1964, when the coastguard on duty at the Walton look-out informed the honor- ary secretary, Mr. R. Oxley, that he had just intercepted a Mayday call.

This was from a vessel which had gone aground near the Longsand Head or South Ship Head. Mr. Oxley im- mediately alerted Coxswain Walter Jonas Oxley and Second Coxswain Frank Bloom, and the coastguard con- tacted North Foreland radio to get confirmation of the report.

Rain and Rough Seas At 3.8 North Foreland radio re- ported that the Dutch motor vessel Merak of 498 tons gross was aground to the south of the Sunk lightvessel and needed help. Maroons were fired two minutes later and the honorary secretary went to the life-boat store.

An east-south-easterly gale was blow- ing and the seas were extremely rough.

Heavy rain was falling continuously and visibility was down to less than half a mile.

The tide was then about half ebb and was setting north-east at i knots. The strength and direction of the wind meant that the maroons were not immediately heard, but at 3.50 the Walton and Frinton life-boat Edian Courtauld, which is one of the 46-foot 9-inch Watson type, left her moorings.

Five minutes later the life-boat crew received from the Walton coastguard an amended position for the Dutch vessel. This was four miles north of the Sunk hghtvessel. At 4.15, when she was 31 miles east of Walton pier, the life-boat obtained a direction-finding bearing of the casualty, which was 045° from the life-boat.

Rockets Not Seen Between the squalls a fleeting glimpse was had of the north-east Gunfleet buoy, and then Coxswain Oxley altered course to pass outside the south Shipwash buoy, which is unlit. He asked the Dutch vessel to fire six distress rockets at intervals of five minutes. The confused sea and the poor visibility, which was further re- duced by snow showers, prevented any of these rockets from being seen.

At 6.10 the honorary secretary ashore received further information from the Walton coastguard. This was that the s.s. Avalon was standing by one mile to the east of the Merak and would await the arrival of the life-boat.

The Avalon also reported that she had an echo on radar bearing 145°, which was believed to be the life-boat two miles away from her.

Checked His Position Coxswain Oxley came to the con- clusion that he must have passed the Merak and asked the casualty to give him a 30-second call in order that hecould obtain another direction-finding bearing. This allowed him to adjust his course at 6.30.

Ready and Waiting The tug Hibernia had meanwhile put out from Harwich, but at 6.43 a message was received to say that she had been forced to turn back because of the heavy seas. When the Walton life- boat was half a mile from the casualty Coxswain Oxley asked the master of the Merak if he wanted his crew to be taken off. The reply he received was: "Not yet, but stand by." The time then was 6.49.

Coxswain Oxley remained near the south-east Shipwash buoy, but the wind, which had backed to the east- north-east, was increasing in strength and gusting to storm force. As it would be low water at the shore at 6.30 Coxswain Oxley came to the con- clusion that on the rising tide he would have a better chance of rescuing the crew of the Dutch vessel if he made to the westward of the sands and lay off the casualty to leeward. Shortly after 8.30 this manoeuvre was completed and the position of the life-boat was then about a mile south of the south- west Shipwash buoy. Later she re- mained standing by to the north-east of the buoy.

Bumping Badly At 10.2 a signal was picked up from the master of the Merak to say that she was now bumping on the rising tide, seas were breaking over her, and he had decided to abandon ship. Coxswain Oxley therefore brought the life-boat in immediately. The Merak was by now heading approximately south- south-east along the line of the Ship- wash sands. She had a Jacob's ladder over the starboard quarter and her 130 master reported that the depth of water at her stern was only one fathom. The Dutch vessel was bumping and rolling heavily.

Coxswain Oxley made the first run in, which he judged perfectly, and one woman and two men were taken off.

He was then forced to back away to leeward.

The life-boat came in once more and two men jumped aboard her. A third attempt was then made, and this time the Merak rolled heavily towards the life-boat.

Almost Crushed The bowman, Dennis Finch and another member of the crew, Robert Kemp, both narrowly escaped being crushed. Just in time they received a warning shout from the coxswain and their reactions were quick enough to save them. Nevertheless, at this third attempt the remaining four men on board the Merak succeeded in jumping into the life-boat. Coxswain Oxley then took the life-boat out at full speed astern.

Once aboard the life-boat, the cap- tain of the Merak asked the coxswain to remain nearby in case his ship re- floated on the rising tide. Soon after 10.20 the Merak did in fact wash clear of the sands and the captain and one member of his crew were put back aboard. They managed to drop anchor in deep water and the life-boat then put the engineer aboard too.

Woman Among Survivors The life-boat stood by until two tugs had been able to circumnavigate the Shipwash sands, and Coxswain Oxley then set course for Walton back- water with five rescued men and one rescued woman aboard. The life-boat reached Walton Yacht Club hard at 1.2 p.m., and the survivors were put in charge of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.

The mission of the life-boat crew was not yet completed, for Mr. Oxley, the honorary secretary, had learnt that a motor barge had put out from Har- wich, and although there were no signs of distress it was thought advisable for the life-boat crew to investigate.

Soon after the life-boat had put out again it was learnt that the barge had returned to Harwich under her own power. The life-boat therefore re- turned to her river mooring where she was refuelled and made ready for service by 5.30.

In addition to the award of the bronze second service clasp to Walter Jonas Oxley, medal service certificates were issued to the other members of the crew: Second Coxswain Frank Alfred Bloom, Bowman Dennis Finch, Mechanic Gilbert Ernest Barrs, As- sistant Mechanic Ronald J. Wyatt, crew members Kenneth Haggis, Rob- ert Kemp, Arthur Cole, Brian Oxley and Robert Hipkin.

Coxwain Oxley's first bronze medal was awarded for his services as second coxswain when the Walton life-boat rescued the crew of three of the barge Esterel, of London, on I4th October, 1939..