AT the age of 62 Coxswain Henry Nicholas, of Sennen Cove life-boat, has been awarded the bronze second service clasp for gallantry. Nearly 45 years earlier he won his first bronze medal at the age of 17 when the Sen- nen Cove life-boat rescued four men from the sea and four from the rocks after a motor launch drove on to the Longships on 30th November, 1919.

Coxswain Nicholas' second award of the bronze medal has been made for the rescue of five people from the Belgian trawler Victoire Roger.

Coastguard's Reports It was at 4.3 a.m. on 24th March, 1964, that the honorary secretary of the Sennen Cove life-boat station, Captain H. B. Harvey, learnt from the St. Just coastguard that a Belgian trawler was ashore at Lands End. The wind was blowing from the south-west and although it was not strong at the time there was a moderate sea and a heavy swell. Visibility was poor be- cause of fog and rain. It was i| hours after high water with the ebb stream running to the south-west.

Trawler Afire The Sennen Cove life-boat Susan Ashley, which is one of the 41-foot Watson type, was launched at 4.30, and about five minutes later Coxswain Nicholas saw that the trawler was on fire. She was ashore in Gamper Cove, which is a steep rocky inlet near Lands End.

The life-boat arrived off the casualty at 4.45. Coxswain Nicholas' first in- 132 tention had been to stand off and use his rocket apparatus and breeches buoy but as he approached the trawler he could see the crew standing on the poop in the light of the flames, and they appeared to be in immediate and grave danger. He therefore decided to go alongside at once and try to take them off.

Four Rescued Stationing his crew forward he went alongside the starboard quarter of the trawler. This manoeuvre was partially successful, for four men were taken off, but then a heavy sea drove the life- boat into the cove, where she touched bottom. By quick and skilful use of his engines Coxswain Nicholas brought the life-boat astern out of the cove, although another heavy sea broke over her stern as he did so.

Injured Skipper By this time the life-boat crew had learnt that there was still one man on board the trawler. He was the skipper and he had a broken arm. Coxswain Nicholas decided to return alongside immediately. In spite of his injuries the skipper was successfully taken off, and within a few minutes the whole rescue operation had been carried out. Cox- swain Nicholas decided to make for Newlyn, where arrangements were made for a doctor and an ambulance to stand by. The life-boat reached New- lyn at 6.16 and landed the survivors.

She returned to her station at 11.35 and was rehoused half an hour later.

Medal service certificates were issued to the other members of the crew: Second Coxswain Eric Pengilly, Maurice Hutchens, crew members Bowman Edmund George, Mechanic Kenneth G. Boden, Cecil H. Botterell Richard George, Assistant Mechanic and Hedley Hutchings..