COXSWAIN Patrick Power of Dunmore East, County Waterford, has achieved the remarkable distinction of winning the Institution's bronze medal for the fourth time. His award was for the rescue of six men from the Dutch motor vessel Jan Brons of Delfzijl, early on the morning of nth March, 1964.

The first news that a ship was in distress reached the honorary secretary of the Dunmore East life-boat station, Mr. A. Westcott-Pitt, from the Waterford harbour pilots at 3.55 a.m. The ship was reported on the rocks off Ardnamult Head about one mile north-east of Dunmore East harbour.

Maroons were fired five minutes later.

TOOK BOARDING BOAT A near gale was blowing from the south-east and there was a rough sea.

The weather was cloudy and it was half an hour after high water. At 4.20 the Dunmore East life-boat, Annie Blanche Smith, which is one of the older 46-foot Watson type, left her moorings. She took her boarding boat in tow.

It was only a quarter of an hour before the life-boat reached the Dutch vessel, but Coxswain Power realized that he could not bring the life-boat alongside. The first attempt to reach the Dutch vessel was with the boarding boat, but this had to be abandoned because of the extremely severe conditions.

The wind had now increased to a full gale and the tide was ebbing at 2-21 knots.

Coxswain Power came to the conclusion that the rescue would have to be carried out by breeches buoy. The life-boat was therefore anchored up tide from the Dutch vessel, but when the cable was veered the anchor began to drag and the coxswain could not maintain station. He therefore reanchored in three fathoms to windward of the Dutch coaster and veered down until the life-boat was some 90 feet off her. A rocket line was fired and the breeches buoy gear rigged.

TWO VOLUNTEERED An attempted rescue was made over the stern of the life-boat, but the boat was sheering so badly that it was decided to use the boarding boat to maintain a spread in the veering lines.

Second Coxswain Stephen Whittle and Assistant Mechanic John Power both volunteered to man the boarding boat, which was secured to the lifeboat with a nylon line. One by one they took four survivors from the Dutch coaster into the boarding boat.

About 6.40 one of the veering lines fouled the coaster's propeller and had to be cut.

INJURY TO RIBS While the gear was being rigged again the four men who had been rescued were taken to the life-boat. Later two more survivors were taken off the Dutch vessel by breeches buoy and taken aboard the life-boat. The master, mate and chief engineer decided to remain on board the Jan Brons to await the arrival of a salvage tug. They were eventually rescued by the coast life saving services's cliff ladder equipment.

The Dunmore East life-boat reached her station at 8.40 and landed the survivors. She then put out again and stood by the coaster until 10.15, returning to her moorings 10 minutes later.

Throughout the rescue the life-boat had been labouring heavily and Mr. A.

Westcott-Pitt, the honorary secretary, who was on board, had three of his ribs broken.

THREE MEDALS Three bronze medals were awarded for this service, one to Coxswain Patrick Power, one to Second Coxswain Stephen Whittle and one to Assistant Mechanic John Power.

CERTIFICATES FOR SEVEN Medal service certificates were issued to the other members of the crew: Mechanic Richard Murphy, Bowman Stanley Power, Captain C. H. Hazell, William Westcott-Pitt, Sir Brian Warren, Dr. Michael V. McCabe and A. Westcott-Pitt.

Coxswain Power's other three bronze medals were awarded for services in 1941, 1950 and 1960. The first was for the rescue of the crew of seven of the Belgian trawler Ibis; the second for the rescue of the crew of five of the fishing boat St. Declan, and the third for the rescue of one man from a disabled barge..