THE second coxswain of the Appledore life-boat, John Richard Bowden, who took command of the Appledore lifeboat in the temporary absence of the regular coxswain, Sidney Cann, on nth September, 1964, has been awarded the bronze medal for gallantry for the rescue of four people from a yacht.

At 2.34 p.m. on nth September the coastguard informed the honorary secretary, Captain Patrick Brennan, that a yacht was stranded on the bar near the river entrance. She did not appear to be in any immediate danger and a helicopter from the Royal Air Force station at Chivenor had already taken off. Nevertheless Captain Brennan, who believed the yacht might well be in danger when the tide turned, decided that the life-boat should be launched.

LANDED ON SANDBANK There was a reserve life-boat on temporary duty at the station. This was the 45-foot 6-inch life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpott, which was formerly stationed at Newhaven. She put out at 2.54.

There was a westerly wind with a slight sea and swell. The weather was cloudy with good visibility, and it was an hour before low water. To forestall the danger which might occur when the flood tide made, Second Coxswain Bowden decided to land two of his crew on the sandbank. They reached this with the assistance of another boat, and advised the crew of the yacht Volunteer to abandon their boat.

The yacht's crew consisted of two men and two women, who decided to stay aboard and wait to be refloated on the rising tide. The two members of the life-boat crew gave the yacht's owner advice on how to lay out his ground tackle and how to manoeuvre when the yacht refloated.

DECIDED TO STAND BY The R.A.F. helicopter returned to base, but both Captain Brennan and Second Coxswain Bowden took the view that the life-boat ought to stand by the yacht. The wind increased slightly in strength, and conditions on the bar, which were aggravated by a confused sea, steadily grew worse.

At 5.50 the coastguard at Westward Ho became concerned at the way the yacht was pounding, and the helicopter was therefore recalled and reached the scene at 6 p.m.

As the life-boat crew were preparing to fire a rocket line the yacht's cable parted, her rudder carried away, and she was swept broadside up on to the bank. She was clearly now in serious trouble and Second Coxswain Bowden tried three times to bring the life-boat close enough to pass a line, but he was unable to do so.

FOUR TAKEN ON BOARD He therefore decided to try an approach from the north-east. The helicopter passed a line from the bow of the life-boat, but as the yacht's crew were making this fast the lifeboat ranged alongside, and the four people were taken on board. The two women by then were in a distressed condition.

In addition to the bronze medal for Acting Coxswain Bowden a letter of thanks was sent to Captain Brennan.

Medal service certificates were issued to the other members of the crew: Acting Second Coxswain Richard H. Cann, Acting Bowman William Bowden, Reserve Mechanic W. Evans, Acting Assistant Mechanic Leon G. W. Richards, and crew members Alexander G. Craner, George E. Powe and Lawrence Ford..