Mr. Donald Laker, a member of the Weymouth life-boat crew who went overboard to swim to a yacht with a line, has been awarded the bronze medal for gallantry. The thanks of the Institution on vellum have been accorded collectively to the coxswain and crew.

At 1.5 on the afternoon of Saturday, 29th May, the mechanic of the Weymouth life-boat, Ernest Powlesland, was told that a yacht was aground to the north of the pier. He reported this to the coxswain, Alfred Pavey.

Coxswain Pavey, with two members of the life-boat crew, put out in the coxswain's own boat. They found the yacht Dehra aground on a lee shore jth spray breaking over her. They could not approach close enough to give help, and they therefore returned to the harbour and reported to the acting honorary secretary, Dr. Gordon Wallace. Dr. Wallace decided that the life-boat should be launched.

HEAVY SWELL FROM EAST The life-boat Frank Spiller Locke, which is one of the 52-foot Barnett type, put out at 1.50. Visibility was good. There was a moderate near-easterly wind with a short choppy sea and an occasional heavy swell coming in from the east.

It was low water.

The life-boat approached the casualty at 1.55. Coxswain Pavey decided to enter to the north east of the yacht and veer down on his cable. The swell and the shallow water made the manoeuvre a difficult one, and the life-boat fouled a marker buoy which had been laid as one of a pair to mark the finishing line of the Poole-Weymouth yacht race.

LIFE-BOAT TOUCHED BOTTOM Coxswain Pavey weighed anchor and re-anchored further to the north east.

By going full astern and veering cable rapidly he succeeded in passing between the two marker buoys to a position about 100 yards from the yacht. The lifeboat could not approach closer and even in that position touched bottom from time to time.

The signalman, L. Hillier, then fired four rocket lines. Two of these fell across the yacht but were missed by her crew, and the other two fell short.

Coxswain Pavey came to the conclusion that when the tide started to make the swell would probably put the yacht over on her beam ends and drive her further up the beach. He decided that a line must be got aboard so that the yacht's bows could be kept up into the wind.

Donald Laker, an experienced swimmer, volunteered to swim across to the yacht with a line. The coxswain agreed, and Mr. Laker stripped to his underclothes and swam through the surf with a rocket line. He succeeded in boarding the yacht and a tow line was passed.

As the tow was secured the yacht, caught by a heavy swell, lurched violently and the crew were thrown across the deck. The owner, Mr. J. Davidson, injured his head badly on a guardrail stanchion, and another member of the crew injured a leg. Mr. Laker was bruised on both his chest and legs, yet began to give first aid treatment to Mr. Davidson.

HELICOPTER REQUESTED A member of the public standing on the pier watched the scene through binoculars and told Wyke Coastguard that a man with blood running down his face had been carried below. The coastguard sent a message to the life-boat at 2.30, saying that on receiving a report that there was a man hurt on board the yacht they had asked for the help of a helicopter. The life-boat confirmed that medical help was needed.

Dr. Gordon Wallace, who is the station's honorary medical adviser, hailed a friend, Mr. E. A. Hall, who was afloat in a Boston whaler in the harbour, and asked to be taken out to the yacht. Mr. Hall agreed and put out with Mr. D. S.

Southcombe assisting as crew member.

STRAIN TAKEN ON TOW LINE Meanwhile Coxswain Pavey, by heaving in on his anchor and going slow ahead on his engines, had been able to take the strain on the tow line and bring the yacht rather more head to wind. The wind had dropped, and with the change of tide the sea conditions became easier.

Mr. Hall succeeded in putting Dr. Wallace aboard the yacht and then brought Mr. Laker to the life-boat, where, despite the injuries he had received, Mr.

Laker insisted on continuing with his duties.

The helicopter reached the scene at 3 o'clock, but Dr. Wallace felt it would be inadvisable to move Mr. Davidson because of his condition, and the helicopter returned to base.

YACHT REFLOATED The life-boat continued to keep the yacht head to wind until 3.30, when she refloated. The yacht was then towed back to Weymouth harbour and secured at 4.15.

Mr. Davidson, Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Laker were taken by ambulance to hospital where Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Laker were treated for severe bruising and later discharged. Mr. Davidson was admitted for observation for a fractured skull.

In addition to the award of a medal to Mr. Donald Laker the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded collectively to: Coxswain Alfred Pavey, Second Coxswain Victor Pitman, Bowman Bertie Legge, motor mechanic Ernest Powlesland, assistant mechanic Thomas Moggeridge, boat signalman Lionel F. Hillier, and crew member Brian B. Randall.

Letters of appreciation were sent to Mr. E. A. Hall, Mr. D. S. Southcombe and Dr. E. J. Gordon Wallace..