Ilfracombe, North Devon. At 12.30 p.m. on 20th August, 1965, a speed boat was observed broken down with three men on board off Morte Point. Distress flares had been fired and at 12.52 the life-boat Robert and Phemia Brown was launched in a moderate west-north-westerly wind and a choppy sea. The tide was ebbing. A helicopter was also called and rescued two men, then the boat with her owner on board was towed by the life-boat to Ilfracombe, arriving at 2.10 p.m. The owner made a gift to the life-boat crew..