Islay, Inner Hebrides. At 5.16 p.m.

on 20th August, 1965, the honorary secretary received a ship's telephone call from the master of the motor vessel Lochard, who had seen flares being fired half a mile south-west of Chuirn Island light and had found a motor launch, Happy Return, high and dry on a reef on her beam ends, with two people on board.

The Lochard was standing by. At 5.30 the life-boat Francis W. Wotherspoon of Paisley put out with the second coxswain in command. There was a strong southeasterly wind and a rough sea. It was two hours before high water.

The life-boat reached the position at 7.10 and found the launch being pounded with the rising tide. As the life-boat was about to close the casualty the launch slipped into deep water, into a position alongside the life-boat. The launch was making water in several places and was taken in tow to Port Askaig. The crew had been stranded since 10.30 a.m. and were extremely cold and hungry. The crew saw to their welfare and the life-boat reached her station at 7.45 p.m..