The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been awarded to seven men who put out in the Portrush life-boat to search for survivors from a Norwegian frigate on ist November, 1965.

At 9.16 that morning Mr. W. R. Knox, the honorary secretary of the Portrush station, received an anticipatory message from the Senior Naval Officer, Northern Ireland, through H.M. Coastguard, Bangor, stating that five men had been lost overboard from the Norwegian Frigate Bergen. The position given was 20 miles north-west of Portrush.

A north-westerly wind of storm force (force 10) was blowing. There were frequent squalls causing poor visibility. It was two hours before high water and conditions at the harbour entrance were described as "appalling".

ALL VOLUNTEERED Mr. Knox discussed the situation with the coxswain, Robert McMullan. The coxswain decided to make an attempt to take the life-boat out of the harbour, and the crew were assembled. They were told of the conditions at the harbour mouth, and they all volunteered to put out. Mr. Noble Ruddock, the District Engineer (Ireland), was on duty in the area and volunteered to join the crew.

The life-boat Lady Scott (Civil Service No. 4), which is one of the 46-foot g-inch Watson life-boats, was launched at 10.17. When she reached the harbour mouth ahigh breaking sea struck her on the beam, and eye-witnesses said that it threw the life-boat bodily broadside for a considerable distance. Coxswain McMullan turned the life-boat to meet the second sea head on and this broke overall. People who were watching said that she appeared to leave the water and drop bodily into the trough of the sea. This happened several times before the boat reached deeper water.

After rather more than two hours the life-boat reached a position 5 miles north-east of Inishowen Head, and the coxswain began a search of the area, reducing speed to ease the pounding. The search continued without success until darkness fell. Conditions were too bad for the life-boat to return to Portrush and Coxswain McMullan decided to make for Greencastle.

The life-boat reached Greencastle at 6.28 in the evening and was refuelled and made ready for sea. The next morning she returned to Portrush, where she was rehoused at 9.28.

LIFE-BOAT DAMAGED BUT SEAWORTHY By then it had been found that her bilge keel, stem-head fitting and ventilators had all been damaged, but the life-boat was still in a state of immediate seaworthiness.

The radio telephone equipment had been swamped by a heavy sea but communications were maintained throughout the service.

In his report, the District Inspector, Mr. G. R. Walton, expressed the view that the coxswain and crew "showed calculated courage in unanimously deciding to launch" and that they acted in the finest tradition of the Institution.

The seven men to whom the thanks of the Institution have been accorded are Robert McMullan, Coxswain; James Stewart, Second Coxswain; William H. Lee, Bowman; Gilbert Chambers, Motor Mechanic; Frederick Ernest Williams, Assistant Mechanic; T. O'Neill, Life-boatman; and Noble George Ruddock, District Engineer (Ireland)..