For the first time ever the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded for a service by an inshore rescue boat. The service was carried out by the Eastney IRB on 3ist October, 1965, when six men were saved from a fishing launch.

The IRB station has been accorded a collective vellum, and vellum service certificates are being issued to the three members of the crew, Dr. I. T. McLachlan, Mr. R.

Cook Radmore and Mr. S. Thayers.

At 4.32 in the afternoon the Needles Coastguard told Dr. McLachlan, who is the honorary secretary of the IRB station and was acting duty coxswain at the time, that six men in a fishing vessel anchored about 400 yards south of Hayling Island fun fair were reported to be waving for help.

The assembly signal was made one minute later, and two minutes after that the Eastney IRB put out at full speed.

The wind was blowing from the south-west, and there was a rough sea, especially on Langstone bar. Visibility was poor and darkness was falling. It was one hour after high water.

The IRB reached the 28-foot fishing launch Silver Spray at 4.46. At the second attempt she came alongside the port quarter of the launch and took off four men.

She then returned across the bar, where the confused sea made entry into the harbour difficult and hazardous. At 5.5 the four men were landed at Eastney Coastguard station and two minutes later the IRB put out again. She took off the two remaining men in darkness and finally reached Eastney at 5.40..