Coxswain Gordon Elliott of Padstow has been awarded the Institution's silver medal for gallantry for the rescue of two men from the fishing vessel Deo Gratias on 23rd November, 1965. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to the other six members of the crew.

A report that the Deo Gratias was firing red flares was received by the honorary secretary, Mr. A. G. Trembath, from the coastguard at 3.50 in the afternoon. The position was given as one mile north-west-by-north of Kellan Head. At 4.8 the lifeboat Joseph Hiram Chadwick, which is one of the 52-foot Barnett class, slipped her moorings.

FORCE 11 There was a westerly gale, gusting at times to violent storm (force n). The sea was very rough and visibility poor. It was an hour and a half before high water.

Conditions on the bar were bad and Coxswain Elliott made for Newland Island before altering course to try to reach the fishing vessel.

The Southern Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Mountbatten had diverted a Shackleton aircraft, which had been on a routine training flight, to the area. The aircraft arrived off Kellan Head at 4.40. In the light of flares dropped by the aircraft Coxswain Elliott sighted the Deo Gralias well to seaward of the position which had been reported, and he altered course accordingly.

MIZZEN CARRIED AWAY The fishing vessel was riding head to wind with her mizzen set, but this carried away during a heavy squall and the fishing vessel broached, sheering about violently and drifting rapidly downwind.

The life-boat reached her about 5.10. The two men aboard the fishing vessel said they had lost their rudder, were making water and wanted to abandon ship. A line was fired from the life-boat in an attempt to pass the tow-line, but this failed. A second unsuccessful attempt was made, and by then the fishing vessel was settling rapidly by the stern.

Coxswain Elliott realized that there was no time to make a further attempt to get a line aboard. He warned the two mechanics that they must respond to his orders promptly and stationed the rest of his crew forward.

LIFE-BOAT CRASHED THROUGH BULWARK He then waited for a lull and put the bow of the life-boat against the fishing vessel's starboard quarter. The two men were hauled aboard, and before he could go astern a heavy sea rolled the fishing vessel under the bow of the life-boat. The life-boat crashed through her bulwark on to the deck.

By 6.5 the life-boat crew were able to send a radio message that they had taken the two men off the fishing vessel and were making for Padstow. The fishing vessel was reported to be adrift and a danger to navigation.

Conditions continued to grow worse and the coxswain decided to go outside Newland Island and close the Gulland Rocks before turning into Stepper Point. The life-boat crossed the bar at 7.10 and was secured at Padstow quay ten minutes later.

The two rescued men, who were suffering from shock, were met by relations and driven to their homes. The life-boat was then re-fuelled and returned to her moorings at 8 o'clock.

The six members of the crew to whom the Institution's thanks on vellum have been accorded are Ernest Murt, D.S.M., Acting Second Coxswain; Arthur Permewan, Acting Bowman; William George Pinch, Motor Mechanic; Horace Edward Murt, Assistant Mechanic; Philip May, Emergency Mechanic; Arthur May, Life-boatman..