Two brothers, Christopher and John Cook, who formed the crew of the Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, inshore rescue boat, and a 64 year old retired doctor, Dr.

Harrison Broadbent, have received letters of appreciation signed by the Chairman of the Committee of Management of the Institution, Captain the HOCL V. M. Wyndham-Quin, R.N. The letters are in recognition of their part in an attempt to save life which was in itself a striking example of the way in which the different rescue services co-operate. In addition to the IRB, the Yarmouth lifeboat, a helicopter of the Royal Air Force and the Needles coastguard all took an active part.

At 11.24 a.m. on loth April, 1966, Mr. L. W. Noton, honorary secretary of the Yarmouth life-boat and IRB station, learnt from the Needles coastguard that a man had fallen over the cliff at Scratchell's Bay. The IRB, manned by Christopher and John Cook, put out at 11.40.

There was a light southerly wind, but there was a heavy ground swell. The tide was half flood.

The IRB made a successful landing at Scratchell's Bay about noon on the steep shingle beach. Her crew were advised by the coastguard to put to sea again to make a rendezvous with a helicopter which would lower a doctor and an R.A.F. crewman.

About 12.30 p.m. Dr. Harrison Broadbent, who had volunteered his services in the absence of the station's honorary medical adviser, was winched down into the IRB, together with the R.A.F. crewman.

CAUGHT BY UNDERTOW The IRB approached the beach again, but as her crew tried to turn her to seaward in order to land her stern first on the beach, she was caught by the undertow. A heavy breaking sea then struck the boat on the quarter, washing her broadside on to the beach and throwing the two brothers into the sea.

Christopher Cook was trapped under the boat, but his brother pulled him clear. Dr. Broadbent and the R.A.F. man were then helped ashore.

With the help of Station Officer P. Kent, of H.M. Coastguard, Dr. Broadbent gave the injured man an injection, but the man died of his injuries. The R.A.F.

man swam out to sea and was winched back into the helicopter. The IRB had been cleared of water and was relaunched, but although the engine started she was again washed back by surf. This time the engine was damaged and the boat was hauled up the beach.

Dr. Broadbent and the members of the IRB crew could not be winched up by helicopter from the beach because of the proximity of the overhanging cliffs.

It was therefore decided to launch the Yarmouth life-boat, The Earl and Countess Howe, which is a 48-foot 6-inch Oakley boat. The life-boat put out at 12.48 and reached the area of Scratchell's Bay at 1.30. Dr. Broadbent and the Cook brothers were still on the beach.

PORT PROPELLER FOULED It was nearly high water and therefore important to get them off as quickly as possible. Coxswain Harold Hayles anchored in two fathoms of water and began to veer down towards the beach. When the life-boat was half way in, a heavy ground swell swept her. The life-boat rode it well, but she was left lying broadside on to the sea.

The surge had carried the boat over her own cable and fouled the port propellor.

As a result the port engine stalled. Attempts to get lines ashore were unsuccessful. During the attempts a heavy ground swell struck the life-boat on the beam and at one moment she seemed almost certain to roll over.

The coastguard then informed the life-boat that it would be possible to bring Dr. Broadbent and the IRB crew and the dead man up the cliff. The life-boat therefore made for Yarmouth and reached her station at 4.14. The party from the beach were successfully brought up the cliff..