THE rescue from the Greek motor vessel Nafsiporos, in which fifteen men were saved by the Holyhead and Moelfre lifeboats, will probably long be recalled as one of the great achievements in the life-boat service.

Coxswain Richard Evans, of Moelfre, was awarded a bar to his gold medal, and Lieutenant-Commander Harold Harvey, V.R.D., R.N.R., was awarded the gold medal. No fewer than fifteen other medals were awarded to the members of the two crews.

It was at 10.2 on the morning of 2nd December, 1966, that the coastguard told the honorary secretary of the Holyhead life-boat station, Mr. T. B. Roberts, that the Nafisporos, which was a vessel of 1287 tons gross, was broken down and needed help. Her position was given as 20 miles north of Point Lynas.

Mr. Roberts agreed to launch the Holyhead life-boat. The telephone line to the boathouse had been blown down in the gale, and he went to the boathouse to tell the coxswain what was needed. Maroons were fired by the coastguard at 10.12.

INSPECTOR WAS IN THE TOWN Lieutenant-Commander Harvey, the inspector of life-boats for the north west, was passing through the town on his way to a meeting at Trearddur Bay and called at Mr. Roberts' house. He learnt from the honorary secretary's son that Mr. Roberts was on his way to the boathouse, and he himself also drove there. He found the life-boat crew about to launch the life-boat and with the agreement of the coxswain, Thomas Alcock, he took his place in the boat.

The Holyhead life-boat St. Cybi (Civil Service No. 9), which is one of the 52-foot Barnett type, was launched at 10.30. She passed the breakwater ten minutes later.

A north-westerly gale offeree 10 was blowing and was gusting to force II.

Because of flying spindrift visibility was down to 500 yards. There was a very heavy sea, and it was two hours before high water.

By 1.30 p.m. the life-boat was 14 miles north north east of the Skerries, and Shackleton aircraft were seen two miles to the east of the boat's position. One of the aircraft came overhead and directed the life-boat to the east, and at 1.38 the life-boat first made contact with the Nafsiporos. The Russian timber ship Kungurles and another vessel were in close company, and the Holyhead life-boat began to escort the Greek vessel.

Earlier in the day, at 8.20 a.m., the Douglas life-boat R, A. Colby Cubbin No.

/, which is one of the 46-foot 9-inch Watson type, had been launched to go to the Nafsiporos, which at that time had been reported in distress twelve miles south of Douglas Bay. A wind speed of over 90 knots was recorded at Rondaldsway Airport. The sea was exceptionally heavy.

COOPERATION WITH AIRCRAFT At 10.6 Coxswain Robert Lee on board the Douglas life-boat was informed by the Ramsey coastguard that the Nafsiporos had reported her position as 23 miles from Douglas Head at 9.50. At 11.3 he received another report that a Shackleton aircraft was circling the Nafsiporos in a position 25 miles from Douglas Head.

At 11.32 the Douglas life-boat was thought to be 25 miles from Douglas Head, and the Ramsey coastguard estimated 20 minutes later that she was some 5J miles from the casualty.

The Douglas life-boat then sighted an aircraft and Coxswain Lee altered course towards it. Half-an-hour later communication was established by VHP radio telephone, but it seems that the aircraft did not in fact sight the Douglas life-boat because of the poor visibility. The Douglas boat continued to search, but nothing further was seen of the aircraft, and the life-boat never encountered the Nafsiporos.

When it was learnt that the Holyhead life-boat was in contact with the Nafsiporos the Douglas life-boat discontinued the search. She reached her station at 6.30 and was refuelled. Conditions were too bad for her to be rehoused.

A third life-boat was also called out to the help of the Nafsiporos. This was the Moelfre boat Watkins Williams, which is one of the 42-foot Watson type.

She had been launched at 7.40 that morning to go to the help of the motor vessel Vinland, which had been reported to have engine trouble in a position north of Point Lynas.

After 2 hours against the wind the Moelfre life-boat reached a position some five miles north of Point Lynas when she learnt that the motor vessel Grit, which was 3 miles north east of the point, was in difficulty as her steering gear had broken down.

LEFT TO COXSWAIN The coastguard left it to Coxswain Richard Evans on board the Moelfre lifeboat to decide which vessel to assist.

Coxswain Evans decided to stand by the Grit, which had much less sea room and was nearer to his position.

He had reached the Grit after some three to four hours steaming, and he remained in company until about 12.15 when the Grit sent a radio message that temporary repairs had been effected and help was no longer needed.

Meanwhile another vessel, the Pacific Northwest, was standing by the Vinland and the Dutch tug Utrecht was on her way to her. The Moelfre life-boat was therefore recalled and reached her station at 1.15. She was secured halfway up the slip at 1.40.

It was a short respite, for at 2.8 the Moelfre life-boat was called to the help of the Nafsiporos, which was then drifting towards Point Lynas. She put out at 2.22, when the wind had reached hurricane strength and the seas were mountainous.

The life-boat passed a mile-and-a-half to two miles to the north of Point Lynas at 2.50. Coxswain Evans had learnt that the Greek vessel was then 8 miles from the Skerries and was drifting at 3! knots. She was likely to come ashore in the area of Bull Bay.

DANGERS The dangers to the Nafsiporos were growing steadily greater. She was flying light and was seen to roll up to 35° either side of the vertical. Her forefoot, bilge keels and propeller were in turn clear of the water. She was heading approximately west south west but could not be brought up into the wind although her rudder was hard to starboard, When she was only about a mile north north east of the Ethel Rock buoy the Russian vesselKungurles managed to get a tow line aboard her. The time was 2.57. Because of the tremendous strength of the wind and the sea conditions attempts to bring the Nafsiporos head to wind were unsuccessful, and the tow parted at 3.16. There was then no longer enough sea room for any attempt to be made to reconnect the tow.

The Greek vessel scraped close past the Ethel Rock buoy at 3.25. She dropped her port anchor six minutes later, but it failed to hold. The Nafsiporos continued to drag until she fetched up less than a quarter of a mile west of the West Mouse Rock. Here the depth of the water was only about six fathoms.

ROLLED UP TO 35° By 4 o'clock in the afternoon the Greek vessel was heading north athwart the five knot ebb tide which by then was running. She continued to roll up to 35° either side of the vertical.

The two life-boats were faced with a task of tremendous difficulty. The sun had set at 3.52, and little time remained to carry out any rescue before difficulties would be increased by the onset of darkness.

A Shackleton aircraft which was overhead at this time measured the wind speed as 100 knots, and the height of the sea and swell was estimated to be 35 feet from crest to trough.

While waiting for the Greek vessel to be brought up to her anchor the Holyhead life-boat had been hove to less than a quarter of a mile off the vessel's port quarter. At about 4 o'clock Coxswain Alcock brought her round the stern about half a boat's length clear of a cotton gun line, which was trailing over the side.

The Nafsiporos gave an extreme roll to starboard and a heavy yaw. Her counter crashed down heavily on the port quarter of the life-boat causing considerable damage. Coxswain Alcock had to go full ahead and hard to starboard to avoid any further damage.

The life-boat then lay off and took stock of the position. Several runs were made to assess the strength of the tide, and it was found that by varying the engine revolutions between 500 and 600 the life-boat could just stem the tide, which was thus estimated to be running at five knots.

A NEW HAZARD The Nafsiporos''s starboard boat had been turned out, and the crew then let go the forward fall. As a result the boat was hanging vertically from the after davit with her keel facing forward. This presented a new hazard. The jumping ladder in the waist down which the Greek vessel's crew would have to come was only about half a boat's length abaft the hanging boat. Both the Moelfre and the Holyhead life-boats tried to get the Greek crew to cut the boat away but without success.

It was clear that in any rescue attempt the greatest skill would have to be shown by those on the decks of the life-boats as well as by the man at the wheel, and all would be in the greatest danger. The bowman of the Holyhead life-boat was absent through sickness, and Coxswain Alcock considered his services would be needed on the deck together with those of Second Coxswain William Jones.

Coxswain Alcock therefore asked Lieutenant-Commander Harvey if he would take the wheel, a wise decision, and one demanding both physical and moral courage on the part of Coxswain Alcock. Lieutenant-Commander Harvey asked the other boat's officers and motor mechanics for their views, and with their consent he took the wheel and Coxswain Alcock supervized operations on deck.

Meanwhile at 3.31 Coxswain Evans aboard the Moelfre life-boat had sighted the Nafsiporos silhouetted in the light of the setting sun. He brought his boat close to the West Mouse Rock to the northward and came up astern of the Greek vessel as Coxswain Alcock ran in for his first attempt.

MADE CONTACT When this was seen to have been unsuccessful Coxswain Evans took his boat in. He made contact with the Nafsiporos but had to sheer away again because of the position of the ship's boat hanging over the side.

Coxswain Evans made another run, but this time could not persuade any of the crew to leave.

It was between 4.30 and 5 p.m. that Lieutenant-Commander Harvey shaped up for his final run in. He had decided to approach from up tide to leeward and on the starboard side of the Nafsiporos to allow the tide to take the life-boat into the ship. As the life-boat approached one survivor was already on the jumping ladder. At times he was well below the guard rails of the life-boat and at others well out of reach overhead. Lieutenant-Commander Harvey brought the lifeboat successfully alongside, and the man on the ladder was wrenched by force into the life-boat.

Due to the example and personal courage of Coxswain Alcock four more men were taken aboard the life-boat, their confidence increasing as one after other was brought to safety. Lieutenant-Commander Harvey manoeuvred the life-boat on the engines, for all along there was the danger that the ship's boat might break loose.

SHIP'S BOAT CRASHED DOWN In spite of all the skill shown in this manoeuvre it was impossible to keep the life-boat entirely clear of the suspended ship's boat, and more than once the life-boat stem head fitting struck the bow of the other boat.

Suddenly, just after the fifth survivor had been taken on board, the fall of the ship's boat parted and the boat came crashing down. Lieutenant-Commander Harvey, foreseeing this danger, had kept the life-boat engines astern, and they were put at full throttle. The alarm was shouted and the men on the deck of the life-boat just managed to jump aft before the ship's boat crashed down on to the deck.

The boat hit the deck upside down, crashing with all her gear on the port side. Oars seemed to be everywhere, and blades and looms were even projecting through the wheelhouse window, which had been opened to give better vision.

The boat hit the life-boat's mast exhaust just below the band of the deck light.

Her stem crushed the forward stanchions of the guard chains. Then, partly under the impetus of the sternway which the life-boat was now gathering, the ship's boat rolled and slid clear of the life-boats port bow.

TEN MORE MEN RESCUED The debris was quickly cleared, but as the wreckage of the ship's boat was now between the Holyhead life-boat and the Nafsiporos the life-boat had to pull clear and to starboard before another run in could be attempted. In fact, a further run in was not needed. The Moelfre life-boat came in in yet another attempt, and Coxswain Evans was able to keep her alongside while ten more men were taken aboard.

This left the Greek captain and three hands still to be accounted for. Both life-boats went alongside yet again, but nobody was visible on the deck of the Greek steamer. It was later learnt that they did not intend to abandon the ship.

There was no question of transferring survivors at sea, and both life-boats set off together for Holyhead, where they arrived at 6.30. Four of the survivors, who were injured, were taken to hospital by a waiting ambulance.

After landing the survivors and with time only for a cup of tea for her own crew the Holyhead life-boat put out again at the request of the Greek captain to stand by the vessel. When the life-boat approached the Nafsiporos Shackleton aircraft were dropping illuminated life rafts to her.

The life-boat continued to patrol the area, co-operation with the R.A.F.

aircraft being excellent. With the help of the illumination provided by the Shackleton and by the use of her own parachute flares the life-boat was able to guide the Dutch tug Utrecht into confined waters. Advice was then given to the tug on the best line of approach and withdrawal, and the life-boat continued to stand by while the tow was passed.

The Nafsiporos was taken in tow at 6.56 in the morning and the Holyhead life-boat finally reached her station at 7.58.

OTHER AWARDS In addition to the two gold medals the following awards were made: Silver medals to Coxswain Thomas Alcock and Motor Mechanic Eric Jones of Holyhead and to Motor Mechanic Evan Owens of Moelfre; Bronze medals to the other members of the two crews: Second Coxswain William Jones, Acting Bowman F. Ward, Acting Assistant Mechanic J. Sharp and crew members J. Hughes, G. Drinkwater and B. Steward of Holyhead; Second Coxswain Donald Francis, Bowman H. Owen, Assistant Mechanic W.M. Davies and crew members David Evans, Captain J. D. Jeavons and H. Jones of Moelfre..