A Trinity House pilot at Alderney, Mr. Nicholas James Allen, has been accorded the thanks of the Institution incsribed on vellum for the rescue of 20 members of the crew of a Greek tanker.

At 11.30 on the morning of 23rd January, 1967, the St. Peter Port harbour master, Captain J. Allez, who is also the honorary secretary of the St. Peter Port life-boat station, informed the harbour master at Alderney that the Greek tanker Constantia S was ashore on the Casquets, and needed help immediately and that the St. Peter Port life-boat had put out.

CONFUSED SEA The Alderney harbour master alerted two Trinity House pilots, Mr. Allen and Mr. Jack Quinain, who mustered a crew and manned the 50-foot TrinityHouse tender Burhou. She put out at noon with Mr. Allen in command. There was a south westerly wind offeree 6 to 7 with a rough confused sea. It was half an hour after low water. The Burhou reached the tanker at 12.50. Several other ships were standing by but they were unable to close the tanker. The British Railways steamer Sarnia, which was on passage from Guernsey to Weymouth, also made for the scene.

The Constantia S was aground on Point Collotte at the eastern end of the Casquets. She had struck a little to the southward of the lighthouse but had been driven east by wind and tide. She had developed a heavy starboard list and was sinking.

Mr. Allen took the Burhou close in to the tanker and spoke to the master, who was ashore on the rocks. The master told him that two ship's boats had been launched and had been swept away to the south east.

Although the sea conditions were very difficult the two boats were quickly located two miles south south east of the lighthouse. The Sarnia, although she was rolling heavily, succeeded in rescuing ten men from one boat.

'ENGLISH SAILORS TERRIFIC' Mr. Allen, handling the Burhou with considerable skill, reached the second boat and rescued the twenty people aboard her. The Greek second officer of the tanker, who was in charge of this boat, made the comment that 'the English sailors were terrific'. The chief officer of the Sarnia also expressed his admira- tion for the manner in which the rescue was carried out.

Certificates recording their part in the service have been issued to the other members of the Burhou's crew: Pilot J. Quinain, Harry Quinain, John Allen, and A. Johns.

Framed letters of thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution, Captain the Hon. V. M. Wyndham-Quin, R.N., were sent to the master and chief officer of the Sarnia, Captain Henry Walker and Mr. Cecil Paul Baker..