FOR his part in the rescue of three bathers off the Sutherland coast on the 10th August, 1967, Sergeant Andrew Lister of the Ross and Sutherland Constabulary has been accorded the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum.

Sergeant Lister received a telephone message at 11.10 on that morning from the Links Hotel that some bathers were in trouble off Brora beach. He went to the beach at once with Police Constable Maclennan. They saw five people apparently in difficulties about 90 yards from the shore.

One of these, a 13-year-old boy, Alexander Mackay, had been swept out by the tide while playing with a rubber ring. Three other children, Colin Hill, aged 10, Yvonne Jackson, aged 13, and Ian Macaskill, aged 14, went out to try to rescue him.

By the time the two police officers arrived a Beaconsfield doctor, Dr. Ruth Smiley, who was on holiday, had seen the four children in trouble and had swum out to their help. She persuaded Colin Hill and Ian Macaskill to return to the shore while she supported Alexander Mackay. She managed to do this for some 40 minutes until the tide turned and she could help him back to the beach.

FOUND A BOAT Sergeant Lister came to the conclusion that it would be unwise for anyone else to try to swim out. He told Police Constable Maclennan to make sure that the coastguard, ambulance and life-boat authorities had been alerted, and thenwent in search of a boat. He found Mr. Donald Grant, a local man, who offered the use of his small fibre-glass dinghy.

As it was nearly low water it would have been impossible to cross the harbour bar, and there was, in the circumstances, no point in launching the boat at the harbour entrance. The boat was therefore taken to the beach in a Land-Rover belonging to the Sutherland County Roads Department.

By the time Sergeant Lister had arrived back at the beach with the boat Colin Hill and Ian Macaskill had already reached the shore. Meanwhile, however, Mr. Alexander Martin, of Aberdeen, and Mr. James Ballantine, of Glasgow, had swum out to try to help Dr. Smiley and the two children who were still in the water. Neither of these men was a strong swimmer, and they too soon found themselves in trouble.

GIRL WAS EXHAUSTED With the help of several onlookers, Sergeant Lister launched the boat with some difficulty because of the sea and weather conditions. He left a rope's end ashore before rowing out.

There was now a force 4 northerly wind with a moderate sea, and the weather was cloudy with passing showers. Sergeant Lister first reached Dr. Smiley, who was still supporting Alexander Mackay. She told him she could continue to do so and asked the sergeant to help Yvonne Atkinson, who was now some 20 yards away and in considerable difficulty.

Sergeant Lister left the rope which he had run out from the shore with Dr.

Smiley and rowed towards the girl. She was exhausted and in a state of distress and with much difficulty, caused by the lightness of the boat and the conditions of the sea, he managed to lift her bodily into the dinghy. He then rowed to Mr.

Martin, whom he assisted aboard, and with three people in the dinghy more and more water was shipped.

HAULED ASHORE The sergeant next reached Mr. Ballantine, who was already exhausted and unable to do much for himself. It was impossible to drag him aboard too, and Sergeant Lister therefore told him to hang on to the stern of the boat. With considerable difficulty the sergeant began pulling for the shore. Mr. Grant swam out with a rope and secured it to the bow of the boat. Helpers on the beach then succeeded in hauling the boat ashore. All those who had been rescued were subsequently treated for shock and exposure.

In addition to the award made to Sergeant Lister, a framed letter of thanks, signed by the Chairman of the Institution, Admiral Sir Wilfrid Woods, G.B.E., K.C.B., D.S.O., was sent to Mr. Donald Grant.

The services of Dr. Ruth Smiley and the three children, Colin Hill, Ian Macaskill and Yvonne Atkinson, were recognised by the Royal Humane Society..