FOR their part in the rescue of three people from a burning motor boat off Bournemouth, Police Sergeant Douglas H. Carter, aged 43, and Police Constable Arthur E. Farley, aged 46, have received the thanks of the R.N.L.I. inscribed on vellum. The police offiers were manning the Bournemouth IRB at the time.

First news that fire had broken out in the boat some two miles off shore was given at 4.45 a.m. on 19th May, 1968. At 4.47 a.m. the Southbourne Coastguard telephoned the Bournemouth police and was answered by Sergeant Carter who,, besides being an IRB crew member, is also assistant honorary secretary of the local IRB and was at that time deputising for the honorary secretary. The sergeant and Police Constable Farley at once went to the IRB and launched at 4.55 a.m. By that time the motor boat Clipper was off Durley Chine.

On approaching the casualty it was seen that she was lying head to wind and that most of the flames came from a burning petrol tank on the cabin top. The flames were blowing back across the cockpit. Police Constable Farley at once vrlupteereu to board, and accordingly Sergeant Carter circled the burning boat and placed the bow of the IRB against the starboard bow of the motor boat.

By using hi? engine he then turned the motor boat stern to wind, so that the flames were blown clear of the cockpit. He then brought the IRB alongside the cockpit on the port side and Police Constable Farley jumped aboard.

PETROL CAN KICKED OVERBOARD The constable immediately kicked the burning petrol tank overboard and then attempted to extinguish the flames by using the fire extinguisher from the IRB and a bucket of water. As soon as the fire had been extinguished Police Constable Farley made certain there was nobody aboard. He then rejoined the IRB.

Sergeant Carter remembered that he had passed a petrol tank floating in an oil slick on his way to the casualty and decided to start a search towards the shore from his position. Within minutes the IRB had located the tank. The helmsman then started to zig-zag across the oil slick towards the shore. At about 5.15 a.m.—it was by then daylight—a man was sighted in the water half-a-mile from the shore. As they approached, the man shouted to them to pick up his son—he was burnt and badly shocked—first. This was done, and afterwards the boy's father was picked up. About 400 yards from the shore another man was picked up, and the IRB was beached at 5.15 a.m. After the survivors had been sent to hospital the policemen recovered the motor boat, having first thrown overboard the cabin settee cushions which were still smouldering. The IRB was finally rehoused at 5.50 a.m..