BOWMAN B. A. C. LEGGE, of the Weymouth life-boat, has been awarded 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., for the part he played in helping to bring in a yacht and five people.

It was at 0034 hrs. on 2nd September, 1968, that a holidaymaker at Durdle Door reported sighting a red flare. At 0106 hrs. confirmation of the sighting was received from the coastguard at Lulworth. The maroons were fired at 0115 hrs., and the Frank Spiller Locke, which is a 52-foot Barnett life-boat, left her moorings at 0124 hrs.

SEA VERY ROUGH The wind was south west, force 7-8 gusting to force 9, and the sea was rough.

There were intermittent squalls. By the time the life-boat was clear of the lee of Portland Bill at about 0140 hrs. the sea was very rough with a south west wind of force 8.

At this juncture a red flare was sighted to the east and course was altered.At the same time the life-boat fired a parachute flare. No answering flare from the casualty was seen, nor was any answer received to a second parachute flare fired five minutes later. Meanwhile, the radar operator of the life-boat reported an echo at a distance of a mile. Conditions were such that it was extremely difficult to maintain a good course.

At 0215 hrs. the life-boat came up with the yacht Frances Helen. She was rolling and pitching heavily near Lulworth Banks. Her sails and boom had been blown away. The yacht requested a tow.

Because of the weather conditions a tow was considered the safest method of saving the crew, as any attempt at transfer would have been extremely hazardous.

The life-boat therefore lay off the starboard beam of the casualty and passed a line. Conditions were such, however, that the yacht's crew were unable to secure it. The line was recovered and passed a second time. This attempt also failed.

It was then decided to put a life-boatman aboard the yacht to connect up.

YACHTSMAN TOO EXHAUSTED At the third attempt both boats came close enough together for Bowman Legge to jump aboard the casualty where he secured the tow without assistance from the survivors, the member of the yacht's crew who had been attempting to connect the tow being in a too exhausted state to assist.

Towing was started on a westerly course to the lee of Portland Bill as soon as possible, but the weather conditions were such that only a mile was covered in the first 30 minutes. This course was held until 0410 hrs. by which time the casualty was half a mile off Portland breakwater. Course was then altered for Weymouth harbour which was entered at 0515 hrs..