COXSWAIN HENRY BROWN and crew of the Walmer life-boat have been awarded a framed letter of thanks, signed by the Chairman of the Institution, Admiral Sir Wilfrid Woods, C.B.E., K.C.B., D.S.O., for rescuing three people from a yacht which had run aground. The service, carried out in 'very arduous and unpleasant sea conditions', lasted some 11 hours.

Red flares were first sighted at 2201 hrs. on 29th August, 1968, between the South Brake and Deal Bank buoys. The maroons were fired almost at once.

The wind was north north east, force 5 to 6, with a rough sea, and the weather was overcast and squally with some misty rain.

The life-boat Charles Cooper Henderson, a 41-foot beach type in the reserve fleet on temporary duty at the station, was launched at 2211 hrs. and made for the spot.

Soon the wind backed to west north west and was gusting to force 7 with a very rough sea. Visibility was reduced at times and, to help the Deal coastguard lookout which gave useful advice, parachute flares were fired to indicate the position of the life-boat.

FLARE SEEN At about 2330 hrs. a flare was seen, which presumably came from the casualty, and the life-boat headed for a position four miles from the East Goodwin lightvessel on a drying bank inside the Goodwin Knoll. However, it was found impossible to close nearer than half a mile, as the life-boat was touching bottomat times. So Coxswain Brown decided to wait for more water over the banks.

At 0019 hrs. on 30th August he made a nine-mile passage around the north of the sands so that he could approach the casualty from the eastern end.

At 0552 hrs. the yacht Fantasy was sighted about one and a half miles north west of the lightvessel, and the life-boat closed to investigate. The yacht was found lying with her head to the north east, and the life-boat was taken in under her lee. On the second attempt Coxswain Brown succeeded in taking off the crew of three, but conditions were too bad to take the yacht in tow. The lifeboat started the 11-mile return passage at 0605 hrs. around the South Sand, using the drogue as occasion demanded.

Twenty-five minutes later the life-boat's R/T became unserviceable and for a while some anxiety was felt for her as she could not be seen due to the heavy seas breaking across the sands. Some time later—at 0905 hrs.—the life-boat returned to Walmer where the honorary medical adviser was waiting to give medical attention..