With the publication of Derek Wood and Derek Dempster's revised book, The Narrow Margin (Arrow Books, 25s.), on which the screenplay of the epic film, The Battle of Britain, is based, some of those who were actively engaged may well remember the part played by the life-boats of the R.N.L.I.

During the period of the Battle of Britain—10th July to 31st October, 1940— life-boats from the mouth of the Humber to Weymouth were launched to friendly and enemy aeroplanes over 100 times.

The Narrow Margin makes several references to the good work done by life- boats, and states for 3rd September, 1940, that "One of the pilots from 603 Squadron shot down . . . was P/O Richard Hillary, later to write the best-seller The Last Enemy. His cockpit in flames, Hillary had difficulty in getting the Spitfire's hood open. When at last he succeeded he fell, badly burned, into the sea. After over an hour of pain and misery he, like so many other pilots, was picked up by an R.N.L.I, life-boat, the /. B. Proudfoot, on temporary duty at Margate." Very soon the Margate life-boat crew learnt that the rescued pilot, whosecondition was very critical, was of the family of Sir William Hillary who founded the R.N.L.I. in 1824.

At the height of the Battle of Britain, when public feeling was running high, some pressure was brought on the R.N.L.I. to leave enemy airmen to die in the sea. But when the Institution was founded it was laid down "that the subjects of all nations be equally objects of the Institution as well in war as in peace".— C.R.E.

• From William T. Baker comes a booklet, They Took the Life-boat Up the Mountainside and the Lynmouth Flood Disaster, price 4s., including postage.

Copies are obtainable from the author at 12 Abbey Road, Barnstaple, Devon.

Mr. Baker, whose study is well illustrated, describes the famous Porlock service of 1899 and the flood disaster of 1952. He suggests that the life-boatmen who took part in the Porlock feat should be honoured, even at this late date. Mr.

Baker writes: 'The R.N.L.I.'s highest decoration, their gold medal, should be awarded to cover the whole crew. . . . The twin villages should erect on the front at Lynmouth an ornate statue of a life-boatman looking seawards, the inscrip- tion to read "We'll launch from Porlock"—four words immortalised in life-boat history.' • To commemorate their centenary—the life-boat station was established in 1869—Port Isaac have published a booklet, The Port Isaac Life-boat, price 3s., including postage, edited by Mr. R. M. Harris, the local IRB honorary secretary.

The booklet, which is attractively illustrated, makes a point of telling readers the procedure for calling out the life-boat..