THE THANKS of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Bruce Brown, Cyril Williams and John Riley, the crew of the Walmer, Kent, IRB for rescuing four people cut off by the tide. The rescue was considered to be the best service performed by a Walmer IRB crew since an IRB was placed there in 1964.

At 7.45 p.m. on 24th August, 1969, the Coastguard, Deal, reported that a number of people were cut off by the tide south of St. Margaret's Bay. The Walmer IRB crew were assembled by telephone and made for the bay at 7.53 p.m. The wind was north west, force 3, with a heavy swell.

Arriving at the scene just before dark, the IRB found four people on a chalk ledge just above the water at the base of the cliff. Between the IRB and a strip of shingle, below the ledge, was a ridge of rocks near the surface of the water.

The IRB crew let go the anchor and tried to veer down stern first to the beach, but she yawed violently in the heavy swell, causing the anchor cable to chafe through on the rocks.

DROVE OVER ROCKS Mechanic Brown decided to drive the IRB over the rocks under power, tipping the outboard as they passed over the rocks and dropping it again to drive her up on to the shingle. He succeeded in his efforts, despite the swell which repeatedly swamped the inshore rescue boat.

The Coastguard mobile patrol had assembed on the cliff top and lowered Coastguard J. Green to help the stranded people into the IRB. There were two men and two women in a distressed condition.

In order to lighten the boat, the wet mattress was left behind, and the IRB got clear of the rocks. She then made for Walmer without further trouble, arriving at 9.30 p.m. An ambulance took the survivors to hospital for treatment for shock and exhaustion..