COXSWAIN John MacLeod of Barra Island and the other members of the Barra Island crew have received letters of thanks, signed by the Secretary of the R.N.L.I., Captain Nigel Dixon, R.N., in recognition of a long service in which the life-boat was at sea for 19 hours in gale conditions.

It was at 4.46 on the morning of 7th October, 1969 that Mr. Hugh Morrison, honorary secretary of the Barra Island station, learnt from the Stornoway Coastguard that H.M. survey ship Fox was aground on Mingay Island in Loch Bay, north west Skye. A quarter of an hour later the coastguard asked for the Barra Island life-boat to be launched, and the boat put out at 5.45.

A southerly gale estimated at force 10 or force 11 was blowing, the sea was very rough and the weather was overcast with frequent rain showers. It was high water at Barra Island. During the passage to Loch Bay there were very heavy following seas. The life-boat carried out the 47-mile passage at an average speed of just over 8 knots.H.M.S. Fox was aground on the eastern side of Mingay Island. She was lying on the rock bottom very close to the shore. It was nearly low water when the life-boat reached her, and she then had a list of about 40° to starboard. Some two-thirds of H.M.S. Fox's ship's company had been landed on Mingay by the ship's motor boat. Inside Loch Bay with the shelter afforded by the Skye mountains sea conditions were much easier, but occasionally strong gusts from the landward side created a sudden wind sea even inside the Loch which Cox- swain MacLeod had to watch closely.

CONFERENCE H.M.S. Fawn, another survey ship similar to H.M.S. Fox, was lying about half a mile out in deeper water. The life-boat went alongside H.M.S. Fawn, took on board supplies of hot soup and sandwiches and brought these to H.M.S. Fox, where they were divided between the crew on board and the men ashore.

Another Royal Navy ship, H.M.S. Leander, also reached the scene later and anchored in deep water at the outer limits of Loch Bay. The life-boat took the commanding officer and first lieutenant of H.M.S. Fox to H.M.S. Leander to a conference with the senior officer present. As H.M.S. Leander was in fairly open water it was not easy to bring the life-boat alongside the accommodation ladder, and some damage was done to the life-boat guard rails and gunwale capping.

The life-boat lay off for about an hour while the conference took place and then re-embarked the commanding officer and the first lieutenant and brought them back to their ship. By this time it was about 3.30. Meanwhile the whole crew of H.M.S. Fox had been re-embarked through the use of their own motor boat.

It had been decided to try to refloat H.M.S. Fox at high water, which was at 5.10. About 4.30 the life-boat went alongside H.M.S. Fawn and took on board several coils of a coir messenger rope, which was conveyed to H.M.S. Fox and secured on board. Twenty minutes later H.M.S. Fox began heaving on the messenger rope to try to bring a nylon tow rope on board, but the coir rope parted almost at once.

TOOK COILS The life-boat immediately returned to H.M.S. Fawn and this time took several coils of nylon tow rope on board. This was secured on board H.M.S.

Fox; H.M.S. Fawn took the full weight of the tow, and the casualty began to move clear of the rocks almost at once. By 6.15 both ships were clear to deep water. They anchored to allow a further survey to be made of H.M.S. Fox. By 6.30 the life-boat crew learnt that their help was no longer needed, and the life- boat left Loch Bay for her passage home.

Once she was clear of the shelter afforded by Loch Bay and Dunvegan the full force of the southerly wind and sea was again experienced. The wind force did not fall below force 10 and was gusting to force 11 with corresponding seas.

Coxswain MacLeod reduced engine revolutions to make conditions easier for both the crew and the boat. After an extremely uncomfortable passage the life- boat finally reached Castlebay at 1.15 a.m. on 8th October.

The Commanding officer of H.M.S. Fox wrote: 'Myself and the whole ship's company have nothing but admiration for the coxswain and crew members of the life-boat; an admiration that was expressed by a voluntary collection on board which resulted in a cheque being sent to the secretary of the Barra Island station'.

The other members of the Barra Island life-boat crew were: Second Coxswain/ Mechanic J. A. MacNeil, Assistant Mechanic N. J. Maclean, Second Asst.

Mechanic J. MacKinnon, Crew member M. J. Campbell, Crew member W. Mackay, and Crew member D. J. Currie..