This service took place last year: No. 6 Life-boat Area Plymouth, South Devon - At 7.37 a.m.

on 29th July, 1969, the coastguard reported that a dismasted yacht was burning red flares and drifting rapidly about one mile south south west of the Eddystone lighthouse. The lifeboat Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse slipped her moorings at 7.50 in a gale force north north westerly wind with a rough sea. It was one hour after high water. At 9.52 she came up with the 55-foot auxiliary schooner Morwenna of Shoreham, with six people on board, including two children, about three and a half miles south south east of the lighthouse.

The life-boat went alongside the schooner whose main mast was lying over her starboard quarter and hampering rescue operations. With the assistance of the motor vessel Ben Arkle which was trying to make a lee, an attempt was made to lift the schooner's mast back on board her with a line from the motor vessel, but this was unsuccessful. Six people were taken aboard the life-boat. As towing the casualty would have been difficult because of the overhanging mast the coxswain put two men aboard the Morwenna to attend the tow line.

At 10.25 the life-boat started to tow the Morwenna, making slow progress in very bad weather conditions. An anchorage at Cremyll was reached by 4.15 p.m. The life-boat returned to her moorings at 5.20. A letter of appreciation was sent to the coxswain and crew from the Secretary of the Institution together with an additional monetary award to each man..