THE THREE CORNISHMEN THREE men of Polruan, Mr. Lloyd Dunn, Mr. John Curtis and Mr. Anthony Raymond, have all received letters of thanks from the R.N.L.I. for the parts they played in rescuing four survivors when a dinghy capsized on 7th August, 1969.

It was at 5.10 p.m. that the coastguard on watch at Polruan saw a sailing dinghy of the Fowey class capsize off Fowey lighthouse; four people were on board. None of them was wearing a life-jacket, and the coastguard therefore asked for two boats to put out from Polruan. He also asked for the help of a helicopter.

The boats were pilot boats nos. 11 and 16. There was an easterly wind of force 4/5 with a slight sea when they put out. It was two hours before low water, neap tides. Apart from occasional squalls the weather was fine and visibility was good.

Pilot boat no. 11 manned by Mr. Lloyd Dunn, a Trinity House pilot, and his boatman, Mr. John Curtis, approached the capsized dinghy at 5.20. Three people were clinging to it. The dinghy had drifted close inshore into a horseshoe shaped cove with off-lying rocks to the west of the lighthouse. The fourth survivor had managed to reach one of the rocks and was not in immediate danger.

Seas in the cove were rough and very confused, and it was only because the dinghy was held back from the rocks by the backwash of the sea that it was not totally destroyed.

Without hesitation and with great risk to himself, his crew and his vessel, Mr. Lloyd Dunn took his boat into this dangerous and confused area and succeeded in taking aboard three people. He also managed to take the capsized dinghy in tow.

The second pilot boat, manned by a boatman, Mr. Anthony Raymond, reached the scene three minutes after the first boat. Two women, who had been taken aboard Mr. Dunn's boat, were both exhausted, and Mr. Dunn therefore decided to return to Fowey without delay. The tow of the dinghy was transferred to the second pilot boat. The man who had reached the rock now swam for the boat, which returned to harbour with him aboard and with the dinghy in tow. The two boats reached Polruan at 6.5.

Framed letters of thanks signed by the Chairman of the R.N.L.I. have been sent to Mr. Dunn and Mr. Curtis and a framed letter of thanks signed by the Secretary of the R.N.L.I. to Mr. Raymond.

Retirement of Dutch Chief Chief Inspector W. Klijn, of the Dutch Life-boat Service, has retired after 32 years' service. During his service he visited the R.N.L.I. on a number of occasions and, in a letter to the R.N.L.I., adds: 'I will never forget these visits and will always remember the friendships . . .'..