THE C.A.C. is hoping to arrange a crossword puzzle for inclusion in the Journal. At the time of going to press plans had not been finalised but further details will be given in the July issue.

Many people gave up weekend time in November to help launch hundreds of balloons in a race on behalf of the R.N.L.I. Because of the postal strike it has not been possible to obtain from branches information as to the holders of the winning labels. Fuller details will, therefore, be given in the next number.

As this issue of THE LIFE-BOAT went to press the C.A.C. was looking forward to the national walk planned for Sunday, 18th April. The aim was to get 'The Youth of Britain Walking for the Life-boat'.

The C.A.C. is to organise a national sponsored swim in collaboration with the Amateur Swimming Association from which all proceeds will be given to the R.N.L.I. The swim will take place in clubs affiliated to the A.S.A. and is open to swimmers over seven years old. It is envisaged that the swim will take place throughout the summer ending at the end of December.Fund-raising suggestions are welcome. If you have an idea write to Mr. R. N. Crumbie, chairman of the C.A.C., at 28 Chislehurst Road, Orpington, Kent.

Exmouth Centre The Exmouth, South Devon, life-boat display centre took well over £2,000 last year. Mr. C. E.

Chown, the honorary secretary, described it as a 'fantastic year'. There are also R.N.L.I.

museums at Eastbourne, Sussex, and Whitby, Yorkshire, and display centres at Portpatrick, Wigtownshire, and Dunbar, East Lothian.

Shipowner's Tribute Mr. Aristhomenis Karageorgis, of Piraeus, Greece, whose shipping company is Michil A.

Karageorgis S.A., recently donated £500 to the R.N.L.I, through the Chilterns branch. This support from a Greek shipowner is most welcome.

Last year the R.N.L.I, gave help to no fewer than 84 vessels from 17 countries overseas, saving 32 lives from them.figureheads to boatshed walls reminded me of seeing a fine example mounted over the doorway of the life-boat station at Auderville in Northern France. Possibly it came from a victim of the Alderney Race the station watches over.— JV. Caches, J. Whitehead and JV. Caches, New Road, Wootton, Isle of Wight.• 'Rover's' article in praise of ships' figureheads in your last issue reminds me that when I was a girl in the Great War a sailing vessel named the Trifolium was wrecked at Land's End in, I think, 1914. She was adorned with a very fine figurehead and one wonders what became of it.—Mrs. Sarah Jones, Plymouth.

The Trifolium was driven ashore on 18th March, 1914, and the picture (see below] of the bow of the vessel was sent to the R.N.L.I. in 1940 by Mrs. Laura Moss, of Hillcrest Avenue, Truro, Cornwall.LIFE-BOAT MEDALS • Would you please give particulars about the medals awarded by the R.N.L.I, for acts of bravery.—F. Crane, Portsmouth.

The Institution's standards for awarding medals are as follows: (a) the gold for an act in which outstanding courage, skill and initiative have been shown or altogether exceptional courage, (b) the silver for anact of outstanding merit, (c) the bronze for an act of conspicuous gallantry and courage. Medals are suspended by a bar formed of two dolphins, and the ribbon is blue corded silk. The first gold medal awarded by the Institution was made on 10th July, 1824, for gallantry in saving life from a Swedish brig which was wrecked off Christchurch, Hampshire, the recipient being Captain Charles Howe Fremantle, R.N.LIFE-BOAT NUMBERS • Retired life-boats are often in the news. If renamed and much altered how can the history of an ex-life-boat be traced?—Peter Wilkins, The Quay, Poole, Dorset.

The builder's number may be visible on the starboard side of the stem. The official number can usually be seen on the transverse beam..