A 15 year old youth ran up to a group of fishermen by the harbour at Dunbar, East Lothian, and told them that his brother had been washed off the rocks at the harbour entrance.

Coxswain Robert Brunton, who was present with some of his crew, realising every moment was vital, decided to launch immediately.

He then telephoned the Coastguard to inform them of his intentions. Meanwhile they had sighted the casualty themselves and were already firing maroons.

The Dunbar life-boat Margaret slipped her moorings at 2.20 on 23rd December, 1970, and made for the area. The weather was very cold, with rain, and there was a northerly gale force wind. There was a heavy swell with a rough confused sea in the harbour entrance.

Coxswain Brunton had some difficulty handling the life-boat through the narrow harbour entrance, but once clear headed for the reported position about 200 yards north of the entrance.

As he came up to this position he received instructions by radio from the Coastguard, who could see the casualty from the look out.

At 2.23 a man was sighted face down and barely floating. He was supported by the air locked in his clothes. The coxswain headed towards the man, but had some difficulty in closing, owing to the backwash from the rocks.

As he manoeuvred for the second time, David Brunton, a member of the life-boat crew, dived into the sea and swam towards the man who was now about 10 yards away. He reached the man just as he began to sink and was able to support him as the life-boat came up.

Second Coxswain Alexander Wilson then threw a breeches buoy on a line towards the man in the water but it fell short. It now became apparent that David Brunton was also in some difficulty and as the life-boat again approached, a second crew member, Jonathan Alston, who was wearing a life-jacket, jumped into the sea to give assistance. By holding on the life lines around the life-boat, he helped to support them both. The unconscious man and both crew members were taken aboard and Coxswain Brunton, who was concerned about the survivor's condition, headed back to harbour.

Assistant Mechanic Andrew Smith started to give the unconscious man direct mouth-tomouth resuscitation immediately he was brought aboard. On transferring him to the after cabin,the second coxswain, who is also a first aider, took over and managed to re-start the man's breathing. They kept this up until the life-boat returned to harbour at 2.45 and the man was treated by a doctor. After this he was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he was treated for injuries. The life-boat returned to her moorings at 2.52.

The Committee of Management made the following awards: bronze medal to crew member David Brunton; the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum to crew member Jonathan Alston; framed letters of thanks signed by the Institution's Chairman to Coxswain Brunton, Second Coxswain Wilson, Assistant Motor Mechanic Andrew Smith, Crew members W. Brunton and R. Marr.No. 5 Life-boat Area SEARCH FOR BODIES When an unknown vessel reported sighting the masts of a sinking ship near the South Varne buoy on 27th February, 1971, the Dungeness life-boat was unable to launch immediately owing to low water and spring tides. The Dover life-boat Faithful Forester of Dover left her moorings at 9.37 in a light westerly wind with fog patches and snow squalls. It was low water.

The Dungeness life-boat Mabel E. Holland followed at 10.50 when there was sufficient water. She joined the Dover life-boat and other vessels in the search area and at 11.52 she picked up a life-belt marked m.v. Niki of Piraeus. This was reported to the coastguard and it was confirmed shortly afterwards that the vessel had sailed from Dunkirk at 7.30. About 11 minutes later the Dover life-boat picked up the first body and shortly afterwards the Dungeness life-boat picked up a body and some wreckage.

The life-boats continued to search throughout the hours of darkness in conjunction with other surface craft. A R.A.F. Shackleton dropped flares in the search area.

At first light the Dungeness life-boat picked up six bodies and the Dover life-boat two. At 7.35 a.m. a helicopter joined in the search and at 7.58 the Dungeness life-boat picked up afurther body. One hour later the Dover life-boat also recovered a body.

The search continued until 10.47 when 10 bodies in all were picked up, seven by the Dungeness life-boat and three by the Dover lifeboat.

As the entire area had been combed thoroughly it was decided to call off the search.

The Dungeness life-boat reached Dover about 11.45, and the Dover life-boat at 12.41. p.m. The Dungeness crew, having had refreshment on shore, left Dover at 1.40, reaching her station at 4.45.

CHANNEL SEARCH It was learnt at 4.15 a.m. on 11th January, 1971, that an explosion had taken place at sea about one and a half miles west of the Varne Bank and that a tug was making for the spot. It was later established that the tanker Texaco Caribbean of Panama had been in collision with the m.v.

Caracas and that the tanker's bow section had been severed following the impact and had sunk immediately.

The Dungeness life-boat Mabel E. Holland was launched at 4.26 in a fresh east north easterly wind with a choppy sea. The Dover lifeboat Fathful Forester slipped her moorings at 4.36. Both boats then searched the area.The Dungeness life-boat came up with the stern section of the Texaco Caribbean at 5.40 and made an extensive search in the vicinity without finding any survivors. The search by the Dover lifeboat also proved fruitless. Twenty-one survivors taken off the tanker's still floating stern section by the Norwegian m.v. Bravagos were transferred to the Faithful Forester and landed at Doverwhere ambulances were waiting to take them to hospital. Fortunately, none were seriously injured.

After re-fuelling the Dover life-boat returned to the area and resumed the search in cooperation with a helicopter. The search was abandoned at 1.15 p.m. and the Dungeness lifeboat, which had searched continuously for almost 10 hours, returned to her station at 2.17 and the Dover life-boat 33 minutes later.

No. 3 Life-boat Area SICK MAN LANDED Bringing sick people ashore from ships for prompt hospital treatment is another frequent call on the life-boat service. At 10.18 p.m. on llth February, 1971, it was learnt that the Gaelic Ferry of London was steaming towards the North Smithic buoy with a sick man on board.

The life-boat Will Henry and Mary King of Bridlington was launched at 10.45 with a doctor on board. There was a moderate south south westerly breeze with a choppy sea. The tide was ebbing.

At 11.30 the life-boat came up with the motor vessel and the doctor, second coxswain and a first-aider were put on board. The life-boat then escorted the motor boat to calmer waters and at 12.30 a.m. the sick man was transferred and the doctor and first-aider re-embarked. He was landed at Bridlington where an ambulance was waiting. The life-boat returned to her station at 1.5 next day.

No. 6 Life-boat Area CLIFF RESCUE Life-boats are often called to rescue people trapped in difficult situations, and on 28th February, 1971, an anticipatory message was received at 3.9 p.m. from the Coastguard reporting that a cliff climber was in difficulties at Queener Point near Plymouth.

At 6.3 a further message was received from the Coastguard requesting the services of the life-boat to pick up the stranded climber. As the Coastguard rescue company were unable to haul the climber up the cliff face due to crumbling rock the life-boat Thomas Forehead andMary Rowse slipped her moorings at Plymouth at 6.17. There was a moderate east north easterly breeze with a corresponding sea.

She reached the scene at 6.55 and two members of the crew took the boarding boat to the base of the cliff. The climber and a member of the rescue company were embarked in the boarding boat and transferred to the life-boat.

The two men were landed at Cremyll, and the life-boat returned to her station at 8.30 p.m.

No. 1 Life-boat Area TWO CALLS On 5th December, 1970, m.f.v. Upernavik of Esbjerg with five people on board went ashore at Bressay. The Lerwick, Shetland, life-boat Southern Africa on temporary duty at the station slipped her moorings at 1.2. There was a westerly gale with a rough sea.

At 1.20 the life-boat came up with the fishing vessel and subsequently assisted the tug Masterman to secure a line. The tug was refloated at 2 p.m. and the life-boat returned to her station at 2.18.

At 4.1 p.m. the life-boat slipped her moorings once more with a doctor on board following a report that an explosion had occurred on board the s.s. Petros of Famagusta. Two men were reported badly burned. The life-boat came up with the Petfos at 4.20 and the doctor and a first aider were put on board. The injured men were transferred to the life-boat and the doctor and first aider were re-embarked. The injured men were landed at Lerwick at 4.36 and taken to hospital, the life-boat returning to her station at 4.40.

No. 8 Life-boat Area LIFE-RAFT RESCUE At 8.50 a.m. on 16th January, 1971, the honorary secretary at Beaumaris, Anglesey, learnt that a distress signal had been sighted from the dredger Hoverinsham II of Hull a quarter of a mile below Penmon lookout.

The life-boat Field Marshal and Mrs. Smuts was launched at 9 a.m., and she came up with the dredger three quarters of a mile inside Puffin Sound. Four of her crew of seven were on a liferaft.

They were taken on board the life-boat.

A line was secured and an attempt was made to tow the dredger into shallow water. As the dredger started listing and it became apparent that she was capsizing the coxswain slipped the tow and the three remaining crewmen weretaken on board the life-boat. The seven men were landed at Beaumaris, and the life-boat returned to her station at 11.30.The Young Editors Kingsbrook School, Bedford, produced early this year a magazine full of feeling called The Sign of Class 3, price 5p, 600 copies of which were printed in aid of the R.N.L.I. The editors were Allan Unwin, Paul Stanton, Mark Waller, Gillian Hunt and Julie Ames.

LIFE-BOAT INNS An appeal was made in the April Journal (page 77) for information about life-boat inns with appropriate signs. The survey is also interested in having details of all inns where life-boatmen congregate or' where there are good displays of life-boat photographs and the like.

NEW IRB STATIONS The Royal National Life-boat Institution is establishing five new inshore rescue boat stations this year at Cardigan, Hythe (Kent), Pill (Somerset), Sheerness (Kent) and Tenby (Pembrokeshire). This will bring the total number of operational IRB stations in Britain and Ireland to 111.

LIFE-BOAT UP THAMES The Surbiton and Surbiton May Fair took place on 1st May, in aid of the Royal National Life-boat Institution. The Alayor of Kingston (Alderman Harry Payne), along with special guests, among them the Bee Gees, Lulu and Arthur Lowe, arrived aboard the Eastbourne life-boat Beryl Tollemache at Queen's Promenade with an accompany flotilla.

TIP The following is an extract from a letter received from the honorary secretary of the Christchurch branch on the subject of repairing mechanical boxes: '/ have discovered that the plastic spreader given with Evo-stick adhesive tubes makes an excellent screwdriver (if trimmed to the size of bolts). It will retain the bolts while fitting to the awkward holes and saves all the frustration of losing the bolts off metal screwdrivers just as they are offered up.'.