INJURED SEAMEN TAKEN OFF AN injured seaman aboard the container ship Manchester Merit led to the Appledore, Devon, life-boat being called to her at 6.51 p.m. on 9th January. At that time she was 40 miles south west of the Smalls lighthouse.

The ship was diverting to Barnstaple bay and was expected to arrive there at about 3 a.m. on 10th January. It was decided to launch the lifeboat with a doctor on board to meet the vessel on arrival.

The crew assembled at 21.15andtheAppledore life-boat Louisa Anne Hawker slipped at 2.30 and made for the Manchester Merit. In the absence of the honorary medical adviser from the station his locum, Dr. D. F. Valentine, a former honorary medical adviser, and now aged about 67 years and retired from practice, went afloat to attend the injured man. The weather was cloudy with good visibility. There was a southerly gale with a rough sea and heavy westerly ground swell.

At 3.31, after a passage of six miles in a rough sea and foul tide, the life-boat approached the Manchester Merit lying at anchor 1\ miles west of the Fairway buoy. The container ship was lying head to the west, against the flood tide and heavy ground sea.

The coxswain closed the port side of the ship, and transferred Dr. Valentine and crew member J. Pavitt. They experienced much difficulty in climbing the Jacob's ladder due to the 15 foot rise and fall of the sea alongside and there was a danger of being crushed between the two vessels. Indeed at one time J. Pavitt assisted Dr. Valentine to the extent of saving him from being crushed. The life-boat went alongside on a second occasion to pass the Neil Robertson stretcher aboard.

It was decided, after discussion between the doctor, the master of the Manchester Merit and the coxswain of the life-boat, that it would be safe to land the injured man. In order to provide a better lee for a transfer on her port side, the Manchester Merit weighed anchor and headed south south east. Then the life-boat went alongside for a third time and the injured man was safely transferred in the Neil Robertson stretcher.

At 4.41 hours, with Dr. Valentine and J. Pavitt aboard, the Appledore life-boat started the return passage to station. On arrival at 5.30 the casualty was transferred to a waiting ambulance.

The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Dr. D. F. Valentine and crew member J. Pavitt..