• COMMANDER Frederick R. H. Swann, O.B.E., R.N.V.R., of Stratford Mill, Stratford- Sub-Castle, Salisbury, who may soon retire as deputy chairman of the R.N.L.I., was born in 1904. His interest in sailing goes back to the age of four, for his grandfather and father all sailed, the Solent being his early training ground. In 1924 he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. Asked if he had ever been in trouble at sea, Commander Swann, who is a retired stockbroker, said that as a young man he was once caught in a 8-9 force wind from the southwest off Portland Bill when in a 5-ton yacht and for 18 hours had his sea anchor out. He all but grounded at Kimmeridge. That was in the days when one asked the Air Ministry to telegraph weather details. Outcome? His father presented him with a miniature barograph.

In 1926 Commander Swann joined the Royal Cruising Club. In World War II he spent his first winter as a lieutenant R.N.V.R. in the trawler Northern Gift on the Northern Patrol and was mentioned in despatches. In 1940-1941 he commanded the anti-submarine trawler H.M.S.

Sapphire, and in 1942-1943 served in H.M.S.

Formidable as senior fighter direction officer.

It was for services in this carrier that he was awarded the O.B.E.

Commander Swann was one of the first three temporary R.N.V.R. officers to be promoted to the substantive rank of commander in February, 1944, and was subsequently appointed to the escort carrier H.M.S. Biter as executive officer and later to an assault carrier, H.M.S.

Hunter, as executive officer. He was one of only two temporary R.N.V.R. officers who attained 'qualified officer' status as a commander and the only R.N.V.R. officer to command an aircraft carrier.

In 1953 Commander Swann was invited to join the R.N.L.I.'s Boat and Construction Committee, was made deputy chairman of this committee three years later and chairman in 1960. He also served on the Finance Committee where his experience as a stockbroker was useful. He became deputy chairman of the Committee of Management in 1964.

Over the past decade big strides have been made in life-boat building, and Commander Swann, recalling that progress, said that first of all the committee looked at German and Dutch life-boats. The 1963 International Lifeboat Conference at Edinburgh introduced them to the 44-foot steel boat, and a year later a delegation from the R.N.L.I, visited the United States. Afterwards a prototype was brought over, thus saving the R.N.L.I, development costs, and eventually six were built and others, it is understood, are planned.

But Commander Swann's work for the R.N.L.I, is not all committees. Every winter he used to make passages in life-boats. In 1959 he went from Dover to Aldeburgh in the new boat. It is a trip he is not likely to forget: he caught pneumonia with complications, nearly died, and instead of being away three days was absent for three months! Nineteen-fifty-nine saw the Broughty Ferry life-boat disaster in which eight men lost their lives. Commander Swann recalled that it was then the committee concluded: 'This can't be said to be an act of God. We must have selfrighting life-boats.' This accident led to the development of the 48-foot 6-inch Oakley, the first of which was sent to Yarmouth, I.o.W.

Looking back over the past 10 years, Commander Swann said: 'It is my sincere opinion that we have done our best to modernise the R.N.L.I. We considered building a GRP (glass reinforced plastic) boat 10 years ago but came to the conclusion it was not sufficiently tried material at that time. I am afraid speedwise we have had rather disappointing results with our life-boats.' In the 1960s came the tremendously successful IRB, the use of echo-sounders, radar and the 70-foot concept.

Asked what he thought was the most noticeable change during the past 10 years, Commander Swann said: 'The organisation is now receptive to ideas. I believe in the future of the R.N.L.I. At the same time, however, I feel there is still a lack of knowledge by the public, and particularly yachtsmen, about the work of the life-boat service.' Commander Swann, in addition to the R.N.L.I. posts already mentioned, was chairman of the Helicopter Sub-committee from 1955 to 1968 and is chairman of the OperationsCommittee. In connection with the Royal Cruising Club, he was Rear-Commodore 1961- 1964 and is now the Commodore. He has also been Rear-Commodore and Vice-Commodore of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club.

His late wife was chairman of the Kensington branch of the R.N.L.I. in 1960 and helped to build it up. Commander Swann's hobbies, apart/rom sailing, are fishing and gardening. He lives in a converted water mill at Salisbury where he has a collection of ornamental ducks and geese in natural surroundings.—C.R.E..