CREWMAN SUPPORTS MAN IN SEA WHEN on 17th January, 1971, news was received that a man had fallen over the cliff about half a mile west of Anvil Point lighthouse, the Swanage, Dorset, life-boat R.L.P.

launched and made towards the scene of the casualty at 12.27 p.m.

When the life-boat arrived off Anvil Point a message was received from the Coastguard that a man had been sighted in the water driftingout to sea from near the point. Almost immediately a man was sighted close by to leeward of the life-boat, so close, in fact, that he was inside the turning circle of the life-boat. The man was floating on his back, and when he made no move to help himself when a heaving line was thrown to him, it became obvious that he was unconscious. Coxswain Ronald Hardy considered the man's only chance of survival lay with one of his crew going into the water to support him while the life-boat was turned. He was about to ask for a volunteer when crew member Alec Edmonds, in full protective clothing and life-jacket, swam to the man and provided support for about five minutes until they were both picked up by the life-boat. After the application of artificial respiration the rescued man recovered.

At this time the coxswain sighted another man on a ledge with the CRE team approaching him but, in view of the very confused sea breaking against the cliff which made it doubtful that o o the life-boat could be of any direct assistance, the coxswain decided to continue with his return to the station.

It transpired that the man sighted on the ledge was, in fact, the man for whom the lifeboat had initially launched and that the rescued man had been washed off the ledge while going to his assistance.

After landing the rescued man and crew member Edmonds at 1.10 p.m., the life-boat returned to the cliffs to stand by while the injured man was winched into a rescue helicopter.

The life-boat was rehoused at 2.40 p.m.

The Committee of Management has accorded the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum to Mr. Edmonds. The coxswain and remainder of the crew were sent a letter of appreciation from the Secretary of the Institution, Captain Nigel Dixon, R.N..