VIGILANT CREW IN FAST RESCUE SHORTLY before 10 a.m. on the 10th April, 1972; Coxswain R. W. Wood and Second Coxswain W. V. Burrell of the Aldeburgh life-boat became concerned for the safety of three fellow longshore fishermen who had not yet returned to harbour in the rapidly deteriorating weather conditions.

Other Aldeburgh longshore boats had been out fishing and all had returned except the Ocean Pride, an 18-foot open fishing boat powered by a 15 h.p. diesel, carrying the three missing fishermen.

The wind was south south west, force 7, and steadily increasing. The weather was overcast with drizzle and rain squalls, giving poor visibility of about J mile generally, and much less in the heavy rain.

It was known that the overdue boat had been fishing near the north east Bawdsey buoy, seven miles south of Aldeburgh. The maroons were fired at 10.5 a.m., and the life-boat launched five minutes later.

Seas were already very rough over the offshore shoals as the life-boat headed southwards into the wind and the tide. There are, in fact, two shoals running parallel to the beach off Aldeburgh, the inner one being about 100 yards off the beach and the other one about 400 yards beyond. It was clear to the life-boat crew that the longshore boat would have a very dangerous passage across these shoals on her return to the beach.

The Ocean Pride was met just over a mile south of Aldeburgh and the coxswain decided that, since there was no chance of inducing the crew to leave their boat, he would give them threelife-jackets to wear. The three life-jackets were secured together into one bundle and thrown to the fishing boat.

The wind was now force 8 and gusting beyond, so the coxswain decided to escort the boat as closely as possible astern in order to be ready for what he felt was almost inevitable.

The Ocean Pride managed to ride a large wave over the outer shoal as she turned towards the Aldeburgh beach, but as the life-boat followed astern, her crew saw the longshore boat disappear behind a large wave as she crossed the inner shoal. Then the bows of the fishing boat appeared high in the air and the life-boatmen knew she had been overtaken by the wave and sunk by the stern.

Coxswain Wood was on the spot within seconds and saw two of the men in the water.

He swung the life-boat around them so that she pointed seawards and formed a lee, and, with the life-boat touching bottom and being thrown about violently, so that she was at times 'gunwales under', he brought her alongside the survivors on the first attempt while the crew pulled them safely aboard over the port side.

The third man was then seen floating closer inshore, about 30 yards northwards, and the life-boat turned towards him. There was no room to manoeuvre inshore of this man, however, so Coxswain Wood decided to approach him stern first, with the life-boat's bow held to the sea. There was clearly no time to lose as this last survivor was apparently already being overcome by the breaking waves. As the life-boat went astern the crew threw him a lifebuoy and a line, but the man was unable to make any effort to grasp them. Again, the coxswain handled his boat with such skill that this man too was reached in the shortest possible time, and the crew dragged him aboard over the starboard quarter.

Motor Mechanic N. Saint immediately gave first aid and, using the Holger-Nielsen method, succeeded in pumping a considerable amount of sea water out of the survivor. A doctor later estimated that this man could have lived no more than a further two minutes if he had not been rescued.

The life-boat was beached immediately, the time being 11.9 a.m., and the three survivors were taken to hospital in the waiting ambulance.

For this act the Institution's bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain Wood and the thanks of the R.N.L.I, inscribed on vellum to Motor Mechanic Saint. Certificates to commemorate their participation in this service were sent to Second Coxswain Burrell, Bowman Kenneth Denny, Assistant Mechanic Maurice Watson and Crew Members Maurice Smith, Robin Barber, Frederick Sharland and David Reeve..