LIFE-BOAT AND TUG IN HARD TOW THE Falmouth, Cornwall, life-boat on 8th August, 1972, following the sighting of a redflare at about 3.40 a.m., saved a schooner and 10 people.

The wind was south westerly, force 6-7, with a rough sea and heavy swell. There were sharp rain squalls. The relief life-boat The Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7), which is a 46-foot Watson cabin life-boat, slipped her moorings at 4.10 with a crew of seven. After a passage of nine miles in a rough following sea, a red flare was sighted about two miles ahead at 5.14.

Then at 5.48 the casualty was sighted in a position \ mile south of Dodman Point, and at 6.01 the life-boat passed a tow line which, however, broke almost immediately under the strain of the lifting seas.

The schooner Mina was at anchor heading south west with her rudder seriously damaged.

She was rolling and pitching heavily and frequently putting her bowsprit under. The m.v.

Sussex was standing by about a mile to the south east.

The weather had deteriorated further, the wind was south westerly force 8-9, with a rough sea and heavy swell. Visibility was very poor with heavy rain squalls.

Coxswain Walter Brown considered the Mina too large a yacht to tow in the heavy sea and at 6.29 the assistance of the tug Orinoco was requested. This was acknowledged by the tug giving an ETA in three hours.

At 7.28 the Mina anchor cable parted and she was in danger of drifting on to the lee shore under Dodman Point. She was now heading north east, having turned under the windage of her mainmast. Coxswain Brown considered there was no time to lose and approached the Mina on her starboard side. As the life-boat came alongside she ranged some 10 feet up and down on the Mina. Eight members of the crew, including four girls, were nevertheless transferred to the life-boat, leaving two members who elected to stay. The life-boat's port rubbing piece and bow pudding sustained damage.

A tow line was again passed to the Minds stern, and with her engine assisting, the life-boat maintained this position off Dodman Point at 8 o'clock. The confused sea in the area and the backwash off the cliffs made towing almost impossible for the life-boat, and the tow line parted at 8.08 to be reconnected almost immediately. The life-boat held this position, making slight headway to the south east, for about 1^ hours.

At 9.45 the tug Orinoco arrived on the scene and the tow was transferred 1J miles south south east of Dodman Point. The m.v. Sussex then left, having stood by and assisted in communication between the life-boat and Falmouth Coastguard.

With the Mina under tow by the Orinoco and the Falmouth life-boat escorting, passage wasmade towards Falmouth. At 12.10 p.m. the Falmouth life-boat returned two crew members back aboard the Mina to assist in pumping operations. Harbour was reached at 3.30.

For this service Coxswain Brown has been awarded the Institution's bronze medal for gallantry. The following were presented with certificates to commemorate their participation in the service: 2nd Coxswain Arthur C. West, Motor Mechanic Vivian D. Pentecost, Assistant Mechanic Ronald F. Twydle, and Crew Members Barry J. Timmins, James T. Painter and Ronald Pentecost..