Nine from rocks AS REPORTED on page 15, the silver medal of the RNLI was awarded to Coxswain George Leith, of the Lerwick, Shetland, lifeboat for the part he played in the rescue of nine men from the trawler Granton Osprey in hurricane force winds on December 13, 1972.

On the evening of December 13, in exceptionally bad conditions, two trawlers, the Granton Falcon and the Granton Osprey, came adrift from the offside of the breakwater at the small boat harbour at Lerwick. Both boats drifted across the harbour and went aground on Bressay Island. The Granton Falcon managed to refloat herself and clear the danger area but the Granton Osprey remained hard aground.

At 6.40 p.m. the Lerwick reserve lifeboat was called out under the command of Coxswain Leith. The sea was very rough, very short and very steep. Wind was force 10-11, gusting 12, and it was heavily overcast with frequent heavy rain squalls. By 6.58 p.m. the lifeboat hove to off the casualty to assess the situation after a short but extremely unpleasant passage, during which the lifeboat buffeted by heavy water spray driven by a wind which touched force 12.

The Granton Osprey was by now hard aground on the Bressay shoreline midway between Gardie and Maryfield piers. Although she had grounded headon she had now swung to port and washeading about 160° port side to the shore.

The seas were breaking over the trawler and at times solid water was breaking over the wheelhouse.

The trawler's skipper requested a line so that the trawler could be towed off.

but this was obviously impracticable in the conditions. The skipper then reported that he was shipping water in the engine room and asked that the crew should all be taken off.

To the north and south of the casualty were shoal and rocks. Coxswain Leith was forced to discard his initial intention of veering down on the trawler and using the breeches buoy because of the need for speed.

He decided to take the lifeboat alongside and managed to bring his port bow in contact just forward of the Granton Osprey's starboard counter. The weight of wind and sea forced the lifeboat bodily further aft and there was serious danger of the lifeboat being forced under the Granton Osprey's counter and on to the rocks. Coxswain Leith managed, however, to disengage by going full astern to clear these dangers.

But three survivors had already been taken aboard.

Once clear the coxswain decided to make another approach, this time from the south. Taking the lifeboat in a wide sweep he approached the casualty, coming up with her with his starboard bow amidships. It was only with constant and skilful use of the engines that the lifeboat was held in this position although the fury of the wind and sea swung the lifeboat alongside the trawler.

All this time the lifeboat was also being swept by heavy water: waves were breaking over the wheelhouse and spending themselves right across the casualty.

Eye-witness reports confirm that at times the lifeboat was 'completely hidden from view by solid water.' Working under these conditions was extremely hazardous, andit took great skill to hold the lifeboat alongside long enough for the remaining six men to be taken off, but once this had been achieved the lifeboat worked her way clear of the Granton Osprey by 7.09 p.m. and returned to her berth by 7.22 p.m. Of the nine survivors, apart from a sprained ankle, none was the worse for his experiences.

This spell of weather in which violent storms and hurricane conditions were experienced was one of the worst within living memory. The conditions at the position of the GrantonOspreywereatrocious, and seas were even breaking right across the breakwater at the harbour, which is in a much more sheltered position. Those who witnessed the rescue had nothing but praise for the skill and courage of Coxswain Leith and his crew.

Second Coxswain P. Leith, Motor Mechanic H. Clark, Assistant Motor Mechanic J. Mowat, and Crew Members J. W. T. Smith, I. Fraser, T. Nicholsonand A. Leask received the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum..