Extended Christmas WHEN the lifeboat on duty at Islay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, launched to a coaster at 4.15 a.m. on Christmas Day, 1972, she did not return to her station until 8.30 p.m. that evening, over 16 hours later.

For this service Acting Coxswain Malcolm Mackay (see page 16) was awarded the bronze medal for gallantry.

Medal service certificates were presented to three other members of the crew: Acting Second Coxswain Alister Campbell, Acting Motor Mechanic Archibald Campbell, Acting Assistant Mechanic Andrew Swanson, and Crew Members Murdo MacDonald and Donald McGillivray.

The lifeboat launched in a force 9 gale with very rough seas and poor visibility to the coaster Raylight, of Greenock, whose engines had broken down. At first the lifeboat intended to stand by until a tug arrived, but the tug had to put into shelter because of the appalling weather conditions. A motor fishing vessel also started out to assist but she, too, had to turn back.

A German vessel then arrived on thescene and started to take the Raylight in tow, but this had to be abandoned as her screw became fouled by the hawser.

With the weather continuously deteriorating and darkness imminent, the master of the Raylight decided to abandon ship, and he and the crew of two boarded a life-raft, from which they were picked up safely by the lifeboat.

Although having been out on this rescue all Christmas Day, the crew could not completely relax as owing to weather conditions the lifeboat had to be secured at a temporary berth and they had to muster again on Boxing Day to put the lifeboat back on her own moorings..