LIFEBOAT AREA No.1 Trawler Snatch WHIN the Longhope, Orkney, lifeboat station was informed at 11.54 p.m. on February 9 that the trawler Ross Tern was ashore on Troma Island and was breaking up, the lifeboat crew mustered in good time.

As the lifeboat prepared to launch.

Coxswain John Leslie was informed that the casualty, contrary to first information, was in fact ashore on the Tarf Tail, Swona Island, and that six men were adrift in a liferaft and five men remained aboard. The vessel was in imminent danger of breaking up.

At 12.17 a.m. on February 10 The David and Elizabeth King and E.B.

slipped her moorings at Longhope pier and went at full speed to the assistance of the casualty. Wind was west force 3 and the sea was smooth in the Hope.

Visibility at this time was good although there had been frequent snow showers.

Out in the Pentland Firth at 12.47 the lifeboat requested the casualty to put up a flare. It confirmed the position of the casualty as being on the Tarf Tail.

On board the casualty, three men had launched a liferaft, but this had broached and thrown all three into the sea. Four other men launched another raft and jumped in. They succeeded in pulling two of the men from the water while the third managed to regain the comparative safety of the wreck.The confused sea conditions alongside the casualty now threatened to capsize the second raft with the six men aboard and they therefore cast themselves adrift. Strongly helped by the full flood tide, they were soon drifting well clear and out of sight of the trawler. By 12.24 this raft was reported as lost to view by the casualty.

It was realised that there was a possibility of an extended search for the raft and a request was made for aircraft assistance as well as Wick lifeboat.

At 1 o'clock the Longhope lifeboat was abeam of the west end of Swona.

There was a moderate westerly swell running, the wind had veered to north west and had freshened to fores 4. On the flood tide there is a marked eddy to the east of Swona. The edge of this eddy runs about south east from Tarf Tail and on this line a very confused sea is produced.

A faint flicker of light was sighted to the south east of Tarf Tail. Coxswain Leslie ordered a parachute flare to be fired, and in its light the canopy of the liferaft was identified about } mile off to the south east and on the edge of the eddy. Coxswain Leslie brought the lifeboat alongside the liferaft, which was bouncing about dangerously. Great care was needed at this point as the lifeboat was rolling heavily with her rails under at times. With excellent team work the raft was held steady while the six survivors were taken aboard. This was reported as being accomplished at 1.15. Because of the conditions and the difficulty and time loss that would have resulted in recovering the raft, she was cast adrift, and Coxswain Leslie now turned his attention to the trawler.

In the light of further parachute flares was seen that the casualty was hardaground forward, lying about north north west and listing very heavily to starboard. The remaining five survivors were seen clinging to the superstructure.

It appeared that the casualty was aground on Little Windy Skerry. Rocks were visible on both quarters of the casualty and it was clear that the lifeboat could not possibly go in alongside. The swell and canfuscd sea was producing a rise and fall of some 10 feet.

Illuminating the area with parachute flares and using the searchlight, Coxswain Leslie headed the lifeboat in to bring his bow against the transom of the stricken vessel. In the restricted channel great care was needed. Two lines of rocks were clearly visible to port and starboard of the casualty and any error of judgement would have complicated further the operation.

All the lifeboat crew were on deck, it being obvious that there would be little time available to take off the remaining five men. The risk of the trawler slipping off or capsizing completely was ever present.

During the operation, when the survivors were being snatched from the wreck, the effect of the wind, sea and tide was swinging the stern of the lifeboat towards the east and the reef visible on that side. A sea struck the stern of the lifeboat and swung her dangerously close to these rocks when only one survivor remained aboard the wreck. He was grabbed bodily and dragged aboard the lifeboat as Coxswain Leslie came astern to try to straighten up the lifeboat, and avoid fetching up on the rocks himself.

At 1.21 the Longhope lifeboat reported that all survivors were accounted for.

It was decided to land the survivors at St Margaret's Hope where a doctor had been requested to meet the lifeboat to attend to three of the survivors who were suffering from exposure and one who had hurt his ankle during the rescue operation.

Heavy snow showers severely hampered navigation from Swona to St Margaret's Hope but the survivors were landed there at 2.30. This poor visibility continued and the lifeboat remained at the Hope until 4 o'clock, arriving back at Longhope at 5.15.For this service, Coxswain Leslie was awarded the bronze medal of the Institution for gallantry. Medal service certificates were presented to Acting Second Coxswain Billy Budge, Motor Mechanic Ian McFadyen, Assistant Mechanic Jimmy Swanson and crew members John Budge and Ian Williamson.

LIFEBOAT AREA No. 2 Fog bound ON March 11 two pleasure boats, the Sea Pearl-and the Sea Oner, w i t h fishing parties aboard were reported overdue in Ayr harbour.At 6.30 p.m. the Troon lifeboat Conncl Elizabeth Car gill slipped her moorings to make a search in a light south easterly wind. With visibility down to 20 feet, the area was searched until 8.10, whereupon the Coastguard reported another boat, the Endeavour, with a party aboard, had not returned to Irvine. The lifeboat then searched Irvine Bay. Radar was used at this stage owing to the total lack of visibility.

At 9.35 the Coastguard advised that the Endeavour had got ashore safely, and the lifeboat then returned to Ayr Bay. At 12.40 a.m. Arran Coastguard reported that shouts could be heard from people in u boat off Prestwick shore. The lifeboat found the motor boat Sea Pearl at 1.20 with 16 people aboard. They were lost in the fog.

Fourteen were transferred to the lifeboat, and their boat was then towed to Troon. At 2.10 all the party were landed safely, and the lifeboat returned to her station five minutes later.

LIFEBOAT AREA No. 6 Engine Trouble AN anticipatory message to the honorary secretary of the Plymouth lifeboat station at 7.56 p.m. on March 14 that the Plymouth fishing boat Farswul was overdue from a fishing trip to the Eddystone lighthouse area led to an alert. At 9 o'clock further information was received that a search by the fishing boat Shelley had found nothing and that an aircraft had sighted a red flare three miles north of the lighthouse.

At 9.30 the lifeboat Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse left her moorings in a fresh to strong east north easterly wind.

In the area of the casualty a search started with the assistance of HM submarine Andrew, HMS Cleopatra, HMS Glamorgan, and the aircraft carrier Ark Royal throughout the night.

At dawn two helicopters from Ark Royal joined in the search, and at 7 a.m. HMS Cleopatra reported contact with the casualty nine miles from the lighthouse. A naval rating was transferred by helicopter from the Cleopatra to the fishing boat, which had engine trouble, and the lifeboat took the casualty in tow to Sutton harbour, arriving at 2.20 p.m. The lifeboat returned to her station at 3.11.

During this 18 hour service the lifeboat crew received hot food from the Ark Royal, which was ferried to the lifeboat by helicopter on two occasions.

The owner of the fishing boat made a donation to the Plymouth branch funds.

a call reporting red flares being fired six miles west south west of the harbour entrance.

The ILB was launched four minutes later in a light east by south wind in a moderate sea. The lifeboat made in the direction indicated and, while en route, the informant ashore was able to direct the lifeboat to the position of the casualty as the lifeboat was experiencing some difficulty in finding the casualty due to other boats in the vicinity.

At 7.39 the lifeboat reached the casualty, the 30-foot fishing boat Rock-n-Roll, that had broken down.

The casualty was closed and a tow line passed and secured. As there was a difficult swell at the position of the casualty slow progress was made initially in towing the vessel ashore.

The honorary secretary requested an RNLI helper to stand by to assist the tow in his fishing boat Tayful. However, as the lifeboat approached nearer to the shore better progress was made and the lifeboat was able to complete the towing operation alone, safely bringing the casualty and her crew of six ashore. The lifeboat returned to her station at 9.25.

LIFEBOAT AREA No. 5 II LIFEBOAT AREA No. 5 Red Flares AT 7.4 p.m. on May 29 the Coastguard at Littlehampton, Sussex, told the honorarv secretary that he had received Mass Capsize AT 3.11 p.m. on May 28 it was learnt that dinghies from the Shoreham, Sussex, yacht club were capsizing and theyacht club rescue craft did not seem able to cope with them, in particular one dinghy 100 yards off the harbour. The weather was overcast, the wind was fresh south westerly, and the sea was choppy.

The ILB was launched at 3.13 and first made for the dinghy 100 yards off the harbour. On arrival, however, the dinghy had managed to right itself and as other dinghies were capsizing, the lifeboat made towards them. The ILB assisted in righting one dinghy, which was then able to continue sailing, and as the lifeboat was making towards another dinghy a man was seen in the water.

He was picked up and taken back to the dinghy from which he had fallen.

After the ILB had assisted a further two dinghies the club rescue craft seemed able to cope. The lifeboat therefore returned to station at 4.2, remaining on the slipway in case of further casualties.

LIFEBOAT AREA No. 6 Injured seamen NEWS was received at St Peter Port, Guernsey, C.I., on April 14 that a seaman on board the Norwegian tanker Jarrnina had severely injured a finger and the bleeding could not be stopped.

The lifeboat Arun, with a doctor on board, slipped her moorings at 2.15 p.m., and the coxswain learnt that the Jarmina was south west of Les Hanois light.

The Arun came up with the vessel 22 miles south west of St Peter Port. The tanker stopped and the doctor boarded her. Meanwhile the lifeboat stood off while the doctor examined the injured man, and closed the vessel again when the doctor appeared at the head of the ladder with the injured man. Both were embarked in the lifeboat and course was set for St Peter Port, where the injured seaman was transferred to hospitaJ. The lifeboat returned to her station at 5.15.

LIFEBOAT AREA No.10 Yacht given tow WHEN a man on the shore reported seeing a yacht driven aground, the Dunmore East, Co. Waterford, lifeboat put out on May 4.

She was the lifeboat Dunleary II, on temporary duty at the station, and she slipped her moorings at 8.40 p.m. in a gale force south easterly wind and a rough sea. As the light was failing two parachute flares were used to illuminate the area, but nothing was seen.

About 9.50 a message was received from the container ship Enterprise that her crew had spotted a yacht one and a half miles offshore. The lifeboat immediately went to this position and found the casualty, which was the sloop Anna Liffey, of Dublin.

The lone yachtsman accepted a tow to Dunmore East. The first line parted one and a half miles off the Hook light.

After being made fast the towing continued and the casualty, with her skipper yachtsman, was safely landed. The lifeboat returned to her moorings at 2 a.m.

on May 5.

LIFEBOAT AREA No. 5 The Flying Dutchman WHEN his 24-foot yacht Claesjenguy lost her rigging off Hastings on June 2, Mr P. W. Stoel, a Dutchman working for the BBC, had cause to be grateful for the services of three RNLI lifeboats.

Although he could no longer sail the craft, Mr Stoel was able to make some way through the rough seas with the aid of a small outboard engine.

However, the safety of boat and lone sailor were obviously both in doubt, so the Hastings ILB was launched to escort the Claesjenguy and offer assistance if needed.

It became clear that with a force 6 wind blowing from the south Mr Stoel would be able to continue his voyage to Folkestone only if escorted all the way.

The Hastings ILB saw him into Rye Bay where the Rye Harbour ILB immediately relieved her neighbouring rescue boat. The Rye Harbour ILB escorted Mr Stoel's disabled yacht for two hours as she laboriously crossed the bay.

In the meantime the lifeboat at Dungeness was also launched to take over from the Rye Harbour ILB. By the time the Dungeness lifeboat had arrived alongside the casualty to take over escort duties the tidal conditions made it necessary for the Rye Harbour ILB to beach at Camber Sands, where she was picked up—together with a cold, tired and soaking crew—by the Rye Harbour station's Land-Rover, and thus by road back to her station.

The Dungeness lifeboat saw Mr Stoel into Littlestone, where he refuelled, and it is understood he intended to continue his journey to Folkestone for refitting before crossing to Amsterdam.

LIFEBOAT AREA No. 6 Girls trapped A POLICE message on May 1 told the Newquay, Cornwall, ILB that four people were stranded on rocks on the north side of Zacrys Island.

The maroons were fired at 4.26 p.m.

Wind was north westerly, force 2, the sea was short and choppy and a heavy ground sea was running from the west.

Three minutes later the ILB launched with a crew of three.

After a short passage of two miles at full speed, the ILB sighted 11 girls stranded on Horse Rocks, 200 yards north of Zacrys Island. Horse Rocks lie about 30 feet from the 100 feet sheer cliff face, and the girls were clinging to each other on the top of five feet of rock above the waterline.

The ground sea against the cliff face and around the back of the rocks created a confused and dangerous area of water, drenching the rocks continually with spray. The ILB attempted to get in close but the breaking surf prevented this, and an attempt to veer down to the rocks on the anchor cable failed when the anchor dragged on the hard sand bottom.

At 4.48, with the ILB outside the surf line, Mr Norman Bailey, a crew member, decided to swim to the rock in order to give encouragement and assurance to the girls. Wearing a lifejacket and carrying a spare, with a lifeline attached to him, Mr Bailey swam the 60 yards separating the ILB from the rocks.

It was 20 minutes before Mr Bailey reached the north side of the rocks. In this position, with a depth of water of six feet, he was constantly buffeted against the cliffs by the swirl of water, and his attempts at gaining a foothold on the rocks failed. He was, however, able to offer words of encouragement to the trapped girls and at one point aided one to a safer position.

At 5.20, shortly after high water, a helicopter arrived overhead and with praiseworthy skill winched the 11 girls and Mr Bailey to safety. The ILB returned to her station at 6 o'clock.

For this service Mr Bailey was accorded the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum. Letters of thanks signed by the Director and Secretary of the Institution, Captain Nigel Dixon, RN, have been sent to the other two crew members, Mr M. Morris and Mr K.

Colcult.

LIFEBOAT AREA No. 4 Two Rescued AT Felixstowe, Suffolk, on March 25 Mr Kenneth Lewis, a part time lobster fisherman, noticed a number of people looking seaward at what appeared to be a capsized boat with her crew clinging to it. It was about 6.20 p.m., there was a moderate south south westerly wind, and the sea was very choppy.

Mr Lewis immediately went to a 12-foot rowing dinghy, which he knew to be owned by an acquaintance of his, and he was immediately joined by a young man from the crowd on the promenade. The men launched the boat and Mr Lewis rowed out to the casualty.

On arrival they found that one of the crew of the capsized boat was still in 'reasonable shape', and he was hauled over the transom to avoid capsizing their own boat. As the second crewmember was almost exhausted and unable to help himself he was with considerable difficulty also pulled aboard.

With the rescue completed, Mr Lewis then rowed the boat ashore leaving the capsized sailing dinghy to drift northwards with the tide. During the return journey a considerable amount of water was shipped by the rowing boat. Once ashore both survivors, who were blue with cold and unable to stand, were taken to hospital and detained suffering from shock and exposure.

For this service a framed letter of appreciation signed by the Chairman of the Institution, Commander F. R. H.

Swann, QBE, RNVR, was sent to Mr Lewis.

LIFEBOAT AREA No. 3 Flooded boat FLAMBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE, Was told at 4 p.m. on March 18 that the fishing boat Storm Vogel was in distress and requesting assistance.

The lifeboat Friendly Forester was launched at 4.20. She made for the casualty and, on coming up with her six miles east south east of the lifeboat station, found that the fishing boat was taking in water very rapidly despite the efforts of the three men on board.

Two lifeboat crew members were put aboard the fishing boat to assist with the pumping. A tow line was passed and secured, and towing started towards Flamborough Head. In order to keep the tow head to sea, and as the northerly sea diminished, the course was gently eased towards Bridlington.

The lifeboat coxswain requested a portable pump and this arrived by the fishing boat Jean Brid. The casualty was finally towed safely into Bridlington harbour, and the lifeboat returned to tier station at 7 o'clock..