the harbour entrance when she received a message from Barragutt saying that her steering gear had broken down and she was wallowing in the navigation channel between perches 6 and 7. When crossing the first bar the wire connecting the rudder to the wheel had parted, the rudder jamming hard over to port.

The engine was put into neutral and Barragutt came to an uneasy rest beam on to wind and seas. The emergency tiller was not on board and the sweep oar could not be used to steer with the tiller jammed hard over. Just after sending her message, Barragutt's radio was dashed to the deck in the violent rolling and smashed.

Welsh Lady turned about in the channel, fired off a distress flare on behalf of Barragutt and returned up channel to give help. She had to cross the inner bar against the full force of the wind, now estimated at north west force 9 to 10, sea state 4, while Barragutt was maintaining her position and holding herself off the training wall by using her engine. Welsh Lady crossed Barragutt's stern and tried, unsuccessfully, to pass a tow rope. She then turned to starboard, crossed ahead of Barragutt and between her and the derelict training wall and managed to pass the tow rope. The tow rope was made fast, Barragutt's bow pulled starboard and the two boats slowly crossed the second bar. Barragutt helped Welsh Lady by going ahead on her engine, and she also streamed her drogue. The two boats secured to their moorings at about 1715.

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

Swann, CBE, RNVR, was sent to John Povah..