Storm tow HARTLAND POINT Coastguard informed lifeboat 70-001, Charles H. Barrett (Civil Service No. 35), at 0210 on February 6 that a trawler was sinking 281°T 26 miles from the Point. The lifeboat was under way by 0220 and 12 minutes later copied a mayday relay from Ilfracombe Radio to all ships which had been received by VHP at Hartland; it reported flooding, with the trawler's pump unable to cope, and giving a Decca position of the trawler, St. Pierre, which was on a course north.

Staff Coxswain Michael Houchen, in command of 70-001, plotted this position and, allowing for St. Pierre's course of north, he set a course 290°M from Hartland Point at 0305 to intercept.

The wind on slipping from the moorings at Clovelly had been westerly force 6, but within an hour it had increased to force 8 and had veered slightly to west by north. The tide was in the third hour of flood and was setting the lifeboat back by about 1 knot, while the wind and seaaccounted for another reduction of about 11 knots. Thus, at full speed, the lifeboat was making good over the ground about 8| knots.

Various messages were exchanged with the trawler, through Hartland Coastguard, until at 0435, when six miles west south west of South Lundy, 70-001 sighted a red flare from St. Pierre just forward of her starboard beam. She altered course towards it.

Quarter of an hour later another red flare from the trawler was sighted and answered with a white parachute flare.

Then 70-001 switched on her searchlight to show St. Pierre her position, at the same time making VHP contact with her.

At 0515 the lifeboat sighted the trawler. She was slightly smaller than 70-001, being 54' overall and of about 20 tons, registered. She was heading about north by east with the wind slightly forward of her port beam, and appeared still to have plenty of freeboard and not to be in any immediate danger of sinking.

By now the wind had reached force 10 to 11 and had veered slightly further to west north west accompanied by violent hail storms, and Staff Coxswain Houchen decided it would be a most hazardous operation for St. Pierre's crew if he attempted by any means to embark them in the lifeboat. With the object of trying to get the stricken trawler into the lee of Lundy Island, therefore, he prepared a tow, heaving-to while the lifeboat's mizzen was struck to get it out of the way.

At 0540, with the tow prepared, 70-001 approached St. Pierre from her weather side and Boat Mechanic Ivor Young fired a rocket line. It was a perfect shot, falling right across the trawler, but her crew were not able to reach it quickly enough to lay hold of it and the line slid clear of the rigging to be lost over the side.

Staff Coxswain Houchen now appreciated that it was going to be difficult for the crew of the casualty to help, so he decided to make an approach on her lee side, as close as he dare go, and endeavour to throw a heaving line into the hands of the crew.

He therefore passed across St. Pierre's bow, turned starboard and approached directly upwind on to her starboard quarter. Although this would make the throwing of the heaving line a Herculean task, it was the only prudent and seamanlike approach with the lifeboat, having a higher profile, making more leeway than the trawler.

At the last moment it was realised that the crew of St. Pierre were not ready to receive the tow line, and so the approach had to be cut off and made all over again. As the lifeboat turned away and lay off while awaiting preparations on board the casualty, the crew noticed that when both boats were in troughs of the very heavy seas St. Pierre was completely disappearing.

At 0600, 70-001 approached again.

With first-class ship handling Staff Coxswain Houchen brought her bows to within a few feet of St. Pierre's quarter and, with both boats ranging a good twenty or more feet, Fleet Mechanic Peter Crofts threw the heaving line hard into the wind; the waiting crew of St. Pierre had no difficulty in catching it. A warp (70 fathoms of 4j"nylon) was now passed and the long tow began at 0620, making good about 4 knots.

Lundy lay about eight miles to the east south east and so course was set to pass round the north end of the island.

The tide had turned by this time and was starting to run against the wind. St.

Pierre had lost the use of her engines, but did not appear to be making a large amount of water although her crew reported that she was leaking.

All went without incident until about 0800 when the tow entered the northern fringe of the Lundy Race. Here the tide was now setting about 4 knots against the wind, which was still blowing force 10 to 11; the combined result was a phenomenal sea. The waves were high and precipitous, about 40' with very steep sides, so that at times Staff Coxswain Houchen was actually standing with his feet on the forward bulkhead of the wheelhouse as he tried to steer 70-001 down the face of a wave.

Huge, vicious seas stove in the transom of the trawler and one wave broke completely across the lifeboat from port quarter to starboard bow so that jets of water spurted through the top of the wheelhouse door and soaked all within.

The lifeboat crew believe that it was only their tow which saved them from broaching-to and, likewise, the lifeboat's pull on the bows of the trawler that held St. Pierre from a similar fate. The staff coxswain said that had the tow parted at this point, it would have been the end for the trawler and her crew because he would have been powerless to save them.

However, the tow held and the lee side of Lundy was reached by about 1000. Anchor was let go in Lundy Roads and at 1030 St. Pierre was brought alongside for pumping. By 1330 she was about 75 per cent pumped out and it was then discovered that the hose connections for the salvage pump suction hose were in fact leaking air, so that suction was impaired.

The wind had now moderated to about force 8 west north west and, the BBC TV weather forecast and synoptic chart having been seen on the lifeboat's new TV set, Staff Coxswain Houchen decided that it would be possible to continue to Ilfracombe with the tow.

Anchor was weighed and the tow got under way at 1420, arriving at Ilfracombe without further incident at about 1700. St. Pierre was towed to within heaving line distance of the jetty and the tow was slipped at 1715, both boats being secured alongside by 1730.

At 1825, however, 70-007 having parted two mooring lines, lost one fender and damaged the rubber D fender belting, Staff Coxswain Houchen decided to leave and return to anchor off Lundy once again to shelter from the now north west gale which was still force 8 gusting 9.

For this service a bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Staff Coxswain Michael Houchen. Medal service certificates were presented to BoatMechanics Ivor Young and John Leech, Fleet Mechanic Peter Crofts and Assistant Mechanic Peter Braund..