North Western Division MFV on lee shore AT 2350 ON JUNE 8, 1974, Edwin B.

Brown, an ILB crew member at New Brighton, Merseyside, was told that a fishing boat appeared to be aground on a lee shore in Rock Channel. He telephoned the honorary secretary immediately, maroons were fired and, while the crew were assembling, a message came from Mersey Radio confirming that a fishing vessel was indeed aground off Perch Rock Light and had broadcast a mayday distress call.

Edwin Brown was to command the ILB, Atlantic 21 B509, and in view of the weather (wind force 6 westerly, sea and swell moderate) and the type of service he thought would be needed, he decided to take two extra crew members; there were, therefore, five in the crew.

Due to heavy surf and difficulty in starting the port engine, attempts to launch on the north side of New Brighton Pier were abandoned, and Helmsman Brown took the Atlantic 21 to a second and more sheltered launching site, 1 i miles by road to the south.

Here the boat was successfully launched on two engines at 0020; ten minutes later she found the motor fishing vessel aground on a sandbank, with an anchor out, about 300 yards from the beach and 350 yards west by south of Rock Light. There was a heavy, confusedground swell and the MFV was pitching and rolling in a rough quartering sea and pounding on a lee shore.

Helmsman Brown decided to anchor up wind and tide and veer down on to the fishing boat. On the first attempt the ILB's cable proved to be too short, so anchor was weighed, the ILB brought nearer and the manoeuvre repeated.

While Helmsman Brown was veering down the second time, however, the casualty parted her anchor cable, rolled towards the easternmost groyne and was in immediate danger of breaking up.

The ILB anchor cable was slipped and she set off at full speed to approach the MFV from the lee side. Helmsman Brown crossed over the groyne on a large wave, drove the ILB on to the deck of the casualty, which was listing heavily to port, and snatched off two men.

The fishing boat was now almost ontop of the groyne, but there was a third man with an injured leg and suffering from shock in her starboard rigging.

Crew Member Robin Middleton volunteered to board the casualty. He was put aboard by Helmsman Brown and, although hampered by loose gear underfoot, successfully made his way to the injured man and got him back into the Atlantic 21.

The ILB cleared the casualty at about 0100. Shortly afterwards her port propeller was fouled, and it had to be cleared while the boat continued underway on the starboard engine.

When the ILB returned to her recovery point, at 0130, an ambulance was waiting for the three survivors; the man rescued by Robin Middleton was in fact a stretcher case.

For this service, the silver medal for gallantry has been awarded to Helmsman Edwin B. Brown and Crew Member Robin Middleton. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Crew Members Clifford Downing, Alan F. Boult and lanM. Campbell.

Eastern Division Red flares in Black Deep Channel CLACTON COASTGUARD intercepted a message from Warden Point Coastguard to Margate Coastguard at 1556 on July 15, 1974, advising that red flares had been sighted by MV Moreton Bay between No. 9 and No. 10 Buoys in Black Deep Channel. Mansion helicopter was scrambled to investigate and at 1607 Clacton honorary secretary was asked to place the lifeboat on alert. The crew were assembled.

At 1624 the helicopter reported a 40' fishing boat drifting north-eastwards one mile west of No. 8 Black Deep Buoy; because of the boat's masts it was not possible to consider a winching operation.

Given this information at 1631, the honorary secretary told the Coastguard he would launch immediately, and within quarter of an hour the 37' Oakley lifeboat Valentine Wyndham-Quin had set a course of 205°M for the Wallet Spitway. The wind was south south west, force 7 to gale 8, with very rough seas, wind against tide; it was three hours before high water. The evening was overcast with fair visibility in rain.

The Coastguard helicopter, returning to the area at 1753 after refuelling, checked the casualty position for the lifeboat, which was now half a mile south of Whitaker Beacon. By 1834 the lifeboat had reached No. 9 Barrow Buoy and Coxswain Charles Bolingbroke navigated through the shallow passage north of SW Sunk Beacon to cross into Black Deep. Visibility was now poor and, with only occasional sightings of buoys, fixing the position of the boat was very difficult.

At 1913 the Coastguard succeeded in making radio contact with the survey vessel HMS Echo. The ship was anchored in Whitaker Channel and immediately got under way to give help.

At 1925 the lifeboat sighted the casualty, the Dutch 45' steel motor barge Minnie Ha Ha, on the eastern edge of Middle Sunk Sands. She was aground in the breaking seas and was being driven on to the sands by the wind.

Main engine and steering had broken down while on passage from Pinmill to Dover, and her crew had set course into the Thames Estuary to seek shelter.

The wind was south south west, gale force 8, with very heavy seas, and the sandbanks nearby were causing frequent confused waves of some 12' height to break across the direction of the wind. The evening remained overcast with rain.

Coxswain Bolingbroke manoeuvred the lifeboat close to windward of Minnie Ha Ha, so that Second Coxswain Arthur Harman was able to pass a line to the barge from a distance of less than 4'. As it was a risk to take the crew of two men and a woman off the barge, Coxswain Bolingbroke decided to try to tow her into deeper water to the north of the bank. Both breasting lines were made fast and at 1940 the tow was secured but, as the barge began to move violently in the deeper water after clearing the sand bank, the breasting lines parted. It was now 2015.

HMS Echo had reached the position at 2010 and was requested by Coxswain Bolingbroke to take over the tow. After steaming around the casualty to assess the situation, Echo asked for lifeboat help to place a naval crew member aboard the barge to attend a heavier tow line. However, Coxswain Bolingbroke thought this would be imprudent because of the prevailing sea conditions and the likelihood of incurring serious damage to the lifeboat or injury to the rating.

At 2110, after successfully firing a line across the barge, HMS Echo secured a tow line and set course westward with the barge, bound for the River Crouch.

The lifeboat stood by until the tow reached the Whitaker Channel and then, as the weather would have made rehousing at Clacton impossible, madefor Brightlingsea. The crew were ashore at 2340 and the lifeboat returned to station at 1910 on July 17.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain Charles Bolingbroke.

Vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain Arthur Harman, Acting Motor Mechanic Jack Bolingbroke and Crew Members David Wells, Philip Sherman, Bernard Drane and Robert Smith.

Ireland Division Rescue off Cahore Point HEARING FROM the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Shannon at 2106 on January 16 that Jadestar Glory was ashore, possibly on Roney Rock, the honorary secretary Arklow alerted the crew while trying to get further information.

Fishguard Coastguard confirmed that the fishing vessel was ashore at Roney Point and advised launch; and MRCC Shannon confirmed the position and reported that there were three trawlers in the area which were unable to approach because of the banks. Maroons were fired at 2128 and at 2140 the lifeboat cleared Arklow Harbour.

At about 2100 the No. 1 man, Cahore Coast Life-Saving Service (CLSS), James Kavanagh, saw from his livingroom window the lights of a boat very close inshore passing just clear of Polduff Pier. He was watching her when she grounded about half a mile north of the pier. The boat, later identified as Jadestar Glory, fired distress rockets to which James Kavanagh replied. The Cahore CLSS was mustered, gear made ready for a rescue by breeches buoy, and the honorary secretary Arklow informed.

At 2140 when the lifeboat cleared the harbour the wind was north west force 7 to 8, there was broken cloud, good visibility and it was 1J hours after low water. The sea on the bar was extremely rough as the wind during the whole day had been south to south east force 10 to 11 before veering to north west at about 1700 and moderating slightly.

Once clear of the bar the lifeboat turned to run south down the coast passing inside Glassgorman Banks.

When clear of the banks the height of the swell was estimated as 15', but when passing inside the bank it would have been considerably more. All the crew were bruised and Motor Mechanic Christopher Gaffney, who was in the forward cabin, was thrown against the deckhead, bruising his head. Even Coxswain Michael O'Brien admitted that 'the boat had a real pounding'.

At 2222 the Garda, Courtown, relayed a message from Cahore CLSS that the crew of Jadestar Glory had abandoned ship and the rafts were 400 yards off Cahore Point. At 2245 the lifeboat, one mile south of No. 3 Glassgorman Buoy, had altered course for the search area south east of Cahore Point, when Arklow Lightvessel reported the liferafts one mile south of the point drifting south.

At 2324 the lifeboat reported her position as one mile north east of Cahore Point and was informed by Tuskar Rock that the last knownposition of the liferaft was half a mile south of the wreck off Cahore Point.

The lifeboat started to search using parachute flares and at 2348 sighted a dim white light one mile east of the point, which proved to be from one of the two liferafts.

Three men were picked up from this raft without difficulty, and it was learnt that the second raft had capsized on launching and the other three men were clinging to it. The second raft was easily found about half a mile upwind of the first by the light of more parachute flares.

The lifeboat immediately went alongside and the last three survivors were recovered. It was very difficult to get them on board as they were completely exhausted and very heavy.

On 0135 on January 17 the lifeboat returned to Arklow and all survivors were landed into the care of the doctor.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain Michael O'Brien.

Vellum service certificates were presented to Acting Second Coxswain John White, Motor Mechanic Christopher Gaffney, Assistant Mechanic Michael Fitzgerald and Crew Members James Lambert, Paul O'Neill and Peter Heaney.

North Western Division Dinghy on rocks A SAILING DINGHY in difficulties off Little Orme was sighted by Llandudno deputy launching authority and station mechanic at 1525 on April 27, 1974. The DLA immediately advised HM Coastguard and assembled the crew.

The wind was north east force 5 with a moderate to rough sea; it was about 40 minutes after high water. On the first attempt to launch, the 1LB was thrown back on to the beach, but her crew (Station Mechanic Robert Jones as helmsman, Gordon Short and Hugh Hughes) got her away on the second attempt and by 1535 had set course for the casualty.

Arriving off Little Orme ten minutes later they found that the dinghy was already on the rocks. One of her crew was ashore on the rocks; the other, who had tried to climb the cliffs, was stranded about 30' above the sea, a short distance to the south.

The wind was still north east force 5, with a short, steep swell and rough sea.

Helmsman Jones, awaiting the right moment, ran in between and behind the rocks on the back of a large wave, took off the first man and cleared to sea by again waiting for a large wave and making the run out on it. During this operation the engine sustained some damage.

Having satisfied himself that the man on the cliff was safe for the time being, and fearing that the man he had aboard, who had been in the sea, might be suffering from exposure, Helmsman Jones decided to return to the beach and ask for the help of the Mountain RescueTeam. The 1LB was back at the beach by 1635.

The Mountain Rescue Team, called on to rescue the second man, asked that Rhyl ILB should stand by below. The man was helped down the cliff, taken aboard the ILB and landed at Llandudno beach. Rhyl boat and crew were then taken back to station in the Llandudno Land Rover.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Helmsman Robert Jones.

Vellum service certificates were presented to Crew Members Gordon Short and Hugh Hughes.

Eastern Division In danger of breaking up THE MASTER of the tug Superman asked Wells Coastguard for lifeboat assistance at 0450 on October 21, 1973; she was towing an ex-Admiralty MFV, Pilgrim, which, with two people on board, was in danger of breaking up; their position was 009°T 20* miles from Wells. The honorary secretary, being informed, instructed maroons to be fired and at 0515 the lifeboat, Ernest Tom Nethercoat.

a 37' Oakley built in 1965, was launched in Wells Harbour and set course for the harbour bar at reduced speed; the wind was west north west force 9 to 10 with very rough seas, particularly over the bar, and heavy waves were breaking over the boat. High water at Wells was 0136.

Low visibility precluded the use of any shore marks or leading lights and Coxswain David Cox was seriously concerned about the falling tide on the bar. However, at 0540 the lifeboat was safely clear and a course of 010°T was set to intercept the tow.

At 0616 Humber coast radio station advised the lifeboat that tug and tow were now in position 178°T 2-| miles from the East Dudgeon Buoy. By 0641 the lifeboat was abeam of the South-East Docking Buoy, having made 6 knots from the Wells Fairway Buoy with mountainous seas on the bow. Coxswain Cox had found great difficulty in maintaining course and the after wheelhouse was continually filled as seas broke over the entire boat.

A message came from Humber radio at 0648 that 202 Squadron, RAF Leconfield, had been asked to scramble a Sea King helicopter which should be over the tow's position by 0720.

At 0744 the two crew had been safely lifted from Pilgrim and at 0748 Wells honorary secretary authorised the Coastguard to advise the lifeboat to return to station. The helicopter returned to base with the two survivors.

The return passage in heavy quarter seas required considerable skill to avoid broaching and the drogue was run out to steady the boat. Due to the low water it was impossible for the lifeboat to return over the bar, and the gale force winds made beach recovery off the harbour mouth out of the question. CoxswainCox asked the honorary secretary for the tractor and carriage to be taken to Holkham Beach to the westward, where, despite very heavy surf, he drove the lifeboat on to the shore and the recovery was effected without damage to the boat or injury to crew and helpers.

The lifeboat returned to station at 1048.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain David Cox.

Vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain Anthony Jordan, Acting Motor Mechanic Richard Abel, Assistant Mechanic Alan Cox and Crew Members Albert Warner, John Dickinson and David Court..