HAVING HEARD from Aberdovey Coastguard at 1820 on August 10, 1974, that a member of the public had reported seeing someone falling out of a motor cabin cruiser crossing [Dovey Bar to seaward, Aberdovey honorary secretary immediately assembled the crew, and within seven minutes ILB B514, Guide Friendship I, was launched. Helmsman Anthony Mills was in command, with David Williams and Andrew Coghill as crew.

The wind was west north west force 6, and in the protected water of the inner Dovey estuary the sea was only slight.

It was low water at Aberdovey and on the seaward side of the bar the tidal stream was setting to the south. Visibility was good.

Course was set for the Inner Channel Buoy one mile to the west and on approaching it a motor cabin cruiser was sighted close by. Helmsman Mills took Guide Friendship I alongside the boat and, enquiring if help was needed, was told that all was well. The ownerhad not seen any other craft in distress, nor had he seen any distress signals.

Receiving a radio message from New Quay Coastguard that a speedboat had been sighted on the Dovey Bar firing red flares, the ILB immediately went out across the bar in the direction of the Outer Buoy. When clear of the rough and confused breaking seas on the bar, the ILB was stopped and an all-round search made. Nothing was sighted and Aberdovey Coastguard informed accordingly.

Running before a rough sea and heavy swell, a slow down-wind search was then made in the direction of Ynyslas Beach. When just under a mile from the shore and half a mile south of the Bar Buoy, Andrew Coghill sighted an object on the port bow, which was also seen by Aberdovey Coastguard.

It proved to be a man clutching a lifejacket.

Guide Friendship I closed with the man, who was helped into the boat. He was suffering from shock and exposure. Identifying himself as Mr.

W. Edmunds, owner of the cabin cruiser Lady Jane, he said that he had been thrown out of his boat by rough seas when crossing the bar, and there were three children still aboard.

Helmsman Mills asked that Borth1LB and a helicopter should be called out to help in the search for the three missing children, and Borth Coastguard was asked to start a beach search.

Course was directed to the north eastwards and, at about 1857, Aberdovey Coastguard reported sighting someone standing on South Bank, an isolated sand bank cut off from the shore and awash. Due to the heavy, confused seas the 1LB crew were unable to see anyone, but were directed by the Coastguard from his high vantage point ashore. As the ILB approached, wreckage was sighted and then a sunken boat with water breaking over her.

Shortly afterwards the person on South Bank was sighted to the eastward of the sunken boat. Between the wreck and South Bank two people were seen in the sea with heads just above the water; they were close together and one appeared to be helping the other.

Heavy surf was breaking around them and they were about 300 yards from the bank.

Helmsman Mills tried to close the two children, but it was difficult to manoeuvre the boat in the rough sea and heavy surf. He managed to get within 50 yards of them but the boat started to take the ground and was in danger of broaching. The crew members went into the water and tried to hold the boat head into the sea, but it was impossible. David Williams volunteered to swim on a line to the children, but the line was not long enough to allow him to reach them, so, discarding it, he continued wading and swimming in the heavy surf. Guide Friendship I stood off in deeper water.

On reaching the two children, Jayne Edmunds, aged 11, and Paula Ward, aged 11, David Williams helped them through the heavy surf to South Bank where they joined up with the third child, Paula's younger brother, aged 9.

The three children were taken through the shallow water to the southern end of South Bank, while the ILB landed on the beach 200 yards away, on the other side of the channel between the shore and the bank. Andrew Coghill waded out to South Bank and helped David Williams to bring the three children across the channel, which was about 5' deep, to the beach where they were reunited with Mr. Edmunds. They were all four placed into the care of Borth Coastguards.

At about 1910 a message was received from Aberdovey Coastguard saying that another boat had been sighted on the bar which could be in trouble. Guide Friendship 1 was re-launched and closed the boat; she was the motor cabin cruiser which had first been seen near the Inner Channel Buoy at the beginning of the service. The owner explained that he was searching for his friends in Lady Jane. Helmsman Anthony Mills explained what had happened and escorted the motor cruiser back into calmer water.On approaching Aberdovey the ILB was signalled to close the beach at Ynyslas and take off the survivors.

They were landed at the ILB station and provided with showers and warm clothing.

The ILB was re-housed and made ready for further service by 1945.

Further investigation revealed that when Mr. Edmunds had fallen from the boat, Jayne, his 11-year-old daughter, had thrown him a lifejacket and had attempted to manoeuvre the boat towards him, but, in doing so, had shipped a considerable amount of water, making the boat unmanageable. She instructed the other two children to put on lifejackets, and then fired red distress signals. The three children were apparently washed out of the boat just before she sank. When rescued, Jayne was found to be supporting Paula and holding on to a lifejacket which she had not had time to put on. Had it not been for the action taken by Jayne Edmunds, the outcome of this incident could have been very different.

For this service the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Crew Member David Williams. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Helmsman Anthony Mills and Crew Member Andrew Coghill.

Jayne Edmunds was awarded an inscribed watch..