Scotland North Division Cliff face helicopter lift LONOHOPE honorary secretary was informed by the Coastguard at 2352 on December 20, 1974, that the Belgian trawler Lans was ashore on the north side of Tor Ness and required immediate assistance. Longhope lifeboat, 48' 6" David and Elizabeth King and E.B., launched at 0015 (December 21), setting course westwards towards the casualty area.

It was two hours before high water; the wind was south-westerly force 2 with a very heavy south-westerly swell.

As the wreck position was not definite and there were nine men on board the trawler, Stromness honorary secretary was also informed at 0045 and decided to launch. At 0100 Stromness lifeboat, 52' Barnett class Archibald and Alexander M. Paterson, slipped her moorings and sailed for the casualty area.

Longhope lifeboat found Lans at 0105; she was under Berry Head, Hoy, broadside on to the sea, hard against the 600' cliff face and inside the reefs.

Her radio was not working but a torch was seen to be flashing on board.

The lifeboat dropped her anchor and tried to veer down on Lans in the very heavy swell, but even veering right up to the heavy breakers over the reef she was still well outside breeches buoy distance.

Coxswain John Leslie decided that the men on board were in no immediate peril and shortened up his anchor to wait for daylight. He asked that the Stromness lifeboat should still come as it was thought that some of the survivors might have taken to a liferaft and would have been swept north. The continuous spray made counting of the survivors on board impossible.

At 0230 Stromness lifeboat reached the area and at 0645, with the northerly stream easing, made a further attempt to veer down on Lans from a different angle, but she was unable to get closeenough. On attempting to lift the anchor it was found that the hydraulics were unable to lift in the heavy swell and the windlass was put into hand operation.

As the lifeboat lifted on a large breaking swell the sudden weight on the anchor wire bent the windlass stopping-catch shaft, and the windlass spun back, the handle catching Crew Member James Flett and breaking his arm. At 0745 the anchor had been rehoused and Stromness lifeboat returned to base with the injured man, as there was then no need for two lifeboats to be on the scene.

At 0815 a Whirlwind helicopter crew from RAF Lossiemouth, after dropping two Coastguards on the cliff top, surveyed the scene and decided that they could rescue the survivors. They lifted off the survivors from the bows of Lans in four sorties, lowering them on to Longhope lifeboat on each occasion.

The lift was completed by 0910.

The cliffs at this point overhang and the helicopter was working with her rotors only feet from the cliff face. The nearness of the lifeboat meant that the whole operation was possible without refuelling; this might not have been so if the survivors had had to be lifted to the cliff top. Longhope lifeboat then weighed anchor and sailed for Stromness with the survivors.

For this service, Flight Lieut. David Cosby, the helicopter pilot, and Master Ah- Loadmaster Peter Barwell, who was lowered to the deck of the trawler nine times, were both awarded the Air Force Cross. Flight Lieut. Charles Taylor, who operated the winch, received the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. A personal letter of appreciation signed by the Director of the Institution, Captain Nigel Dixon, was sent to Squadron Leader I. H. R. Robins, Officer Commanding 202 Squadron, RAF.

Ireland Division Force 11 gusting12 HEARING FROM Fishguard Coastguard at 2200 on Monday, January 13, that Michael of Famagusta, whose engine had broken down, was drifting about 18 miles off the entrance to Waterford, Dunmore East honorary secretary gave instructions for the maroons to be fired.

As the crew were assembling a new position for the casualty was received: 11 miles 115°T from Mine Head.

Euphrosyne Kendal, a 52' Barnett lifeboat, slipped her moorings and cleared harbour at 2220.

The weather was extremely bad: wind south south west force 11 gusting 12— visibility about half a mile in rain and otherwise 3 to 4 miles but, with a low height of eye, much reduced by spray.

It was four hours after high water and the wind against the strong ebb resulted in a very heavy short steep sea off the Hook. The height was estimated at 16-18', which forced the lifeboat to reduce speed drastically.

A course of 205°M was set for the last reported position of Michael. Later reports of her position were received from the German vessel Bell Venture.

At 2345 the lifeboat made contact with Michael on RT and the master was asked to fire a flare. The lifeboat sighted the flare at 2355 and the coaster's lights 15 minutes later; she then fired a flare which Michael acknowledged by RT.

At 0030 the lifeboat came up with Michael and twelve minutes later a message was passed to Coningbeg Light Vessel for Fishguard Coastguard reporting that the lifeboat was approaching the casualty and preparation was being made to pick up the crew.

Michaelmas lying stopped in the water with a list to port 6 miles off Tramore, drifting ashore at about 3 knots. Her ship's head was about 090°T and she was rolling and pitching heavily. The wind was still south south west force 11 gusting 12, but the sea was more regular than it had been off the Hook, with a long swell and heavy sea. The tide was setting westerly but weakly.

After approaching the casualty from the east the lifeboat turned and lay astern for about 20 minutes, then to the port side, astern again and finally ahead. By this time it was about 0145 and Coxswain Stephen Whittle asked the master of Michael for his intentions, and whether the crew were going to abandon ship; she was drifting at about 3 knots towards a dangerous coast, and to try to make contact direct would have been extremely difficult in the prevailing conditions.

The master of Michael decided to abandon ship. He was instructed to make sure that his crew were warmly dressed and wearing lifejackets before taking to the liferaft. When in the liferaft they were to veer down from Michael on a light line and would be picked up by the lifeboat. This the master agreed to do.

The liferaft was launched from the port quarter and secured alongside head and stern. It was about 0200 and the lifeboat had moved to a position about one cable off the port side of Michael, illuminating the liferaft with her searchlight.

Each of the crew was counted into the liferaft.

There was now a delay of some 15-20 minutes during which time the lifeboat crew discovered by signs that there was no knife in the liferaft. Coxswain Whittle was just going to attempt to go alongside when the master found a small pair of scissors and the painter was successfully cut.

As the lifcraft was swept rapidly to leeward Coxswain Whittle manoeuvred the lifeboat to take the raft amidships on the starboard side. The crew of the lifeboat held the raft, the lifeboat went slow astern to keep the raft against her side, and in about five minutes allseven members of Michael's crew had been helped on board.

Owing to the extremely bad conditions the liferaft had to be abandoned, and at 0220 the lifeboat started her return passage to Dunmore East, keeping about three miles off the coast by radar. At 0445 she entered Dunmore East, landing the survivors at about 0500. Michael subsequently went ashore at Tramore beach, probably at about 0600.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain Stephen Whittle.

Vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain John Walsh, Motor Mechanic John Curtin, Assistant Mechanic Sean Kearns and Crew Members Brendan Glody, Joseph Murphy and John R. Tod.

Eastern Division Biscaya sinks AT 0144 on December 13, 1974, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston honorary secretary was informed by Gorleston Coastguard that the 493 ton motor vessel Biscaya had been in collision with a French tug and tow in position 52°24'N 02°55'E. Lowestoft lifeboat had already been launched and Gorleston lifeboat crew were assembling to attend another casualty to the north; after consultation between the Coastguard and the two honorary secretaries, it was agreed that Lowestoft lifeboat should divert to the inshore casualty north of Gorleston and Gorleston's lifeboat, Khami, should go to the assistance of Biscaya, some 45 miles east south east of Gorleston.

Khami, a 44' Waveney class lifeboat, slipped her moorings at 0154. The wind was north north west, severe gale force 9 gusting storm force 10, with heavy breaking seas of 20' running against an ebbing tide. Predicted high water at Yarmouth Roads had been at 2111, December 12. It was cloudy with showers; visibility six miles.

Coxswain/Mechanic John Bryan set course 112°M from Gorton Light Buoy at 0225, making good a speed of 12 knots in quartering seas. Some 12 miles clear of the land the swell lengthened, causing Khami to surf frequently until on two occasions the swell carried the boat into the trough with bows awash and she slewed to port, her guard rails under water. Second Coxswain David Bennington kept a lookout aft to warn Coxswain Bryan of approaching large swells, estimated at 25', and the coxswain had to work continually at the helm to maintain course.

At 0500 the lifeboat asked Biscaya to fire flares, but they were not sighted.

However, at 0515 a Nimrod aircraft, which had taken off from St Mawgan at 0304, arrived at Khami's position after locating the casualty. The aircraft directed the lifeboat to alter course to 145°M and at 0546 flares were seen. Due to the height of the seas Biscaya was not detected on radar until within a range of three miles.

For some hours before the ebb tide slackened at 0530 Biscaya had been drifting south south east. By 0600 the flood tide was running southerly at 1.5 knots and the ship was located in position 52°16.5'N 02°58'E. The barge, having parted her tow at 0407, was some 9 miles south south east of this position with the French tug in attendance.

Khami came up on Biscaya at 0630 and found the ship listed slightly and stopped in the water with pumps working on the forward compartments where damage had been sustained by striking the barge towline and the 475' barge.

Biscaya''s steering gear was out of action; her stern had swung into the barge after the collision. The five-man crew were safely on board and the master thought that the vessel would be saved. Salvage tug Titan was on her way from Ijmuiden and was expected to arrive at 1030, so Coxswain Bryan said he would stand by until Biscaya was safely in tow of the tug. Swedish cargo vessel Hans Oscar had remained standing by since 0245, but continued her passage when the lifeboat arrived.

The weather remained severe, with wind north north west force 9 and a heavy north north west swell; the tide was flooding southward, so the seas moderated slightly.

Titan arrived at 1034 and a portable pump, attended by a tug crew member, was placed aboard Biscaya whose own pumps had ceased working at 0859. The pump, however, could not adequately be man-handled into position and was not operated, and at 1045 Biscaya's list increased to 45°. Three of her crew took to a liferaft and were immediately picked up by Khami. The master, chief engineer and the tug crew member remained onboard until 1125 when the vessel began to settle as the list increased to 65°.

Coxswain Bryan took Khami into the lee of Biscaya, close to the port bilge keel, and called for the three remaining men to abandon ship. The angle of the ship's hull and the heavy swell made it very difficult for them to scramble over the side into the lifeboat. The master injured his shoulder, wrenching it as he hung from the guardrails over the nearhorizontal ship's side. During the transfer Biscaya's hull could be felt surging against the underside of the lifeboat and only the coxswain's expert seamanship ensured the safety of the survivors; they were recovered only three minutes before the ship finally sank at 1145.

The tug crew was returned to Titan and Khami set course west by north to close the coast as soon as possible; Coxswain Bryan was concerned about fuel shortage, but a speed of 11 knots was made good into the head seas. The wind moderated slowly to north north west force 6 in the two hours after leaving Biscaya.

Khami closed the coast at Sizewell at 1545 and altered course northward in moderate north-north-west winds and slight seas. She arrived at Gorleston at 1825 and was refuelled, ready for service, at 1919. The survivors were met by the ship's owners and the lifeboat station's honorary medical adviser, and then taken to the Missions to Seamen hostel.

For this service a bar to his bronzemedal was awarded to Coxswain/ Mechanic John Bryan. Medal service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain David Bennington and Crew Members Brian Coleman and Herbert Appleton. A letter of appreciation was sent to the honorary secretary, DrR. Cox.

North Eastern Division Search in breaking seas ON THE AFTERNOON of Friday, August 30, 1974, four young children were swimming in the sea off Golden Sands Chalet Park about one mile south of Withernsea ILB station. The wind was fresh and the sea rough and it was notlong before the children started to get into difficulties. Two of the youngsters managed to reach the shore and both ran towards Withernsea to alert the Coastguard. Very distressed, they reached a small cafe opposite the ILB boathouse and told the owner, 'Our friends are drifting out to sea!' An immediate telephone call to the police was received just as Police Constable Ben Usher, a crew member, was signing off duty. He went directly to the boathouse, arriving at 1402. It was clear that the situation was critical, so, deciding that further delay would be unacceptable, he asked a colleague to inform the Coastguard and honorarysecretary while he opened the boathouse.

Then he asked Terry Dawson, who was present, to put on a lifejacket and go with him as crew.

The ILB was launched at 1405. It was three hours to high water with the wind east north east force 4 to 5. The sea was rough with heavy surf on the beach at the launching site.

At first the ILB was thrown broadside up the beach but the crew persevered and they succeeded in negotiating the heavy surf to reach the relatively calmer water beyond. Course was set for the reported search area, about a mile to the south, and by about 1410 the ILB was off Golden Sands Chalet Park. Here the beach has a gentler slope so that the seas were breaking further out, making a search more difficult and hazardous. In order to cover as muchground as possible as fast as possible, Ben Usher conducted his search by running in with the surf at an angle of 45° and coming away from the shore directly into the seas. Some of these seas were 8 or 9' and breaking. Considerable skill and judgement were required to avoid the ever-present risk of capsize.

This saw-tooth search pattern was continued until 1420, when a police officer on the cliff sighted a child and indicated that the boat should search further south and to seaward. Ben Usher followed these directions and after a further short search saw a girl rise on a crest and slide into a trough. He took the ILB straight to the position, but at the last minute a sea threw the boat away from the child.

Conditions were such that a fresh run in was needed. It was clear that the girl was in very poor shape and might slip under the waves at any time, so Ben Usher told Terry Dawson to enter the water and support her until he had made a second approach.

Without hesitation or thought for his own safety, Terry Dawson jumped over the side, grabbed the young girl and supported her until the ILB came alongside. She was lifted into the boat and Ben Usher immediately started artificial respiration, continuing for some minutes until a positive response was observed. He then helped Terry Dawson back into the boat and they ran straight in to the beach where an ambulance had been seen, continuing artificial respiration as they went.

On reaching the beach the ambulance men administered oxygen while awaiting a helicopter to take the girl to Hull Infirmary. It was learnt that the fourth swimmer had not drifted out more than 30 yards and had been recovered by men wading out from the beach.

The ILB returned to station at 1435 and was ready for service at 1455.

For this service the thanks of the Institution incribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Members Ben Usher and Terence Malcolm Dawson.

South Eastern Division Despite injury FAIRLIGHT COASTGUARD informed the Hastings deputy launching authority at 1120 on December 23, 1974, that there had been an explosion on board the Argentinian warship Candida de Lasala and medical help was needed. Maroons were fired and Jane Hay, a 37' Oakley class lifeboat on temporary duty at Hastings, was launched with the station honorary medical adviser, Dr Peter Davy, on board.

There was a south-by-easterly fresh breeze force 5 and a moderate sea. After making good 1.5 miles towards Candida de Lasala, Jane Hay was joined by rescue helicopter 41 and Dr Davy was asked to transfer to the helicopter for quickertransit to the ship. The coxswain was requested to steer into wind at full speed. The lifeboat prepared for the lift and the coxswain briefed his crew.

The second crewman from the helicopter was lowered to the lifeboat and,after several attempts, landed on board.

While he was putting Dr Davy into the other strop the helicopter lost contact with the lifeboat. Both men were dragged off the deck with a pendulum motion, smashing back into the lifeboat stern before being separated in the water; Dr Davy drifted away. The helicopter was re-positioned, Dr Davy was recovered and taken on to Candida de Lasala.

The injured men were tended and one transferred by helicopter to hospital with the doctor in company.

On arrival, and only after ensuring that the injured man was being cared for, Dr Davy allowed himself to be examined by another doctor. He was found to have seven broken ribs and must have been in great pain throughout the service.

For this service the silver medal for gallantry was awarded to Dr Peter Davy.

South Western Division Coal cargo shifts THE CREW of Clovelly lifeboat, the 71' Clyde Charles H. Barrett (Civil Service No. 35), at anchor in Lundy Roads at 1125 on Tuesday, January 21, sighted MV Robert and saw that she had a 30° list to starboard. As she approached she asked the lifeboat to take off her crew of four. Robert was a two hatch coaster registered in Panama, of about 350 gross tons; her list was due to her cargo of coal having shifted.

The lifeboat's ILB was despatched immediately. By 1148 Robert had put down her anchor and Charles H. Barrett closed the casualty.

There was a gale force 8 to 9 westerly wind blowing in the lee of Lundy Island; the sea was rough to moderate, the day cloudy with good visibility.

After taking on board the captain and crew at 1150 the lifeboat crew spent anhour and twenty minutes examining the condition of Robert from all sides; her master was convinced she would capsize at any moment. At 1310 Charles H.

Barrett returned to her anchorage, about 220 yards away.

Between 1830 and 1845 the lifeboat moved more into the shelter of Lundy Island and by 1900 three of Robert's crew were transferred to MV Polar Bear, making for Ilfracombe. Robert's master remained on board the lifeboat and between 1915 and 1950 he made two brief visits to the stricken vessel.

By 1115 the following morning, Wednesday January 22, the list had increased to 70°. Robert had dragged her anchor during the night and the lifeboat closed on her position. She finally sank at 1140: 1 -fa nautical miles from Lundy South Light on a bearing of 205°M and -fa nautical miles from Tibbett's Point.

After reporting the outcome to Hartland Coastguard at 1145, Charles H. Barrett sailed for Ilfracombe where the master was landed by 1340. Leaving Ilfracombe again at 1530, the lifeboat returned to her station by 1730.

Eastern Division MFV standing into danger SHEERNESS deputy launching authority heard from Warden Point Coastguard at 2200 on March 22,1974, that a boat three-quarters of a mile east north east of the Coastguard lookout was exhibiting red hand flares and was apparently in difficulty. The Coastguard had signalled the boat at 2150 that she was standing into danger, but no apparent action had been taken despite the Coastguard illuminating the adjacent cliffs with parachute flares.

The DLA gave instructions for the maroons to be fired and the lifeboat, the 46' Watson Gertrude built in 1946, cleared her mooring in Sheerness Harbour at 2210. The wind was north east force 5 to 6 with moderate seas.

The night was overcast and high water at Sheerness was predicted for 0106.

Gertrude set course at full speed for a position received from Warden Point Coastguard north of the Southern Boom, in an attempt to reach the casualty before she was driven by wind and tide among the wreckage of old barges and boulders of the wartime boom.

At 2240 the Coastguard alerted the Coast Rescue Company to go to the shoreward end of the boom, just as Gertrude reached the sectored light at the boom's seaward limit. Realising that the casualty would be among the foul ground before Gertrude could reach her, Coxswain Charles Bowry turned the lifeboat and, on a southerly course, made for the westward side of the boom.

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