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..