Capsized trimaran FOUR MINUTES after HM Coastguard had alerted Berwick-upon-Tweed crew and honorary secretary, at 1631 on May 31, 1975, to tell them that a trimaran had capsized 2\ cables outside the harbour entrance, the D class ILB was speeding towards the casualty crewed by Helmsman Billy Shearer and Crew Member Norman Jackson. The wind was northeasterly force 3 to 4 and there was a very long heavy swell coming in which was breaking well out from the beach.

The tide was 2f hours flood, the weather fine with good visibility.

After launching, Helmsman Shearer headed towards the harbour entrance, cutting across over The Batts towards the trimaran as soon as conditions allowed.

As the ILB closed the wreck two men clinging to the hull shouted that there was a woman in the water without a lifejacket. The ILB at once turned in the direction they indicated and a few yards away sighted a woman floating seemingly unconscious. With some difficulty they managed to get her aboard the ILB. As they returned to the wreck the men shouted that there was another woman trapped inside the hull and they did not want to leave her.

Billy Shearer rapidly assessed the situation and decided he should land the survivor in the ILB; she was in a collapsed condition and bleeding from a cut above the eye, while the wreck, drifting rapidly ashore, was now only 200 yards from Spittal Beach where the Coastguard and several other people were ready to give help. He asked byradio for an ambulance to be waiting at the lifeboat house and also for an axe to be ready to take back so that he could break into the hull of the wreck.

The ILB then headed back the way she had come out. As they neared the harbour entrance Helmsman Shearer, becoming concerned about the condition of the survivor, handed over the helm to Norman Jackson while he looked at her.

Just after he had taken the helm, a large sea washed over the ILB and took Norman Jackson overboard. As he went his foot caught in the fuel line breaking it and stopping the engine.

Billy Shearer straight away plugged in the other fuel line and restarted the engine and within a very short time turned the ILB and picked Norman Jackson up. He then headed at full speed for the lifeboat house. At about 1650 the survivor was landed and an axe put aboard the ILB. She then returned to the casualty which had by now driven ashore. By about 1655 the ILB was beached alongside the wreck and Billy Shearer, helped by Norman Jackson and the Station Officer of the Coastguard, broke into the hull and reached the woman trapped inside.

An RAF helicopter, which had just arrived, picked up the woman and transferred her to an ambulance waiting on the promenade. All the survivors were then taken to Berwick Infirmary.

The ILB was relaunched through heavy breaking seas and made her way back to station, being rehoused at 1845.

For this service the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Helmsman Billy Shearer and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Member Norman Jackson..