Small boat swamped ON MONDAY EVENING, AugUSt 18, 1975, the honorary secretary of Whitby lifeboat station was informed by Whitby Coastguard that a small boat which they had had under observation had been swamped a quarter of a mile to seaward of the Metropole Hotel and that the two crew had been thrown into the water.

Five minutes later, at 1825, the ILB, manned by Helmsman Brian Hodgson, Barry Mason and David Wharton, was launched and heading out of the harbour at full speed. It was four hours after high water. The wind was northerly, force 3.

Outside the harbour the sea was moderately rough with a moderate swell.

After an uncomfortable passage between the piers the ILB set course for the position off the Metropole. Inshore of this position very heavy surf was breaking on the beach. By 1830 the ILB was in the area of the casualty but, with the sun shining brightly from the direction of Sandsend, more or less straight into the eyes of the crew, visibility for conducting a search from the direction of the harbour was bad.Having sighted nothing on the first search, therefore, the ILB ran off seaward to a position abeam the bar buoy, ready to start a creeping search across the area, thus lessening the effect of the sunlight.

Although the sea was moderately rough and there was a moderate swell, the ILB was still outside the breaking surf. On her first run in towards the beach the first survivor was spotted a short distance outside the main breaking surf line. As she closed him the second survivor was sighted some 50 yards away and almost in the surf.

Because of the critical conditions, and knowing that both men would soon be in the breaking surf, Brian Hodgson entered the water to support the first survivor, well knowing that he himself might be carried into the heavy surf, so that the ILB could go directly to the other survivor who was in the greater danger.

Having picked up this survivor just as he was about to be engulfed in the surf, the ILB returned to recover both the other survivor and Brian Hodgson.

By this time they, too, were right on the edge of the surf line.

The ILB then returned to Whitby Harbour, arriving at 1850. Both survivors were landed; the second was taken home by David Wharton and put to bed for two hours to recover. The ILB was rehoused and ready for service at 2001.

For this service the bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Crew Member Brian Hodgson. Medal service certificates were presented to Crew Members Barry Mason and David Wharton..