South Western Division Gold medal AT 0058 ON MONDAY, December 6, 1976, the honorary secretary of Torbay lifeboat station was informed by the Coastguard that the motor vessel Lyrma had requested immediate assistance six miles east of Start Point. Her exact position was uncertain, her radar was unserviceable, her steering gear had broken down and she had developed a list.

Torbay's 54' Arun class lifeboat Edward Bridges (Civil Service No. 37) slipped her moorings at 0115. The lifeboat's coxswain had been caught out at sea by the storm while fishing and Second Coxswain Keith Bower therefore took command.

The wind was southerly force 9 to 10, having been building up from that direction for about eight hours, and, as soon as all was secured for sea, Acting Coxswain Bower ordered everyone inside and all doors and hatches closed.

He was able to steam at full speed, nearly 19 knots, in only a slight to moderate sea eastwards towards Berry Head. As the lifeboat rounded the headland and set course southwards, however, huge seas were immediately encountered head-on, so that Acting Coxswain Bower felt obliged to ease the throttles drastically. It was almost a spring tide which was now running at about 1 knot against the wind. The seas were therefore steep and the largest waves were estimated at 40 feet. They were the worst ever experienced by his crew.

After rounding Berry Head, accurate navigation was entirely dependent on Decca fixes. It was out of the question to use the parallel rules, which were twice caught in mid-air, while the dividers were completely lost and could not be found again until next day.

Acting Coxswain Bower found that, by cutting his throttles almost completely on cresting the largest waves, and then opening up to about 1,500 rpm (13 knots) again, he could prevent the boat from becoming airborne too often and from pounding too hard. In this way, with the aid of the 1 knot tide going with her, the Decca fixes show that the lifeboat made good about 10 knots over the ground or 9 knots through the water. Such was the number of times it was necessary to reduce speed.

As the sea conditions worsened, Acting Coxswain Bower thought he could make better and more comfortable progress by keeping the sea more on the bow, so he steered about 20° to the east of his intended track until about 0154, when a radar contact was obtained five miles on the starboard bow only about one mile from the originally reported position of the casualty.

Acting Coxswain Bower then altered course towards this contact, which put the sea and wind across his port bow.

The navigator plotted the contact by taking its range and applying this to his own Decca fixes, from which, even using rough estimates, it soon became apparent that the contact was making good progress on a northerly course and was therefore not the casualty.

All except Acting Coxswain Keith Bower, Assistant Mechanic John Hunkin, who manned the VHP throughout, and one other crew member, suffered seasickness on this outward journey, but all performed their duties nevertheless. Particularly noteworthy in this respect was John Dew, who acted as navigator in the seat beside the coxswain.

His task was vital, as visibility was severely restricted by rain, spume and spray, and he carried it out very efficiently.

At 0215 the Coastguard up-dated the casualty's position to 114°T, 7.5 miles from Start Point, and the lifeboat altered to port to a course of 169°T for the new position. Two echoes then appeared five miles ahead and, ten minutes later, Acting Coxswain Bower sighted lights about three miles ahead.

Start Point Radio now gave the wind as force 10 to 11.

Keith Bower made an assessment of the lifeboat's chances of being able to effect the rescue and decided that it probably would prove impossible, or at least highly dangerous for the survivors, to attempt to take them on board the lifeboat. He therefore asked for them to be taken off by Sea King helicopter.

The Coastguard eventually replied that there was no Sea King available.

The lifeboat arrived on the scene at about 0240 and Acting Coxswain Bower went to the upper conning position, taking John Hunkin with him to man the VHP and talk to Lyrma's captain. Two other vessels were standing by. Lyrma had a heavy list to starboard and was slowly steaming in a circle to starboard, pitching and rolling so that her well deck was awash on her rolls to starboard, and the captain said he feared a further shift of cargo would capsize her.

He wanted everyone taken off.

At about this time the wind was starting to veer a little, but with no reduction in intensity. The very heavy swell continued from the south and, as the wind veered, the sea became more confused, so that conditions were steadily worsening.

The lifeboat told Lyrma's captain that he should put his liferaft over the side and get his crew into it, so that the 'lifeboat could then pick them up safely.

It was apparent, however, that there was much confusion on board Lyrma, no English apparently being spoken except by the captain, and the lifeboat had difficulty in getting any real acknowledgement of suggestions or instructions.

The Coastguard now advised that RFA Engadine was approaching and had a Wessex helicopter which she hoped to get airborne at 0315. Acting Coxswain Bower therefore decided to lie off and await the helicopter's arrival.

At 0257 Lyrma put her liferaft over the port side forward, but it appeared that no one was willing to get into it.

She then appeared to stop her engines and lay bows west, port beam to the sea.

At 0330, Engadine's helicopter arrived and a winchman was lowered over Lyrma's after superstructure. He swung like a pendulum in the wind and a second approach had to be made. On the second attempt the winchwire became fouled on a boat's davit on the casualty and the winchman himself was injured and had to be recovered. The pilot of this helicopter later said that his instruments showed a rise and fall in the freighter's deck level of 30 feet during this time. He reported that helicopter lifts were impossible except from a liferaft.

Acting Coxswain Bower now made one more plea to Lyrma's captain to get his crew into the liferaft, but there was no response. So, at 0345, he decided to make a trial run on to the casualty's starboard quarter.

The 27,000 ton Eurofreighter was trying to make a lee for the rescue operations, but if anything, her presence appeared to make the sea even more confused. The trial run was encouraging, however, and the captain now agreed to muster his crew on the starboard side aft to be taken off.

Crew Members John Dew and Michael Mills went forward to place fenders and take the survivors aboard, while Crew Members Nicholas Davies and Richard Brown prepared to lead them aft and inside the lifeboat.

On the first run alongside the only woman passenger was successfully pulled aboard. The lifeboat then went astern and tried again. This time the motion between the two vessels forced Acting Coxswain Bower to come hard astern again at the last minute.

On the next approach two more were pulled aboard by John Dew, standing between the forward guardrails and the inner pulpit rails to catch them. Next time only one could be got aboard before Keith Bower was obliged to withdraw again. Another abortive approach followed, then run number six was begun. As the lifeboat's port bow came alongside, Lyrma rolled heavily to starboard, crushing nine guardrail stanchions inboard, the foremost ones as far as 45°, and sending the lifeboatmen leaping for safety over the pulpit rail as the guardrail bolts sheered like rifle shots, so that all thought some severe structural damage was taking place.

The lifeboat was trapped under the casualty's gunwales, and, as the freighter rolled down on top of her, John Hunkin, standing beside Keith Bower on the upper conning position, leaned over to fend off the casualty's lifeboat, still in its davits, about five feet inboard of Lyrma's side. He could reach it with his hands. One more survivor jumped to the lifeboat's deck while another hesitated. Then John Dew came forward over the pulpit rails again and dragged this man aboard as Keith Bower put both engines full astern and the lifeboat shrugged herself free.

On the next run, the seventh crew man came aboard and this left only the captain visible on deck. He shouted that the other two crew members had taken to the liferaft over the port bow and he would now leave the ship himself. It took two more rurfs, however, before he could be taken aboard.

During this entire evacuation, Engadine's Wessex stood by and the pilot said that he considered the lifeboat displayed 'fantastic seamanship'. He would not have believed it possible to get anyone off safely by lifeboat in those conditions.

The lifeboat now manoeuvred to the windward side of Lyrma and the lifeboatmen tried by sign language to indicate to the two occupants of the liferaft that they should cut themselves free and allow the raft to drift clear so that they could be picked up. It took a long time, but they finally understood.

The liferaft duly drifted aft, a hand reached out to grab the line thrown from the lifeboat's bow, Acting Coxswain Bower turned to port to make a lee, and the last of the ten survivors were soon safely pulled aboard over the lifeboat's starboard side. It was 0410.

All the rescued were then placed inside the lifeboat and the after door closed. Acting Coxswain Bower, with Assistant Mechanic Hunkin, remained on the upper conning position because he felt that from there he could better observe the large following seas and thus more readily take action to prevent broaching. Visibility had also improved so that he could easily navigate visually from the upper bridge. The wind having veered to about south west, the seas had reduced somewhat in comparison with the outward passage, and, although full speed was maintained all the way home, only two broaches occurred.

The lifeboat reached her refuelling berth at 0510.

For this service the gold medal for gallantry has been awarded to Acting Coxswain Keith W. Bower. A bar to the bronze medal has been awarded to Crew Member John Dew and the bronze medal to Motor Mechanic Stephen J.

Bower, Assistant Mechanic William John Hunkin and Crew Members Michael Mills, Nicholas Davies and Richard R. Brown.

North Eastern Division Fishing vessel aground A DISTRESS CALL asking for lifeboat assistance from the fishing vessel Admiral Van Tromp was passed to the honorary secretary of Whitby lifeboat station by Whitby Coastguard at 0302 on Thursday, September 30, 1976; the boat was aground under the cliffs in the vicinity of Whitby High Light.

Maroons were fired and at 0326 the 42' Watson lifeboat William and Mary Durham, on temporary duty at Whitby, slipped her moorings and, with Coxswain Robert Allen in command, cleared Whitby Bar Buoy and set course south east by south for the latest position of the casualty, 'in the vicinity of Black Nab'.

It was low water with an easterly breeze, force 3, and visibility was reduced to about 40 yards by thick fog.

The sea was slight but there was a very heavy onshore swell. Despite this swell, breaking at times, Coxswain Allen maintained full speed until about 0350 when he considered that he had run his distance. He stopped engines to listen for any indication of activity and asked the casualty to fire flares. Seeing the loom of lights inshore, the lifeboat headed in to investigate.

As she closed the shore, the effect of the swell was most marked, and the crew could now see heavy breaking seas spending themselves against Admiral Van Tromp, lying head south east on her port bilge, listing steeply to port.

While moving in closer the lifeboat was pooped by breaking seas, estimated by the Coastguard to be some 20 feet high. It was extremely difficult in the poor visibility to position the casualty accurately in relation to the shore, so Coxswain Allen withdrew, going full astern; he decided that by waiting for more water he would stand a better chance of closing the casualty.

Throughout this period HM Coastguard were on the shore at the foot of the cliffs, trying to make contact with rescue equipment. Conditions were such, however, that it would have been impossible for the crew of Admiral Van Tromp to come out on deck to handle the lines.

At 0414 the casualty reported that the situation was getting desperate: they would have to leave the vessel.

Coxswain Allen ordered William and Mary Durham's anchor to be made ready as well as veering and line throwing gear; then, with heavy breaking seas coming aboard, the lifeboat was anchored and her cable veered until she was some 60 feet off Admiral Van Tromp. Three gun lines were fired, but, with the violent motion, the first struck the superstructure and washed clear and the second went into the water. The third line appeared to lie right across the casualty but this, too, was washed clear; as with the Coastguard lines, it was highly unlikely that anyone on board could have secured it.

The very heavy seas continued to break over the lifeboat and it became apparent that the anchor was coming home and was no longer holding. The boat's head was thrown to starboard and she was being swept broadside towards the rocks. Quickly putting his engines full ahead and wheel hard to port, Coxswain Allen succeeded in clawing the lifeboat head to sea and clear as she started to bounce on the rock shelf.

The anchor was recovered and it was found that the fluke had broken off, so Coxswain Allen took the lifeboat alongside the fishing vessel Jann Denise and borrowed her large anchor as well as a smaller one from Courage and two line throwing units which might be needed.

The larger anchor was bent on to the cable and Coxswain Allen again anchored and veered down to the casualty. There was no sign of life on board. The lifeboat had got to within 25 feet when two enormous seas broke over her, sweeping three of her crew on deck off their feet and washing them aft.

Raymond Dent managed to hook his arm around a stanchion but dislocated his shoulder and Howard Bedford, who was brought up all standing by his lifeline, struck his head and lost consciousness.

The injured men were sheltered in the well and Coxswain Allen ordered the anchor rope to be cut as he steamed at full speed through the breaking seas.

Once clear, he transferred Raymond Dent to Jann Denise to be taken for treatment at Whitby. Howard Bedford had recovered and remained on board.

Coxswain Allen returned to the casualty but heavy breaking seas once again swept the lifeboat, damaging the after rails; the VHP handset was also shattered. There being no sign of life aboard Admiral Van Tromp, he returned alongside Courage to await daylight and a possible improvement in visibility.

At 0630 Raymond Dent was landed at Whitby and taken to hospital, while Michael Coates and Brian Hodgson returned to the lifeboat aboard Jann Denise to make up the crew.

At 0800 Whitby lifeboat, with better visibility, moved into Saltwick Hole and sighted what the crew thought to be a body but which turned out to be an empty lifejacket. They knew that two survivors had been recovered ashore but that three were still unaccounted for.

One survivor having been sighted on Black Nab, Coxswain Allen approached the rock, but unfortunately the lifeboat could not get closer than 50 yards.

The Coastguard were trying to get a line to the man from the shore, so the lifeboat anchored off to await the arrival of the ILB.

The assembly signal was made for Whitby D class ILB at 0823 and seven minutes later she had launched and was on her way. It was one hour before high water; the wind was still easterly, force 3, with a moderate sea and heavy swell.

Visibility was poor.

To clear the heavy swell inshore, Helmsman Richard Robinson kept well out to sea as he made for Saltwick. At 0841 he stopped to listen for the fog signal of the High Light. From situation reports passed to the ILB, the strong smell of diesel and the presence of wreckage it was clear that they were in the search area. Helmsman Robinson cautiously headed inshore and the ILB was alongside the lifeboat at 0845. On the run in they had been caught within the line of breaking seas and with expert handling had averted a capsize when overtaken by one of the large breakers.

The ILB crew were informed of the situation and the survivor on Black Nab was now clearly visible. Thinking that conditions inshore of the rock would be less dangerous, Helmsman Robinson took the ILB through the confused broken water into Saltwick Bay to view the situation at close hand. The survivor, seeing them, started to clamber across the rock, now being swept by the sea, and Helmsman Robinson, realising that at any moment he would be washed off the rock, drove the ILB at full speed to the shore side of the rock and on to a ledge. His two crew members, David Wharton and Anthony Easton, grabbed the man as a large sea broke over the rock, filling the boat and washing her back into the sea.

Unfortunately, the propeller was fouled by one of the spent gun lines in the water. The oars were manned but a second sea hit the boat. While one crew member caught hold of a rocket line, managing to hold the bow while the propeller was cleared, the other put the anchor over. Although there was a considerable rise and fall, the action of the sea kept them clear of the rock.

Once the propeller was free and the engine restarted, the anchor was recovered and the ILB returned through the broken water to Whitby lifeboat on to which the survivor was transferred.

It was now known that the other two members of the fishing vessel crew were dead.

On return to Whitby at 0930 the survivor was taken to hospital suffering from exposure following his long ordeal.

Crew Member Howard Bedford, who had received a blow on the head during the service, also attended hospital for a check up. Apart from a headache and bruising he was fit.

For this service the silver medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain Robert W. Allen and the bronze medal to Helmsman Richard M. K. Robinson.

The thanks for the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Second Coxswain/Motor Mechanic Peter N.

Thomson, Assistant Mechanic Dennis D. Carrick and Crew Members Howard Bedford, Raymond Dent, Thomas Hansell, David A. Wharton and J.

Anthony Easton. Medal service certificates were presented to crew members Michael R. Coates and Brian W.

Hodgson.

South Eastern Division Three nations THE SOVIET TRAWLER Topaz making for a position off Bournemouth with a French yacht, Campscharles, in tow was reported to HM Coastguard Solent RHQ by Lands End RHQ at 0910 on Thursday, October 14,1976. Two survivors aboard the trawler had asked for a lifeboat to take over the rescue.

At 1054 trawler and tow were sighted by Southbourne Coastguard one mile south of Hengistbury Head. At 1109 Swanage Coastguard told the deputy launching authority of Swanage lifeboat station of the situation and that the trawler had been asked to head for Swanage Bay where some slight shelter from the storm force south-west wind could be obtained.

The crew were assembled and at 1207 Swanage Coastguard requested the launch of the lifeboat to intercept Topaz, take off the survivors and assume responsibility for towing the yacht to safety. However, as no lives were in imminent danger, with Coastguard agreement, the DLA prudently decided, in view of the extreme weather, to wait until Topaz had made more of a westing towards Swanage and was visible. To this end Swanage lifeboat was lowered out of the boathouse and the radar run up to search for Topaz.

The Russian fishing vessel was sighted by radar at 1254. Six minutes later Swanage lifeboat, the 37' 6" Rother /. Reginald Corah, launched with Coxswain Ronald Hardy in command and headed towards a rendezvous position some three miles east north east of Peveril Point. Topaz, some 2,000 tons, would not come closer in to the land than that because she did not carry the right charts and communication was hampered by language difficulty; Swanage DLA had tried, but without success, to find an interpreter.

At the time of launching the wind was south south west storm force 10 producing rough seas and heavy swell.

Visibility was good but reduced to poor in rain squalls. It was the last hour of the flood tide, setting north east. It was the worst weather into which Swanage lifeboat had launched on service that the DLA, Mr A. G. L. Hardy, could remember in 30 years association with Swanage lifeboat, both afloat and ashore.

At 1332 Coxswain Hardy skilfully manoeuvred the lifeboat alongside Topaz, which was trying to provide some lee. Despite rough seas and an estimated rise and fall of between 15 and 20 feet, bow and stern lines were secured to the trawler. Some damage was sustained to the port side of the lifeboat in way of the belting due to the very severe weather and a fender bursting.

A few minutes later a rope ladder was lowered from the side of the fishing vessel down which one of the yacht's survivors climbed and jumped safely into the arms of the lifeboat crew. The second survivor made one or two journeys up and down the ladder before also jumping safely into the lifeboat. A heaving line bent on to the tow line joining Topaz and Campscharles was passed down from the Russian trawler's deck.

As further damage was being sustained to the port side of the lifeboat Coxswain Hardy ordered the lines to be let go and stood off, parting the heaving line in the process. During the transfer of the two French survivors the Soviet trawler had drifted over and fouled the tow rope. The other end of the tow rope on the yacht's bows was picked up by the lifeboat successfully despite the rough seas, but on attempting to clear the yacht by manoeuvring astern it was found, at 1350, that a bight of the tow line had fouled both the lifeboat's rudder and starboard propeller. The yacht was immediately cut adrift and the rope cleared from the rudder.

With both engines stopped, Second Coxswain/Motor Mechanic Victor Marsh lifted the scuttle and attempted to clear the starboard propeller with the freeing tool, an operation made very difficult by the violent motion and by the considerable quantities of sea water coming up through the scuttle and inboard over the stern into the wheelhouse.

Investigation showed that the tow line, a 6" circumference nylon, was not only fast around the starboard propeller but also lying across the port propeller shaft. While Second Coxswain Marsh continued, in appalling conditions, to clear the starboard propeller, the grappling iron was passed outboard and fortunately picked up the tow line so that some 20 fathoms could be hauled aboard the lifeboat and secured inboard.

By 1415 /. Reginald Corah was some If miles off Old Harry and Campscharles had drifted some distance away. So, having checked that the port shaft was indeed clear, Coxswain Hardy decided that any further attempt to clear the starboard propeller should be abandoned; the lifeboat was got under way on port engine only and closed Campscharles after some ten minutes steaming.

As she lay alongside the damaged yacht at 1435, Crew Member Thomas Haw managed to jump aboard, make fast a tow rope and stream a jury drogue made up in advance aboard the lifeboat with old ropes.

As the severe weather would make rehousing at Swanage impossible, course was shaped for Poole. During this passage the yacht with Crew Member Haw aboard was on several occasions swept by large beam seas but towed well with her 'drogue', except when, off Poole Bar, she surfed ahead of the lifeboat the full length of the tow.

Poole Quay was reached at 1620, where the survivors were landed and Poole second coxswain, John Clark, a diver by trade, dived and cleared the starboard propeller. The lifeboat returned to Swanage at 1500 on the following day.

For this service a bar to the bronze medal was awarded to Coxswain Ronald J. Hardy and the bronze medal was awarded to Second Coxswain/ Motor Mechanic Victor A. C. Marsh.

Medal service certificates have been presented to Assistant Mechanic Eric S. Dorey and Crew Members Thomas C. Haw, George W. Bishop, Peter J. Hardy and Ian P. Marsh.

North Western Division On sea training wall A YACHT UNDER OBSERVATION in the River Mersey approach channel in the vicinity of C13 Buoy was reported to the honorary secretary of New Brighton ILB station by Formby Coastguard at 1655 on Saturday, October 23, 1976. It was foreseen that, with the strong south-westerly winds blowing at the time, she might need help.

Half an hour later the honorary secretary was informed by the Coastguard that the yacht had sent up distress flares. Maroons were fired and the ILB crew assembled while a check was made to see if the weather conditions were suitable for the boat to launch.

The wind was south west force 7 to 8 gusting to strong gale force 9 in the channel with a moderate sea. The sky was mainly overcast with slight occasional drizzle; visibility was good. It was low water spring tides and the tidal stream was at slack water. The sea conditions in the river and approach channel were considered to be within the boat's operational capability and Atlantic 21 B509 was launched from the beach at the north side of New Brighton Pier at 1740.

As the ILB, commanded by Helmsman Edward 'Bev' Brown, set out at full speed seaward along the approach channel, Formby Coastguard reported that the casualty was thought to be on the sea training wall by C13 Buoy. As the ILB passed C19 Buoy a boat was sighted on the port bow outside the channel on the west side of the training wall and when, at 1755, she arrived at a position close to the training wall between buoys C15 and C13 the Coastguard confirmed that it was this boat, a converted ship's lifeboat, which had fired the distress flares. The boat was under power and appeared to be seeking a way through the training wall; people could be seen on board, aft. The sea in the channel under the lee of the wall was slight to moderate, and slight at the casualty which was getting protection from Great Burbo Bank.

Being unable to contact or close the casualty, Helmsman Brown told the Coastguard that he would go back to the south end of the training wall by C29 Buoy and try to rendezvous by crossing Brazil Bank and edging along the west side of Great Burbo Bank. The training wall was rounded at 1805 as light was failing.

It was noticed that the tide was beginning to flood and Helmsman Brown asked the Coastguard for a weather report. He was told that the weather was deteriorating and frequent gusts of force 9, still from the south west, were being experienced at Mersey Bar.

Asked by Formby Coastguard if he thought the conditions suitable for the ILB, Helmsman Brown replied that he was all right at the moment but, with the rising tide and strong winds, he might not be able to reach the casualty. He requested helicopter support and that Hoylake lifeboat be placed on standby.

On crossing Brazil Bank the ILB touched bottom two or three times and started to encounter moderate surf.

Course was set to pass along the western edge of Great Burbo Bank, but progress was very slow due to the shallow water and surf. After about an hour, at 1912, the Coastguard reported that a helicopter would be over the area in 30 minutes.

At 1925, when just west of the mid part of Great Burbo Bank, a red flare was sighted close to the water four points on the starboard bow at a distance of about two miles; it was from the last known position of the casualty.

The ILB reported back to the Coastguard and put up a white parachute illuminating flare, but nothing was sighted.

It was now dark and waves about six feet high were running in from the north west. The ILB continued to make ground northwards along the edge of the bank in an effort to close the casualty. The Coastguard told the crew that the Bar pilot cutter was coming down channel to take up station by the training wall opposite the casualty, and Hoylake lifeboat was crossing the sands to launch. A message relayed from the honorary secretary advised the helmsman to proceed with caution and not to try to take the boat in tow.

The sea state continued to get worse and the helmsman was experiencing difficulty in keeping the ILB's head to sea. At 1930 the waves were thought to have been about 10 feet high. It was at this time that the Coastguard relayed from the pilot cutter a report that the casualty was aground and people were in the water. Helmsman Brown continued to make slow progress to the north to cross the north-west corner of the bank. At about 1940 a helicopter was seen to pass to the south and fly northwards up the line of the training wall.

The ILB was asked by the Coastguard to direct the helicopter on to the casualty but was unable to do so because she was too far away to sight the boat; perhaps the pilot cutter could provide the direction? Helmsman Brown said that he would do his best to remain in the area while the helicopter was searching, as requested by the Coastguard, but was being forced northwards in order to keep the boat head to weather; the sea state had become so bad that he was anxious not to allow the boat's head to pay off.

At 1955 the Coastguard requested the ILB to shift radio frequency from Channel 0 to 16 and told her that Hoylake lifeboat was launching.

As the ILB headed towards the north end of the training wall into deeper water the seas increased. She continued into the sea and eventually entered the main channel in the vicinity of Q3 Buoy at about 2100. Some ten minutes later when passing Qll Buoy she heard that the crew of the converted lifeboat, Annalivia, had been lifted from the casualty by the helicopter and the ILB should return to station.

The return to station was made at full speed without incident in decreasing wind that had veered to the north west.

The ILB arrived off the beach at New Brighton at 2140 and was rehoused and made ready for service by 2150.

The survivors were landed from the helicopter at Speke Airport.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Helmsman Edward Beverley Brown and vellum service certificates were presented to Crew Members Robert Robertson and Joseph Pringle.

Western Division Stand by in gale THE INCIDENTS which led to the launching of Angle lifeboat, the 46' 9" Watson Richard Vernon and Mary Garforth oj Leeds, on Monday, December 6, 1976, built up over several days.

On Saturday, December 4, the Greek tanker Leonidas sailed from Milford Haven in ballast with a crew of 42 on board. She developed boiler trouble and anchored in position 248°T, 3.2 miles from St Anns Head. The weather was described as calm.

During the following afternoon, Sunday, the weather started to deteriorate.

St Anns Coastguard were monitoring VHP between the tanker and Milford Haven Signal Station. At about 1900 Leonidas reported that she had a complete power failure, and that her anchor was dragging. At 1940 Angle lifeboat was placed on standby. The tug Edengarth sailed from Milford Haven at 2158 to stand by Leonidas, and the tug Simpson sailed from Brest with an ETA of 061400.

The weather at 2243 was: southerly gale force 9, veering south west, increasing storm 10 imminent.

At 0345 on Monday, December 6, the tug Glengarth relieved Edengarth, but at 0532, having had difficulty with the weather, she had to go back into shelter to sort out her gear and restow her towing gear.

Leonidas eventually let go her second anchor at 1102 but had, by then, dragged to a position 1.9 miles from St Anns Head. Her bearing was thought to be 270°T.

The noon weather forecast for St Anns Head was: wind southerly gale force or severe gale force 9, locally storm force 10, especially in gusts; squally showers, with hail and thunder at times; visibility mainly good but poor in showers.

After discussion with the Coastguard, the honorary secretary of Angle lifeboat station authorised the maroons to be fired at 1408. He had decided that the lifeboat should stand by the tanker in case she continued dragging her anchors.

The lifeboat launched at 1438. Once clear of the shelter afforded by land she met the full force of the weather.

Coxswain Rees Holmes cleared through West Channel and went to Mid Channel Rock Buoy to assess the situation while it was still daylight. The lifeboat then took shelter in Warwick Bay. She anchored at about 1550 and the crew took the opportunity to have hot soup and tea.

At 1629 Angle lifeboat was asked to close the tanker as the tug Simpson had arrived. The crew weighed anchor and went out through West Channel to stand by, but the tug decided that it was too dangerous to pass a tow line. At 1821 Coxswain Rees Holmes asked the master of Leonidas if he wished to transfer any of his crew to the lifeboat; he knew that, the cliffs being quite close, it would not be possible to transfer 42 crew members if the tanker broke free of her anchors.

The master declined, saying the lifeboat was no longer required to stand by.

Coxswain Rees Holmes then set course for Angle station, speed being reduced because of the breaking seas and the south-westerly wind. When about half a mile from her station, the revolutions on the port engine faded, Coxswain Rees Holmes diagnosed fuel blockage and was in the engine room, clearing the blockage, when the Coastguard recalled the lifeboat to stand by Leonidas. Without hesitation, the lifeboat turned about and headed once more into the full force of the gale. There was no shelter in the area of the tanker, and waves were constantly breaking over the lifeboat and into the wheelhouse, where the crew were, for most of the time, up to their waists in water.

Having a complete power failure, the only light to be seen on board the tanker was the occasional flash of a torch from the forecastle. The Coastguard checked by VHP every 15 minutes to confirm that all was well on board the lifeboat, and the tug Simpson used her searchlights to sight the lifeboat at intervals. During this period, the Coastguard asked Coxswain Rees Holmes if he would like another lifeboat to be called to relieve him. Knowing that it would be a long haul from either Tenby or St David's in the prevailing weather, the coxswain decided against asking for another lifeboat.

By 0035 on Tuesday, December 7, Simpson had managed to get a tow secured and the tanker slipped her cable.

The tug held the tanker for about an hour before making headway with the tow, and the lifeboat stood by until tug and tanker were making headway before setting course for her station.

She once more made her way slowly back to Angle because of the breaking seas and high winds, arriving at the boathouse at 0400. She was rehoused and ready for service at 0430.

During the 14 hour service the weather was as forecast at noon on December 6 with hail, thunder and lightning at times.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were been accorded to Coxswain/Mechanic William J. Rees Holmes. Vellum service certificates have been presented to Second Coxswain Brian Brown, Assistant Motor Mechanic Michael Eynon, Second Assistant Motor Mechanic Anthony Steward and Crew Members Peter Jones and Daniel Richards.

South Eastern Division Electric storm INFORMATION THAT MOTOR YACHT Zaire was standing by a yacht in distress three miles south west of Anvil Point came from HM Coastguard to Swanage lifeboat station deputy launching authority at 1915 on Friday, September 24, 1976.

The 37' 6" Rother lifeboat J. Reginald Corah, with Coxswain Ronald Hardy in command, launched down the slipway ten minutes later. A moderate to fresh force 4 to 5 breeze was blowing from the south east and the flood tide, setting easterly, had been running for two hours. The evening was heavily overcast with thunder, lightning and torrential rain; visibility was very poor.

At 1932 a new position of the casualty, 157°M, 3.5 miles from St Albans Head, was passed to the lifeboat. At 1945 the position was given as 225°M, 4.5 miles from St Albans Head, and course was altered to the south west to make for this position.

Five minutes later VHP contact was made with MY Zaire which reported visibility to be very poor in the heavy rain: she was experiencing difficulty in ascertaining a true position, but, shortly before, had sighted a buoy flashing red which was thought to be the buoy east of St Albans Head which flashes red every ten seconds.

At 2017, when Swanage lifeboat reached the vicinity of the last position given, the thunderstorm was at its most severe and visibility was almost nil.

Parachute flares were set off in a vain attempt to locate the casualty. A few minutes later Zaire fired two red parachute flares but these were not sighted and the lifeboat continued her search of the area. By now the wind, still from the south east, had risen to strong force 6 producing rough, confused seas.

After searching thoroughly without finding any targets on the radar screen, badly obscured at times by severe clutter, Coxswain Hardy and Second Coxswain/Motor Mechanic Victor Marsh decided that the casualty must be further west of the given position—for one thing, Zaire had reported that she had sighted cliffs in the lightning flashes. Accordingly, via Portland Coastguard, Swanage lifeboat instructed both boats to steer south east clear of the land and Kimmeridge Ledges.

The lifeboat altered course to the north west and at 2110 made radar sighting of the two boats. After two trial runs in the rough, confused seas, at 2130 Coxswain Hardy, with fine boat handling, laid /. Reginald Corah alongside a 23' Westerly Pageant yacht. The yacht had been on passage from Lymington to Poole; she was out of control but with sails set and ropes, gear and her anchor trailing overside.

The wind had eased slightly and was now south east, moderate to fresh; the tide was four hours flood.

By 2150 both a tow line and Phillip Dorey, emergency mechanic and firstaider, had been transferred to the yacht. On board he found three people, including a man in his late seventies suffering from exhaustion and seasickness and too ill to be transferred to the lifeboat; there was also a dog.

Twenty minutes later, the lifeboat, with the casualty in tow, had been carried by the east-going flood tide into St Albans Head race and a large sea, estimated to be about 10 feet, picked up the yacht and carried her towards the lifeboat which she struck on the starboard side, distorting and loosening five guardrail stanchions.

To avoid more severe damage, Coxswain Hardy ordered the tow to be cut adrift; this was done promptly with an axe by Crew Member Walter Bishop. The rudder, fouled by the severed tow rope, was quickly raised by its tricing lines and cleared and the yacht was taken in tow again.

Recovery being impossible at Swanage in the rough south-easterly weather, course was shaped for Poole; an ETA of 0015 and a request for an ambulance was passed by VHP. At 2330 the Haven was entered and course set inside the harbour for Poole Quay. However, at 2345 Swanage Coastguard told the lifeboat of a further casualty—a small dinghy in trouble off the Haven—so the tow was slipped and the yacht with Phillip Dorey aboard left at anchor while a search was made. Finding nothing but a small empty dinghy washed ashore at South Haven Point, the search was abandoned at 0045. The tow was re-connected and lifeboat and tow arrived at Poole Quay at 0135. The elderly gentleman was transferred to the waiting ambulance.

/. Reginald Corah returned to Swanage later in the morning and was rehoused at 1115.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have continued on page 34.