Trapped below THE RAMSGATE/CALAIS HOVERCRAFT advised HM Coastguard Dover Straits at 0925 on Thursday August 4, 1977, that distress flares had been seen on the eastern edge of the Goodwin Sands, near the East Goodwin Lightvesselwhere a cabin cruiser had been sighted aground. An accurate fix was obtained from the Coastguard radar and the honorary secretary of Walmer was requested to launch the lifeboat.

Maroons were fired and the relief 41' Beach lifeboat Beryl Tollemache, on temporary service at Walmer, launched at 0938.

The weather was foggy, visibility being generally a quarter of a mile, with a south-west wind, force 2. The sea was calm. High water Dover was predicted at 1515.

Coxswain/Mechanic Bruce Brown set course eastward, passing close to Deal Bank and Goodwin Fork Buoys to position the lifeboat for entering the Kellett Gut passage; without radar, this channel was navigated on echo sounder and compass at reduced speed with confirmatory radar fixes from Dover Straits Coastguard. East Goodwin Buoy was sighted at a range of one cable at 1105 and course was altered to the south, keeping close to the sand edge where the echo trace confirmed positions.

At 1130 the 47' cabin cruiser Shark was sighted south west of South East Goodwin Buoy about one cable inside the drying line, aground but moving on the rising tide. The lifeboat was driven easily on to the sand and the four occupants, two adults and two small children, transferred to the lifeboat without difficulty at 1155. The owner did not want to abandon his boat, but when Coxswain Brown pointed out the chances of her taking water before floating upright and the likelihood of the elderly craft having sprung, he agreed to take passage in the lifeboat, with the request that a tow be attempted.

In the prevailing calm conditions the coxswain considered this a practicable proposition.Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic Cyril Williams and Crew Member Patrick Hardman were placed aboard the casualty and a towline secured around her windlass. The boat refloated at 1230 and towing began for Ramsgate, passing East and North East Goodwin Buoys before altering course for Gull Stream Buoy. During this time Second Coxswain Williams had started Shark's engine and, although water was being taken into the hull, pumping appeared to be effective.

At 1420, when some 1J miles east of Ramsgate, the after lookout reported that the tow was beginning to sheer heavily and appeared to be settling forward, so Coxswain Brown closed the casualty to take off his two crew.

As he came alongside he called to Crew Member Hardman to jump aboard, but Patrick Hardman indicated that he could not leave because Second Coxswain Williams was in difficulties; on going below to fasten the forehatch, which had sprung due to strain on the adjacent windlass mounting, he had been washed forward and one of his legs was jammed by floating debris beneath the sink unit. Patrick Hardman could not get Cyril Williams out of the cabin—he was too large to be able to help him—and the second coxswain had ordered him out of the cabin.

Coxswain Brown took off his lifejacket and jumped aboard the casualty with Emergency Mechanic Richard Ebden while other crew members helped the distressed Patrick Hardman on to the lifeboat. While Richard Ebden remained on deck helping to secure the shortened towline and a stern line to pin the casualty alongside, Bruce Brown went below and found Cyril Williams lying in thigh-deep water, his lifejacket inflated and right leg trapped. He crouched beside him, deflated his lifejacket and made a supreme effort to drag him clear. The first attempt failed and although Cyril Williams was in great pain and very firmly telling Bruce Brown to abandon him, the coxswain exerted all his strength, to the point of blacking out briefly, and both men found themselves free in the after end of the cabin by the cockpit hatch. Cyril Williams had been dragged out of his right seaboot and had temporarily lost consciousness.

Richard Ebden and Bruce Brown quickly passed Cyril Williams on to the lifeboat, followed themselves, and all ropes were cleared. Within two minutes the casualty settled to deck level and drifted northward. At 1450 Coxswain Brown asked for an ambulance to meet the lifeboat at Ramsgate and requested the Coastguard to broadcast an immediate navigation warning in respect of the drifting hulk.

The lifeboat berthed at 1510, the survivors were taken ashore and Second Coxswain Williams was taken to Margate Hospital for X-ray of his bruiseddnd sprained leg. The lifeboat left Ramsgate at 1610. A second request to take part in a search in Pegwell Bay was abandoned when it was known that Walmer ILB was attending and the lifeboat was beached for recovery; she was refuelled and ready for service at 1805. The casualty was recovered by fishing boats and taken to Ramsgate.

For this service the bronze medal has been awarded to Coxswain/ Mechanic Bruce G. Brown. Medal service certificates have been presented to Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic Cyril Williams, Emergency Mechanics Denis Brophy and Richard G. Ebden and Crew Members Brian Clark, Patrick Hardman and David R. Steytler..