SOUTH BANK, LONDON, TUESDAY MAY 22 AN OUTSTANDING DAY: THE CROWN OF A MEMORABLE YEAR LIFEBOAT PEOPLE from all parts of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, and, indeed, from many other parts of the world, came to the Royal Festival Hall on the afternoon of Tuesday May 22 for the 1979 annual presentation of awards by His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent. Remembering the 943 lives rescued during 1978 and that many of last winter's services had been undertaken in violent storm, wild seas, snow and bitter cold, the crowded hall was filled with heartfelt applause as lifeboatmen from Plymouth, St David's, Barmouth, Angle, Torbay, Rosslare Harbour, Sheerness, St Peter Port, Bridlington and Wells received their medals from the Duke. Then Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan of Humber came up to receive first the bronze medal for the service to Savinesti, next the silver medal for the service to Diana V and finally the gold medal for the service toRevi. It was the first time that, at the same meeting, any lifeboatman had received all three medals—gold, silver and bronze—and by now the whole audience had risen to its feet. When Coxswain Bevan's crew joined him on the platform to receive their bronze medals everyone rose again to give a second standing ovation.

Next came the presentation of awards by the Duke of Kent to honorary workers who had given long and distinguished service, and particular warmth and admiration was expressed in the applause which greeted Mrs Doris Tart and Mrs Joan Bates, the last two lady lifeboat launchers of Dungeness, as they received gold badges for their outstanding services.

There was good cause for satisfaction, too, in the splendid financial results achieved in 1978 by the Institution's voluntary fund raisers, members and other supporters. The year had ended with a small surplus of income over expenditure of some £200,000 and that despite the fact that, after a pause in the past few years, the boat-building programme was once again back in full swing.

Even on the day of the annual meeting donations were being received.

That morning, Major-General Ralph Farrant, Chairman of the Institution, had been handed one cheque for £250,000 from Mrs M. H. Winstone for the building of a fast offshore boat in memory of her husband; he had also been given donations amounting to £155 in memory of a former staff member of the Royal Festival Hall itself, William Austin, who had had close connections with St Peter Port lifeboat station. Another cheque, for £100, was presented to Coxswain Brian Bevan by the owners of Diana V, International Shipbrokers Ltd.

So it was a day of pride in past achievement; a day on which to look to the future with renewed inspiration and dedication; a day of friendship. It was a day, too, of welcome and remembrance.

At the beginning of both the morning annual general meeting of the governors and the afternoon presentation of awards, silent tribute was paid to Captain Nigel Dixon, the late Director, whose sudden death last December meant such a great loss to the lifeboat service, and sympathy was expressed to his widow and family. Everyone was delighted that Jo Dixon was herself in the hall for the afternoon meeting.

Rear Admiral Wilfred Graham, who has been appointed as the RNLI's new Director and who took up his responsibilities in August, was also present.

He was welcomed by all lifeboat people, whose good wishes go with him. At the same time the Institution's appreciation was recorded of the excellent way in which John Atterton had managed the RNLI's affairs as Acting Director.

It was the last time that Major- General Ralph Farrant would take the chair at the AGM as he was soon to retire from office, and as the day progressed he could have been left in no doubt that during his four years as Chairman he had won the respect, the thanks and the affection of the Institution to which he had given such unstinted and able service.

* * * The day had begun with a very well attended annual general meeting of the governors of the Institution, held during the morning at the National Film Theatre. After the minutes of the last meeting had been approved and signed, Major-General Ralph Farrant, Chairman of the Committee of Management, gave his report: '/ am happy to be able to tell you, in this last of my reports to the governors, that the affairs of the RNLI are today in very good shape. The year 1978 was an extremely successful one, though it was marred for all of us by one very sad event. I refer, of course, to the sudden death of Captain Nigel Dixon, our very able and much liked Director . . .

'That the affairs of the RNL1 are indeed in good shape is due of course to the whole team, to the gallantry and skill of our crews, the devotion of our honorary workers and our full-time staff, and also, if I may be permitted to say so, to the wise planning by those responsible for policy.

'A few years ago we had to introduce what we described as a "pause" in our boat-building programme. We decided to do this because of a very real fear that we might otherwise be overwhelmed by inflation and other adverse factors. We intended it strictly as a pause, and I am glad to be able to confirm my report to you last year that the pause was coming to an end. Indeed, at this particular moment we have no fewer than 11 boats under construction compared with a figure of five a year ago. To put that in another way, our boat building expenditure last year, that is 1978, went up by no less than 51 per cent, whereas our total recurrent expenditure increased by only 16 per cent. As the principal task of those who support our lifeboat crews is to provide them with the best boats and equipment which skill can devise and money can provide, I am sure you will agree that this is a very satisfactory state of affairs, especially so because we have also been able to complete the second phase of fully establishing our depot at West Quay Road in Poole. We had an arrangement to be able to call on a £200,000 loan from the bank but we did not have to draw on it, so that was another measure of the successful year we have had.' General Farrant went on to speak of the justifiable pride the Institution could have in the quality of its boats, remembering how the Torbay and Broughty Ferry Arun class lifeboats and the Bridlington 37ft Oakley class lifeboat had, during the past year, all recovered successfully from knockdowns in tremendous seas. That it had been possible to step up the boatbuilding programme, without having to dig into financial reserves, was a tribute to the RNLI's wonderful army of fund raisers: 'It also shows the respect and affection felt for the RNLI among the public at large. We did in fact have a small surplus of income over expenditure, amounting to some £200,000. For this we are indebted to many people, including those who remembered the RNLI in their wills. Indeed in 1978 our income from legacies exceeded the figure for 1977 by about a quarter of a million pounds.' Reference was made to the gratifying income now being produced by the trading company, a profit of almost £230,000, more than a quarter of a million, having been achieved in 1978.

'Notice,' the General continued, '1 use the word "profit" and not "turnover" . . . Our increased income has of course been due partly to planning but, more important still, to the efforts of our voluntary branches and guilds who remain the backbone of all our fund raising.' General Farrant then returned to the first factor he had mentioned when speaking earlier of the sound state of the Institution: the quality of the lifeboat crews: '. . . during the afternoon . . . medals for gallantry will be presented by our President, HRH The Duke of Kent. However, this morning I would like to mention one point. In the whole of the RNLl's history, which now extends over a century and a half, there has never before been an occasion on which a lifeboat coxswain received the gold, the silver and the bronze medal for gallantry at the same meeting. This extraordinary distinction will be conferred this afternoon on the coxswain of the Humber lifeboat, Brian Devon. This will not only be a tribute to his own gallantry and that of his crew but an indication of the exceptional demands which have been made on almost all our crews during the past year.' Looking to the future, the General said the Institution would of course have problems—it always did—but he was confident that in all aspects of its work its great traditions of service and public support would be maintained to the full. In the next year an extra £l'/2 million would probably have to be raised—'a formidable task but I believe a possible one.' The credit balance from 1978, which was partly due to late deliveries and late completion of work, would soon be absorbed in the current year's expenditure; there was the cost of the full boat-building programme to be met; and also the Institution was faced with urgent and expensive shore works because an appreciable number of its lifeboat stations, particularly those where the lifeboat has to be launched from a slipway, require huge capital sums for their maintenance and, for some, their complete rebuilding: 'May we hope that, just as we have been provided in the past with so many of our lifeboats by people who have given large sums in their lifetime or bequeathed such sums in their wills, so perhaps we may find generous people who would like to meet the cost of a new lifeboat station, which would then, of course bear their name so long as the structure remained? This we hope would be at least twice as long as the life of a boat.' At the AGM in 1978 it had been agreed to raise the amounts payable annually by governors, and General Farrant now reported that the agreed wording of the resolution, carried unanimously, had been referred to the Institution's solicitors, approved and was now a part of the byelaws: 'To those who feel obliged to continue on the old subscription, I would like to express our gratitude and to tell them that we shall continue to welcome them at the annual presentations of awards and that they will of course continue to receive our lifeboat journal. To the others who have raised the subscription.

I would say once again "Thank you" and I would ask you to give my successor the same support as you have given to me and to my predecessors.' Referring to his impending retirement from office, General Farrant said: 'During the years in which I have held the office of Chairman I have been most admirably supported by my colleagues on the Committee of Management and by the Institution's staff, and I would now like to pay a warm tribute to them all. I have also been ably sustained by you as governors of the Institution, and I would like to express my very sincere thanks to you all.' The report and accounts were agreed without further discussion.

Elections followed of the President, HRH The Duke of Kent; the Vice- Presidents; the Treasurer, the Duke of Northumberland, and the Deputy Treasurer, David Acland; and members and ex-officio members of the Committee of Management.

In approving these elections, the Chairman asked for a show of hands, and later in the meeting Major Showell-Rogers, Poole, said that he considered this show of hands important and he would like to see it formally incorporated for future meetings.

Messrs Price, Waterhouse and Co.

were then elected as auditors for the coming year.

Discussion followed on a proposal put forward and introduced by Councillor T. Jennings, chairman of Lewisham financial branch: 'That honorary secretaries of RNLI station branches and properly constituted financial branches and ladies' guilds, should automatically be appointed as governors of the Institution while they are in office.' While no one rose to support the proposal, the intention of which was to strengthen the links between branches and guilds and the governing body, a number of governors opposed it. First to speak was Commander Ralph Swann, a former Chairman of the Committee of Management: 'I am against this proposal for several reasons. The first is the financial one.

We have a large number of governors who are paying H5 a head. If they find that other governors are admitted without paying anything ex-officio, they are likely to ask for their money back, or at any rate not to go on paying. The second objection is that the divisive nature of the proposal. Honorary secretaries work very hard for the Institution. So do a lot of other people, including members of the Committee of Management. Why should honorary secretaries be privileged to get in as governors without paying while other people are not? Thirdly, on the administrative side, the proposal suggests that honorary secretaries will only be governors while holding their posts. This would mean quite a strain on the organisation's head office keeping track of the movements of honorary secretaries.

Finally, the implications are very considerably because if you allow in one class of person without subscription, where do you draw the line?' Lt David Case, station honorary secretary, Wells, speaking as a subscribing life governor, also emphasised the increased administrative expense this proposition would entail if adopted: 'It is one of our proud boasts that we only spend 15p (now 8p on fund raising and publicity, 8p on administration —editor) in the pound on administration and I know that goes a long way when I talk lifeboats to the general public. I have been concerned with lifeboats for 26 years as a helper, as a crew member and as an honorary secretary, and frankly I do not want it for myself. It is the first time I have been here. It is a delightful meeting. It goes along very happily and I have no complaints with the management.

Speaking from the coast, if we want any help we have the most excellent help and I am sure all you very worthy people who raise funds get all the help you want. . . .' Mr Threlfall, Wellington, said that, through the various district conferences, branches and guilds already had a perfectly adequate way of making their views known. After one or two other speakers had added their comments the proposal was withdrawn.

Coming to any other business, John Atterton, Acting Director, replying to a question from Mrs Birnett, Buckingham, on the nature of the links between the Mission for Seamen and the RNLI, confirmed that while the Mission did give help to some lifeboat crew members, it did not contribute financially in any way to the lifeboat service.

Mr Kirby, President of Seaham branch, then spoke of the closing of Seaham lifeboat station in February 1979. While not questioning the decision, he said that he thought that the three months notice given was rather short considering that the station had been in operation for 109 years and asked that the Committee of Management should bear in mind the effect, in human terms, of such a closure on the crews and on people who do voluntary work for the station. The Chairman assured Mr Kirby that the Committee did appreciate these other aspects just as much as the operational reasoning for changing a station designation or closure of a station. Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur Hezlet, chairman of the RNLI Search and Rescue Committee, pointed out that before any station is closed it does get its say. A Committee of Management delegation had visited Seaham and had been received very courteously.

The delegation had listened to what the station had to say and had taken it into account, but the state of the lifeboat house and how much it would cost had also had to be taken into account. The stations on the north east coast were very close together and, with fast boats coming into service, consideration had to be given to whether the money could be used to save more lives elsewhere.

'Nobody,' said Admiral Hezlet, 'likes closing a station . . . We think all this over very carefully for a very long period . . .' Lady Tollemache, Petersfield, spoke of 'the amazing brilliance and bravery' of the helicopters which help the RNLI, to which Admiral Hezlet added: 7 would support Lady Tollemache.

Both the Navy and RAF helicopters do a wonderful rescue job. We keep close contact with them in exercises and at the top again through the Government Search and Rescue Committee upon which the Services are represented . . . They do a wonderful job in the most appalling weather. Having said that, they have not replaced lifeboats.

We are still saving 900 to 1,000 people a year and helicopter coverage round our waters is pretty well complete; it is pretty well everywhere and we work in the closest co-operation and I have great admiration for them, as you have, Lady Tollemache.' When Ben Dean, station honorary secretary, Whitby, asked whether the Acting Director could say when the revised green book of regulations could be expected, Mr Atterton replied: ' Yes, I can. I am delighted to say that they were delivered yesterday!'.

7 am so glad you asked the question!'.

added the Chairman amid laughter.

In moving a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the Duke of Atholl, a Deputy Chairman, spoke of the RNLI's financial and operational problems and successes during the General's period of office: 'We have been very lucky to have General Farrant as our leader during four such tricky years and we thank you, sir, for all the guidance and inspiration you have given us.' After prolonged applause, the General had the last word: '. . . As I said before, it is a team effort and without the effort of the whole team we would not have come through so well as we have, but I thank you, sir, very much for your remarks. I hereby declare the meeting closed. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.' * * * By early afternoon lifeboat people were already gathering for the presentation of awards, and there was much for them to see both outside and in the Royal Festival Hall. The latest Arun class lifeboat, soon to go on station at Falmouth, was moored off in the River Thames and an Atlantic 21 ILB was on show on the Embankment.

In the foyer of the Festival Hall, pride of place was taken by The Lifeboat Service Memorial Book* in which are inscribed on vellum all the places where lives have been lost in lifesaving work, with the names of the dead, the date and the service. This most beautiful and precious volume is bound in boards cut from the oak knees used for the stems of lifeboats and each *Described by The Lord Saltoun in the winter 1975/76 issue of THE LIFEBOAT.

page is illuminated with miniature paintings, arms and borders of flowers, birds and insects all characteristic of the seaboard towns and villages they illustrate.

There were also in the foyer displays of photographs and of the miniature model lifeboats made by Brian Williams.

The RNLI Trading Company were showing (and selling) new items in the souvenir range and Shoreline were busy enrolling new members and selling insignia to members old and new.

* * * The Annual presentation of awards itself began at 3 o'clock. In his opening address, Major-General Ralph Farrant, Chairman of the Committee of Management, praised the work of both the lifeboatmen and the fund raisers: 'We have had a winter in which many have suffered discomfort and even hardship, but there must be few sections of our community which have had to face rigours comparable with those experienced by our lifeboat crews. How they responded you will learn from the citations for medals . . .

'In the past two or three winters there has been a recurring meteorological pattern with severe gales around Christmas, causing many of our lifeboat crews to spend Christmas Day or Christmas Eve at sea going to the help of others in distress.

These have been followed by further gales in the early part of the New Year causing severe damage to lifeboat installations and involving us, as a result, in very heavy expenditure.

'As always, the response to challenges by our lifeboat crews has been matched by that of our voluntary fund raisers.

You will remember a few years ago we were obliged temporarily to slow down our boat-building programme because of inflation and other factors. As a result of the efforts of our supporters we are now back in full production . . . " Looking a little ahead, General Farrant spoke of the cheque for £250,000 he had been given that morning by Mrs Winstone: 'We have been able, in this instance, to start building almost at once an Arun class boat. We are also developing new types of boats. We are making good progess with the model of the fast lifeboat to be launched down a slipway, a new project which we hope to bring into production in a few years. We have under construction the first experimental model of a new intermediate lifeboat, which is 35 feet in length. This prototype has been developed by the staff at our Cowes base in the Isle of Wight, under the direction of its superintendent, David Stogdon, and to recognise the work they have done we have named this class of boat the "RNLI Medina". These are only some of the developments for a future to which I look forward with confidence . . .

'This, I am sorry to say, will be the last occasion on which I shall be addressing you at this meeting, as I shall be retiring before the end of the year. I would therefore like to take the opportunity of thanking the great army of supporters which we have in the RNLI, in particular the members of the lifeboat crews and their families, the administrators of our lifeboat stations, our dedicated band of fund raisers, the members of our permanent staff and my colleagues on the Committee of Management. You have all served to make my period of office as Chairman personally highly enjoyable and you have all helped to make it one in which the Institution has, I am glad to say, prospered.' General Farrant's final duty was, as he said, the exceptionally pleasant one of introducing the principal speaker, the President, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, who then gave the following speech: 7 regard it as a great privilege to address this meeting at which we assemble to present awards for conspicuously meritorious lifeboat service during the past year. Gathered here are people who represent so much of what is best in this nation and also in that neighbouring country, with whom we have had such a long association in the task of rescuing life at sea, namely the Republic of Ireland.

'The standing of the Royal National Life-boat Institution is high not only in Britain and in Ireland but in many other parts of the world. Last month the thirteenth International Lifeboat Conference was held in the Netherlands. The RNLI was represented by a delegation, which, like other delegations, produced a number of valuable papers concerning the problems of saving life at sea. It was also represented by the splendid new lifeboat, later to be stationed at Falmouth, which is at this moment moored in the River Thames and which many of you will have seen.

'As a nation we are, I sometimes think, inclined to undersell ourselves, to minimise our achievements and even to boast of our shortcomings. This is emphatically not the case of the lifeboat service of whose record of achievement we can all feel justifiably proud. In this sphere of activity we sit by right at the top table. At the request of all the other nations which have lifeboat services the RNLI provides the central secretariat for them all. At its headquarters in Poole, which I had the pleasure of opening a few years ago, there is a plaque on the front door with the words "Permanent Headquarters, International Lifeboat Conference".

'This status which the world accords to the RNLI has not come about by accident. It is the consequence of a great tradition, which the modern generation is maintaining in a manner fully worthy of its predecessors. This is illustrated by some of the awards to be made this afternoon.

'As your Chairman has said, the coxswain of the Humber lifeboat station, Brian Bevan, will he a unique recipient of awards for gallantry. It so happens that he and his crew have also demonstrated the truly international nature of our lifeboat service. One of their rescues for which awards have been made was from a Panamanian vessel, another from a Dutch vessel, another from a Romanian vessel.

'Mr Bevan is a young man, only 32.

Others who will be coming up on to this platform were serving the RNLI before he was born. Among them are two ladies, Mrs Tart and Mrs Bates. They have been helping to launch the Dungeness lifeboat for 44 and for 37 years respectively. That I think must be a record combination for years of service.

'All over the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland people are to be found who give their services voluntarily to the RNLl, not only to serve in lifeboats or to raise money but to give expert help and advice. Anyone who studies the year book of the Institution and looks at the composition of its subcommittees must be impressed by the extraordinary wealth of talent given voluntarily to this great cause. Supporting all this expertise is a professional staff of high competence, of which the late Captain Dixon was an outstanding representative.

'Our Institution is immensely fortunate in the loyalty which it enjoys from all its many workers, helpers and supporters but-from none more than that fine and dedicated body of lifeboat crewmen whose readiness to serve others is such an inspiring example. And as your Chairman said, this last winter has made unusually heavy demands upon them.

'In leading this formidable array of talent, you General Farrant, as Chairman of the RNLl's Committee of Management, have served the cause of saving life at sea with great distinction. We wish you all happiness in your retirement from this onerous duty and know that you will continue to help this great cause wherever you can. The thanks of everyone connected with the RNLI are due to you for all you have done, and as an expression of these thanks and as a tribute during the year of your retirement as Chairman, the organist will play the Royal Artillery Slow March at the end of our meeting. I have a feeling it will evoke happy memories so far as you are concerned.' 'And I shall now move the Resolution: 'That this meeting fully recognising the important services of the Royal National Life-boat Institution in its national work of lifesaving, desires to record its hearty appreciation of the gallantry of the coxswains and crews of the Institution's lifeboats, and its deep obligation to the local committees, honorary secretaries and honorary treasurers of all station branches; to all other voluntary committees and supporters and to the honorary officers and thousands of voluntary members of the financial branches and the ladies' lifeboat guilds in the work of raising funds to maintain the service.' HRH The Duke of Kent then presented the awards for gallantry: Second Coxswain Patrick Marshall, Plymouth: bronze medal Motor Mechanic Cyril Alcock, Plymouth: bronze medal On February 15, 1978, Plymouth lifeboat, Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse II, rescued two of the crew of the trawler Elly Gerda in a violent south-easterly storm with very heavy snow and a very rough sea. The lifeboat was manoeuvred close to the trawler which was aground on rocks and the motor mechanic pulled two of her crew to safety.

Coxswain William Morris, St David's: bronze medal On March 11, 1978, St David's lifeboat, Joseph Soar (Civil Service No. 34), saved the Royal Naval tender MFV 7 and her crew of seven in a moderate north-north-easterly wind and confused seas. The lifeboat went close to treacherous rocks to pass a tow line to the casualty which, her engine broken down, was being carried into danger by a strong spring tide.

Coxswain Evan Jones, Barmouth: bronze medal On November 22, 1978, the relief lifeboat BHMH, on temporary duty at Barmouth, rescued the crew of MFV Boy Nick aground on North Bank in a westerly gale and a very rough sea. The lifeboat was driven through breaking seas close to the harbour bar, frequently grounding, to reach the two men who had abandoned the fishing vessel and taken to their liferaft.

Coxswain/Mechanic William Rees Holmes, Angle: bar to his bronze medal On December 1, 1978, Angle lifeboat, Richard Vernon and Mary Garforth of Leeds, rescued the crew of three of the fishing vessel Cairnsmore in a south-easterly storm and heavy breaking seas. The lifeboat recovered one man from the water and with great difficulty, because of the rolling and pitching of the casualty, took off the remaining two crew members.

Coxswain Arthur Curnow, Torbay: bronze medal On December 2, 1978, Torbay lifeboat, Edward Bridges (Civil Sen-ice No. 37), rescued the crew of the fishing vessel Fairway being driven into shoaling water in a south-south-easterly storm and a very heavy sea. To take off the six men the coxswain had to manoeuvre the lifeboat twice alongside the fishing vessel, which was rolling and pitching violently in steep seas ranging to 25 feet.

Acting Second Coxswain Seamus McCormack, Rosslare Harbour: bronze medal On December 7, 1978, the relief lifeboat Sir Samuel Kelly, on temporary duty at Rosslare Harbour, rescued two of the crew of the fishing boat Notre Dame du Sacre Coeur in a violent south-easterly storm and very heavy seas estimated at 30 feet high.

The lifeboat went alongside the fishing boat twice in these mountainous seas, taking off one man each time.

Coxswain/Mechanic Charles Bowry, Sheerness: bar to his bronze medal On December 30, 1978, Sheerness lifeboat, Helen Turnbull, rescued the crew of two of the motor cruiser Ma Jolie II in a strong north-easterly gale and a very rough, confused sea. To make the rescue the lifeboat had to be taken three times into shallow water where, because of many yacht moorings and a submerged wreck, there was very little sea room.

Coxswain John Petit, St Peter Port: third bar to his bronze medal On the night of January 4/5, 1979, St Peter Port lifeboat, Sir William Arnold, took part in a search for survivors from the Greek freighter Cantonad which sank in the English Channel in an east-north-easterly hurricane, and terrific seas. Visibility was reduced by snow. During the 12 hours and more she was at sea one huge wave rolled the lifeboat over 45 degrees, throwing the coxswain out of his seat and knocking him unconscious for a few moments.

Coxswain Fred Walkington, Bridlington: bronze medal On February 15, 1979, Bridlington lifeboat, William Henry and Mary King, launched in a blizzard and a violent north-easterly storm to help the disabled German freighter, Sunnanhav.

The freighter regained power and the lifeboat was on her return passage when, with visibility down to 50 yards in the snow and the radar out of action, she had to turn hard to port to avoid rocks. She was struck by a huge wave and knocked over to starboard, the engine cut-out operating. The 'capsize switches' were made and the engines fired first time.

Coxswain David Cox, Wells: silver medal Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan: bronze medal On February 15, 1979, Wells lifeboat, Ernest Tom Neathercoat, launched into a violent north-easterly storm and continuous blizzard to stand by the disabled Romanian freighter Savinesti which was in danger of running aground. In temperatures well below freezing and with huge seas washing right over her, this open lifeboat stood by until Humber Arun class lifeboat City of Bradford IV had made the 37 mile passage from Spurn Point and could take over the service.

Wells lifeboat had to make the first part of her return passage at half speed with the drogue streamed and snow blowing directly into the after cockpit; then, turning into the breaking seas, it took her two hours to make good the last seven miles; she had been at sea for over 11 hours. Humber lifeboat eventually escorted Savinesti to the safety of the River Humber after more than 15 hours at sea.

Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan, Humber: silver medal On the night of December 30/31, 1978, Humber lifeboat, City of Bradford IV rescued six of the crew of the Dutch coaster Diana V, in distress in a strong easterly gale and very heavy seas. After her mechanics had repaired an oil pipe which fractured under way, the lifeboat maintained full speed to the casualty despite the fact that she was receiving a terrific pounding. Reaching the casualty, the lifeboat made three runs in, being thrown against the heavily listing coaster by the breaking seas, before a 12-year-old girl, a woman and four men were all successfully taken off.

Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan, Humbert gold medal Second Coxswain Dennis Bailey, Humber: bronze medal Motor Mechanic Barry 'Bill' Sayers, Humber: bronze medal Assistant Mechanic Ronald Sayers, Humber: bronze medal Crew Member Michael Storey, Humber: bronze medal Crew Member Peter Jordan, Humber: bronze medal Crew Member Sydney Rollinson, Humber: bronze medal Crew Member Dennis Bailey, Jnr, Humber: bronze medal On February 14, 1979, Humber lifeboat, City of Bradford IV, rescued the four crew of the Panamanian freighterRevi in a north-easterly storm, very heavy seas and snow storms. The lifeboat was taken alongside about 35 times before the crew could be taken off. The last survivor, the captain, was still on board, clinging to the outside of the stern guardrails awaiting the chance to jump, when the freighter rose 20 feet above the lifeboat and began to crash down towards the crew on the foredeck. The coxswain, immediately putting his engines hard astern, managed to pull clear by inches. Revi was then completely covered by three successive waves but, when the water cleared, her captain, feared lost, was seen still hanging on the stern rails; the lifeboat drove in again in a trough between two waves and rescued him minutes before the freighter sank.

Since the last annual presentation of awards meeting the Committee of Management had awarded two honorary life governorships, two bars to the gold badge and 14 gold badges to voluntary workers for long and distinguished service. All but three of the recipients, T. Taylor, Mrs T. W. A. Swallow and T. Woodhouse, were present to receive their awards from The Duke of Kent.

Honorary Life Governor Mrs E. M. Walker Committee member of Dundee ladies' guild from 1942, vice-president from 1962 to 1971 and president since 1971.

Alderman C. F. Baker, MBEJPFRICS Joint honorary secretary of Eastbourne station branch from 1949 to 1953 and honorary secretary since 1953; awarded binoculars in 1960 and gold badge in 1975.

Bar to Gold Badge Miss I. Davies Committee member of South Caernarvonshire ladies' guild from 1945 and honorary secretary since 1958; awarded statuette in 1953 and gold badge in 1968.

T. Taylor Honorary secretary of Llandudno station branch from 1948 to 1978; awarded binoculars in 1959 and gold badge in 1974.

Gold Badge T. Woodhouse, OBEJP Honorary secretary of Flamborough station branch from 1954 to 1979; awarded binoculars in 1965.

Mrs J. B. Soutter Founder member of Hamilton ladies' guild in 1938 and president from 1960 to 1979.

S. A. Chase President and chairman of Thurrock branch since 1953; awarded silver badge in 1969.

Mrs B. Morris A collector from 1947 to 1952, committee member of Woolwich branch from 1952 to 1965, acting chairman from 1965 to 1966 and chairman since 1966; awarded letter of thanks in 1973 and silver badge in 1974.

N. Wells Honorary secretary of Kingston-on- Thames branch since 1956; awarded silver badge in 1967.

Mrs A. M. Bolton Founder member of Adlington ladies' guild in 1940 and honorary secretary of Bramhall and Woodford ladies' guild since 1953; awarded silver badge in 1964.

R. W. Beasley, MBE Honorary secretary of Isle of Wight lifeboat board from 1953 to 1979; awarded silver badge in 1964.

Mrs D. Tart Launcher, Dungeness station branch, from 1935 to 1979.

Mrs J. Bates Launcher, Dungeness station branch, from 1942 to 1979.

W. A. P. Cormack, JP 'Honorary secretary of Peterhead station branch from 1954 to 1973, and administrative officer from 1973 to 1978; awarded binoculars 1965.

J. W. Eagle Vice-chairman of Walton-on-the-Naze station branch from 1953 to 1956 and chairman since 1956.

J. T. Sutton Honorary treasurer of Kilmore Quay station branch from 1951 to 1966 and honorary secretary and treasurer since 1966; awarded binoculars in 1968.

T. P. Nolan Honorary treasurer of Howth station branch since 1957; awarded silver badge in 1969.

Mrs T. W. A. Swallow Founder member of North Sunderland ladies' guild in 1932, assistant secretary from 1934 to 1940, vice-chairman from 1951 to 1962 and chairman since 1962; awarded silver badge in 1974.

D. K. Redford, a member of the Committee of Management, moved a hearty vote of thanks to HRH The Duke of Kent for addressing the meeting and presenting the awards. Then, the business of the day concluded, tea was taken in the foyer during which there was the opportunity for His Royal Highness to meet informally some of those to whom awards had been given and their families..