Falling tide, rising tide ONLY AN HOUR OR TWO after West Kirby lifeboat crew had been receiving instruction on mouth to mouth resuscitation from their divisional inspector, Cdr George Cooper, on Thursday March 6, and while they were still assembled at the boathouse, a call came from Liverpool Coastguard to say that a canoe had capsized and two men were in the water off Hilbre Island. The time was 1350.

Within two minutes West Kirby's D class inflatable lifeboat, manned by Helmsman Ronald Jones and Crew Members John Curry and Robert Lydiate, had been launched and was on her way to top speed. It was a fine morning with a light south-westerly breeze and a slight sea, but it was half an hour after high water and the men were being carried out by the fast-running ebb tide.

Guided straight to the two men by someone on Hilbre Island firing white flares over them, the lifeboat reached the two men by 1357. Both were in a bad way, one, who was unconscious, being supported by the other. Both were quickly pulled into the inflatablelifeboat and a radio message was sent ashore asking for an ambulance.

On the way back, while John Curry looked after the conscious man, the unconscious survivor was given mouth to mouth resuscitation by Robert Lydiate.

They were landed at West Kirby Sailing Club into the care of the honorary medical adviser, Dr E. S. A. Ashe, and oxygen was given to the more seriously affected man. As soon as they were fit to move they were taken to hospital; both were discharged the following day.

For this service, letters of appreciation signed by Cdr Bruce Cairns, chief of operations, were sent to Helmsman Ronald H. Jones and Crew Members John L. Curry and Robert D. Lydiate.

Just two days before, on Tuesday March 4, West Kirby D class inflatable lifeboat had been called out at 1105 to help two boys, aged 16 and 15, who had tried to walk ashore from Hilbre Island to Middle Eye and who had been cut off by the rising tide. They had managed to find an isolated rock but even so were already up to their waists in water. Once again it was a fine day with a light breeze, this time from the north west, and a calm sea, but there was still about an hour and a half of flood before high water.

With Helmsman Richard Farnworth and Crew Member Gareth Bird as crew, the D class inflatable lifeboat was launched within three minutes and by 1124 had picked up the two boys and returned with them to West Kirby. The boys were taken home by the local coastguard and the lifeboat was rehoused and ready for service by 1230..