Atlantic 21 escort IN HIS CAPACITY as harbour master, Helmsman Roger Trigg of Southwold lifeboat station heard at 1625 on Friday January 16 that MFV Concord, a 35ft 6in ex-Liverpool class lifeboat, had broken down three-quarters of a mile east of Southwold Harbour piers and was dragging her anchor in heavy seas.

There were three men on board.

Roger Trigg immediately informed HM Coastguard of the situation and also the vessel's owner, Skipper Anthony Chambers, who decided to launch MFV Broadside to go to the help of Concord.

Maroons were then fired and Southwold's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat launched at 1638 manned by Helmsman Trigg with, because of the very rough weather, three other crew members, Jonathan Adnams, Nicholas Westwood and Steven Taylor.

The afternoon was heavily overcast with continuous snow and sleet and a force 8 gale was blowing from the south south east. The sea was rough with aheavy north-easterly swell. It was l'/2 hours before high water.

On her way down harbour the Atlantic 21 passed MFV Broadside and then, as the lifeboat approached the bar, one of her crew was stationed in her bows to keep her head down. She was filled several times by heavy breaking seas as she crossed the bar but once clear and in waves of a more regular pattern she stood by until Broadside had cleared the harbour entrance. Passage was made to the casualty and Crew Member Adnams put aboard to assess the situation. It was found that Concord's engine trouble was caused by a fuel blockage.

It was not possible for Broadside to approach Concord in the very rough seas, so the Atlantic 21 took a towline from the casualty to the other motor fishing boat. She also transferred Crew Member Adnams to Broadside to help with the tow. Concord then cut her anchor warp and the tow started back to Southwold Harbour escorted by the lifeboat.

Just as the two fishing boats were approaching the harbour entrance they were hit by a large breaking sea which parted the tow and washed right through Broadside's wheelhouse, putting her radios out of action. The parted tow rope whipped back aboard Broadside striking Jonathan Adnams on the forehead and stunning him momentarily.

The wind and tide immediately carried Concord on to the Hale, a patch of shallows north of the harbour piers.

Now in breaking surf and lying broadside to the seas, her bows north, Concord was hitting bottom in the troughs, and the seas were estimated to be 10 to 15 feet high. Her crew asked to be taken off and Helmsman Trigg took the Atlantic 21 in towards her. He made an approach from the south and west but as the lifeboat came in close to Concord's lee side a large breaking sea crashed on to the deck of the casualty, washing her crew down and pushing the lifeboat away. However, one of Concord's crew had already managed to throw a line and this was quickly made fast on the lifeboat's after starboard cleat as she veered away in a second large breaking sea.

The first sea had thrown the two Atlantic 21 crew members into the roll bar at the lifeboat's stern and as they tried to regain their positions amidships the second sea knocked them aft again.

Then, while the Atlantic was at an angle of 70 degrees she was hit and completely enveloped by yet another breaker. As she emerged her crew found that they were clearing the bank with Concord, attached by the line, following behind them. From Broadside all that could be seen by Skipper Chambers and Crew Member Adnams was the Atlantic standing almost vertical as she headed out of the surf with the outline of Concord behind her.

Once the lifeboat and fishing boat were clear of the bank Broadside took over the tow again and headed out to sea. It was then decided that it was too hazardous to try to take Concord in to Southwold and that instead the tow with its lifeboat escort should make for Lowestoft.

By now the south-south-easterly gale had risen to force 9 with heavy sleet and rain continuing unabated. There was still a heavy north-easterly swell but for the three boats heading north for Lowestoft there were rough following seas. Frequently as Concord surfed forward the towline slackened only totauten again sharply as, the wave passing, she dropped back. Four times, as the strain came back on, the tow parted; each time the lifeboat pulled in, picked up the parted line and took the strain until Broadside could come round and resume the tow. On the fourth occasion Skipper Chambers was transferred from Broadside to Concord, changing places with one of the casualty's crew so that he could try to repair the engine.

Soon afterwards the tow parted yet again and as the Atlantic 21 and Broadside closed to pass over the tow a large sea twisted the lifeboat up on to the fishing boat's deck, damaging the bow section of her sponson on one of Broadside's stanchions. The bow section deflated, but the Atlantic's seakeeping qualities were not impaired.

At 1854 Concord's engine was restarted and the two fishing boats with the lifeboat in company arrived off Lowestoft just an hour later. By now the ebb was flowing giving a nasty sea at the harbour entrance, so the lifeboat first escorted in Concord and then came back out again to see Broadside safely in. All three boats were moored in Hamilton Dock at 2010.

After coffee and sandwiches, the wind having veered and decreased, the Atlantic 21 left South wold at 2045 manned by Helmsman Trigg and Crew Member Adnams; the other two crew members returned by road. The lifeboat arrived off South wold at 2135 and was back at her station by 2140.

For this service the bronze medal was awarded to Helmsman Roger E.

Trigg and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Member Jonathan P. A. Adnams and Anthony Chambers, skipper of MFV Broadside. Medal service certificates were presented to Crew Members Nicholas Westwood and Steven G.

Taylor..