THE LOSS of Penlee lifeboat and her crew stunned people throughout Great Britain and Ireland and thousands of messages of sympathy from many parts of the world were received by the bereaved families. Before she was lost, the lifeboat Solomon Browne had taken four people off the coaster Union Star in appalling conditions and for this service the RNLI made posthumous awards of the gold medal for gallantry to Coxswain William Trevelyan Richards and bronze medals for gallantry to Second Coxswain/Mechanic James Stephen Madron, Assistant Mechanic Nigel Brockman, Emergency Mechanic John Robert Blewett, Crew Member Charles Thomas Greenhaugh, Crew Member Kevin Smith, Crew Member Barrie Robertson Torrie and Crew Member Gary Lee Wallis. Those from Union Star who also perished were the captain, his wife and two step-daughters and four crew members.

In accordance with its regulations the Institution is paying pensions to the dependants of the lifeboatmen at the same rate as are received by dependants of chief petty officers in the Royal Navy killed on active service. Donations poured into the local disaster fund set up by Penwith District Council and although it seemed that legal difficulties might hamper the distribution of the fund as deemed necessary by the trustees, these were overcome.A private service of remembrance and thanksgiving for the lifeboatmen's families was held on January 22 in Paul Church and was attended by HRH The Duke of Kent, President of the RNLI, accompanied by the Duchess. A memorial service was held on February 15 in Truro Cathedral and was attended by the Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher.

The RNLI is holding its own inquiry into the disaster and the Department of Trade is conducting a preliminary inquiry before deciding whether to hold a formal investigation into the loss of Penlee lifeboat.

More details of the disaster are given on page 40.

Danish lifeboat disaster The Institution sent a message of deep sympathy to the Danish lifeboat authority on the loss of six lifeboatmen from Hirtshals on December 1, 1981. The six men were lost when their boat capsized in rough seas as they went to the rescue of three men from a wrecked Danish fishing vessel off north-west Jutland.

Icelandic bravery medals The rescue last September of 11 men from the Icelandic coaster Tungufoss (see page 44) not only showed what good co-ordination can be achieved between rescue services but also brought a most sincere appreciation of the rescuers from the Icelandic Government.

The President of Iceland, Mrs Vigdis Finnbogadottir, attended a special ceremony at the Hyde Park Hotel, London, on February 17 to present the Republic of Iceland's silver medal for valour to Coxswain/Mechanic Maurice Hutchens and the crew of Sennen Cove lifeboat and to Lt Nick Houghton and his helicopter crew from the Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose. Mrs Finnbogadottir said that the medal, instituted in 1950, had only been awarded once before and added that the people of Iceland'.

. . will never forget what you did, and what you do. I wish you to wear the medals often, because then I wish you long life'.

Presentations were also made by The Iceland Steampship Company, owners of Tungufoss, and the Icelandic Lifesaving Society to the two crews, and Martin Tregoning and Peter Baker, the Coast-guard officers who co-ordinated the rescue, received special certificates.

The most touching speech came from Gunnar Thorsteinsson, captain of Tungufoss, who was lifted off his vessel minutes before she sank. With his crew, the captain had bought thick woollen Icelandic sweaters for the lifeboatmen, helicopter crew and coastguards 'for saving our lives'. The captain's perfect English expressed his thanks, but his presence reminded everybody that without the helicopter and lifeboat, he would not still be alive.

The lifeboatmen who received the medals were Coxswain/Mechanic Maurice Hutchens, Second Coxswain John Pender and Crew Members Cedric Johnson, Timothy George, Derek Angove, Phillip Shannon and Terence Greene.

Mrs Hoy retires The retirement of Mrs Maire Hoy from the post of station honorary secretary of Clogher Head, Co Louth, marks the end of 20 years of dedicated service. Mrs Hoy took over the position 'as a temporary measure' when her husband, who had been honorary secretary for eight years, died suddenly. Her deputy launching authority was the harbour master and they usually consulted about lifeboat launches. During her time as honorary secretary, the lifeboat was launched about 50 times. Her son, Brendan, remains on the station committee as honorary treasurer. Mrs Hoy is the only woman to have served as a station honorary secretary in recent years and for her service she has been awarded the gold badge.

The late Mr W. T. Bishop The death on January 16 of William T. Bishop, a Life Vice-President of the Institution, is reported with deep regret.

Mr Bishop joined the Committee of Management in 1969, was elected a Vice-President in 1978 and a Life Vice- President in 1980.

In addition to the many other ways that William Bishop supported the Institution we remember with gratitude the generous and unstinting way in which he devoted so much of his time and professional experience to the Poole Project Working Party, as its chairman. Under his guidance, during the three-year life of the working party, the Institution's HQ in London, and depot at Boreham Wood, were uprooted and re-created in their new location in Poole, from which the operational and fund-raising backup functions of the RNLI are now performed.

Poole Head Office and Depot Telephone Number: From Wednesday March 31, 1982, the Poole head office and depot telephone number becomes Poole 671133. At the same time the STD area code for Poole callers outside the local area becomes 0202.

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