Listing coaster HUMBER COASTGUARD informed Superintendent Coxswain Brian Bevan of Humber lifeboat station at 2256 on Sunday December 13, 1981, that the coaster Harry Mitchell was north of Humber Lightvessel with her cargo shifted and a list of 30 degrees. By 2304 the crew were mustered and at the same time the Coastguard told Coxswain Bevan that the coaster had five crew on board, her radar was not working and communications had been lost.

Humber lifeboat, the 54ft Arun City of Bradford IV, slipped her moorings at Spurn Point at 2318 and set out on service. It was a heavily overcast night with continuous snow; visibility was l'/2 miles. A storm, force 10, was blowing from south east. It was 4V2 hours after high water.

Within five minutes of leaving her moorings the lifeboat felt the full force of the south-easterly storm against the spring ebb. Speed had to be reduced to avoid excessive pounding in rolling head seas. Communications had been re-established between Harry Mitchell and the Coastguard, who reported her position as 4.4 miles north north east of Humber Lightvessel. A north-northeasterly course was set for this position, and now the weather was on the lifeboat's beam. Heavy breaking seas constantly knocked her down the swell side, but a speed of 14 knots was maintained.

Information came from the Coastguard that an RAF Wessex helicopter had been requested from Leconfield and an RAF Sea King helicopter from Boulmer. At 0020 the lifeboat made radio contact with Harry Mitchell and at 0039 she sighted the casualty.

The south-easterly storm was now gusting to violent storm, force 11, with heavy breaking seas and a 20ft swell, Harry Mitchell was trying to hold her head up into wind and sea but she was having great difficulty as her rudder andpropeller were often clear of the water.

She was listing 30 degrees to port with baulks of timber hanging over her port side and, as she rolled, her port side up to the middle of her deck hatches was at times submerged. Her captain asked for his crew to be taken off and, to make this possible, Coxswain Bevan asked him to turn to port and take up a north-westerly heading.

The Wessex helicopter, which had had to put down at Easington to clear snow from her engine intakes, arrived overhead at 0102. However, because of the ferocity of the weather and the violent movement of the cargo vessel, winching would have been hazardous.

In preparation for going alongside Harry Mitchell's starboard quarter, the lifeboat's port bow was fendered and three crew members took up positions on the starboard bow ready to grab survivors. Assistant Mechanic Peter Thorpe operated the searchlight.

The first approach was made at 0105, but it had to be broken off and the lifeboat's engines put full astern as a heavy breaking sea hit the casualty exposing her propeller and rudder Three men could be seen in the stern sheltering from the breaking seas. A second approach also had to be abandoned as a heavy sea pushed the lifeboat towards Harry Mitchell's stern.

Then, as both vessels bottomed in a trough, the lifeboat was edged alongside and one survivor jumped; he landed on the lifeboat's stem and hung on to the stem fairlead, where he was grabbed by the lifeboatmen and dragged inboard.

The lifeboat cleared astern.

On the next approach, as the two vessels came close together, a large sea lifted the lifeboat stern and Harry Mitchell started to fall down on to her; the lifeboat engines were put full astern and such was the angle of the two boats that the side of the casualty scraped paint off and slightly damaged the top of the lifeboat pulpit rail.

A second survivor was taken off successfully at the next attempt, but three more approaches had to be made before the third survivor was taken off, at 0114. Harry Mitchell's captain now said he and the mate would remain on board and try to take his vessel to the Humber. The Wessex helicopter pilotcongratulated the lifeboat and said would return to base. The Sea King helicopter had by this time reached Flamborough Head, flying at 140 knots but only making 50 knots over the ground in the prevailing conditions; she also was released.

Harry Mitchell was now six miles north north east of Humber Lightvessel and her captain managed to turn her head to sea. Then, with the lifeboat escort, she started to creep towards the Humber. At 0542, in moderating conditions in the River Humber, a pilot boarded and the lifeboat put the three men they had taken off back on the cargo vessel. The lifeboat returned station at 0600 and by 0623 was remoored and ready for service.

For this service a bar to his bronze medal was awarded to Superintendent Coxswain Brian W. Bevan, and medal service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain Dennis Bailey, Motor Mechanic Robert S. White, Assistant Mechanic Peter Thorpe and Crew Members Sydney Rollinson and Jack Essex..