Bitter sweet home-coming In September of last year my boyfriend and I were returning home after cruising abroad for almost two years. Unfortunately we were in collision with another vessel (I need not go into the details of the incident here) and our small yacht, Primrose, was dismasted. This all happened in Morecambe Bay, just some twenty miles from home—such an irony after five thousand miles of sailing! It would not be an understatement to say that our spirits were low, very low.

BUT THEN. . .

out came the Fleetwood lifeboat to our rescue. I simply cannot express our gratitude to these wonderful men who give their services voluntarily, and so cheerily too, despite the fact that all were missing a day's work.

I should like, if possible, to send a very big THANK YOU to the Fleetwood crew via your magazine, also best wishes for 1985. I thank you for this opportunity of being able to send greetings to these wonderful men.

—JACQUELINE HARRINGTON and MR N. J.

STARKEY, Lancaster.

Service after service Of interest in the winter edition of THE LIFEBOAT under Lifeboat People, was the photograph of wreaths being cast on the water over the wreck of the Rohilla.

I happen to know that one of the six lifeboats that rescued survivors was the Henry Vernon which at the time had sails and a motor. I know this because she was subsequently owned by an uncle of mine who renamed her, Rohilla. At the beginning of the 1939-45 war she was requisitioned by whatever ministry, and as far as I know, went to Dunkirk.

After the war the ministry offered to sell her back to my uncle, but he declined, and I think arranged that she should be used by an organisation for young people like the Sea Scouts.

Some time later she was presumed lost at sea with all hands. I only know about this because I read a small piece in a newspaper which said a lifebelt bearing the name Rohilla had been washed ashore in the Bay of Biscay.

I sailed in this boat before the war and have a photograph of her (right) which may perhaps be of interest to some of your readers.—A. j. K. TAWSE, Grubbs Farm, Staffhurst Wood, Edenbridge, Kent.

Editorial note: Henry Vernon, stationed at Tynemouth, was one of the RNLI's earliest motor lifeboats. In the Rohilla rescue, when she took off 50 survivors, she proved how effective was motor power compared to the oars of the other five lifeboats involved.Life lines I wrote this poem after my uncle had been rescued by a lifeboat. I hope you like it: The Lifeboat The red light flashes, The lifeboat splashes, Help is on its way to save a life today.

Help is needed Help is pleaded To save that life today.

The crew men dash, You hear a splash, Help is on its way to save a life today.

The lifeboat's coming, The engine's humming, Help is on its way to save that life today.

As the light grows dim A man starts to swim, Help is on its way to a save a life today.

He sees the lifeboat coming And hears the engine humming, Help is on its way to save that life today.

The man starts to shout, The crewmen lift him out, Help is on its way to save a life today.

The man starts to moan, As they head back for home But they saved that life today.

ARIANNE COULSON (Aged 11), Braintree, Essex Unmistakable touch May I add my appreciation of the sterling work, over the last eleven years, of your predecessor, Miss Joan Davies, MA.

As editor of Yachting World, when Joan worked on my staff, I came to admire her integrity, loyalty, reliability and, above all, her outstanding ability.

She was practical too. With the aid of her father she built her own racing dinghy.

Under her editorship, to my satisfaction, the tone of THE LIFEBOAT steadily improved. Although her name seldom appeared, her touch was unmistakable.

The article on Aberystwyth lifeboats in the current issue is an example of her careful research, historical and technical accuracy and faultless prose.

The first paragraph about the Romans is characteristic. It immediately rivets the reader's attention.

She leaves THE LIFEBOAT with a job well done and a circulation soaring above the 120 thousand mark.—GROUP CAPTAIN E. F. HAYLOCK, London, W14.

Inspired to give As a member of Shoreline I regularly receive THE LIFEBOAT, and in one copy I noted your intention of acquiring a Tyne class lifeboat, to be named, City of Edinburgh, to cover the area around Fraserburgh.

In a subsequent issue I was much impressed by the attempt of a group of young school children to raise money for the boat, and for my part I would like to donate £20 to the appeal.

I know it only represents a small drop in the ocean, but I suspect you have plenty of well-wishers contributing to the fund, so I'm sure it won't be too long before you reach your goal. All the best.—R. A. BARNES, D Wing, HM Prison, Wakefield..