South East Division Speedboat AT 1734 on Bank Holiday Monday, August 1986, the crews of Sheerness' 44ft Waveney and 16ft D class inflatable lifeboats were alerted by the duty officer at the Medway Port Office, following reports from Thames Coastguards of a drifting speedboat in danger near to the London Stone, All Hallows.

The D class launched seven minutes later, with Helmsman Richard Rogers and Crew Member Brian Spoor on board.

An east south east wind force 4/5 was gusting to force 6 at the time of the launch and continuous rain hampered visibility. The wind was against an ebbing tide (high water was at 1717), worsening the sea conditions.

Helmsman Rogers decided to cross over a bank known as Grain Spit to reach the casualty's reported position more quickly than by the alternative buoyed channel. The route chosen would save 10 to 15 minutes in reaching the casualty, but was a hazardous one to follow because of the numerous underwater obstacles on the way.

Because of the rough conditions, Coxswain/Mechanic Robin Castle decided to follow the ILB with Sheerness lifeboat Helen Turnbull and she slipped her moorings at 1742.

Shortly after leaving the berth it was thought that the starboard propeller was fouled, but it was decided to continue the service with the starboard engine's revolutions slightly reduced, as no vibration was felt.

At approximately 1748, the D class lifeboat approached the water tower, a mile east of London Stone and began searching for the drifting speedboat.

The search was hampered by rain and steep swells.

Some fishermen ashore appeared to be waving, as if to signal to the lifeboat, so Helmsman Rogers manoeuvred as close inshore as he dared before following the direction indicated by them.

The ILB travelled another quarter of amile, with her crew still able to see virtually nothing until, at 1750, Helmsman Rogers stopped the boat to enable Crew Member Spoor to stand up to gain extra height of eye for the search.

Despite the extreme difficulty of this manoeuvre, Brian Spoor sighted a black object in the water some 500 yards ahead to the north west.

They proceeded to investigate and upon reaching the area in which the object had been sighted, Crew Member Spoor again stood up and saw a man in the water nearby and, some 30 yards beyond, a child.

The man seemed to be swimming with confidence and it was decided to first recover the child, a 13-year-old girl, wearing a flotation aid. This achieved, Helmsman Rogers manoeuvred the lifeboat with some difficulty to enable recovery of the man, who was not wearing a lifejacket.

The two survivors were both very cold and shocked, having been in the water for more than 15 minutes and were judged by the ILB crew to be in need of hospital treatment. The girl was very frightened, as the lifeboat was being swamped frequently with seas over the bow and she was crying with shock.

The ILB crew decided that it would be best to transfer the two to the Helen Turnbull, then about half a mile away.

Because of the poor visibility, Coxswain Castle did not have the ILB in sight and so he fixed its position using the VHP direction finder as a guide.

Helmsman Rogers was asked by the coxswain to proceed towards his position for a rendezvous, but because of the worsening weather conditions and the danger of being swamped, the ILB helmsman was forced to keep the boat head to sea and was making very little progress.

Crew Member Spoor positioned the girl under the canopy for protection and tried to shield her from the incoming seas. The man, who was the girl's father, was lying prone in the bottom of the ILB, having collapsed once he had been rescued.

Brian Spoor protected him also, as well as manning the radio, until the transfer of the casualties to the Helen Turnbull took place at 1800.

Coxswain Castle had beenproceeding with extreme caution, because of the shallow water on the Grain Spit and at the time of the transfer had only four feet of water beneath the lifeboat's keel.

At 1803 the transfer of the casualties was completed, thanks to the skill of both Coxswain Castle and Helmsman Rogers in the rough seas. The lifeboats turned for home, returning at slow speed, to enable the ILB to have some protection from the weather by the larger lifeboat and for the D class to be kept under observation in the worsening conditions.

At 1826, the casualties having been attended to in the warm cabin of the Helen Turnbull, were landed ashore at Sheerness, where a waiting ambulance took them to hospital.

An inspection of the Helen Turnbull's starboard propeller revealed two blade tips to be slightly bent. These were repaired immediately and both lifeboats were refuelled and ready for service at 1921.

Following this service, the thanks of the Institution on vellum were accorded to Helmsman Richard Rogers and Crew Member Brian Spoor, of the Sheerness D class. A letter of thanks signed by the director. Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, was sent to Coxswain/Mechanic Robin Castle.

West Division Engine failure AT 1718 ON DECEMBER 11, 1986, St David's honorary secretary was alerted by Milford Haven Coastguards to the plight of the 40ft fishing vessel Marigold A, on passage from Fishguard to Looe, reported to be disabled with engine failure four miles south of Ramsey Island.

She was pitching and rolling heavily in rough sea conditions and overfalls experienced in this area. Three minutes later at 1721, the maroons were fired and St David's 48ft 6in Oakley class lifeboat Ruby and Arthur Reed, launched down the slipway, under the command of Coxswain/Mechanic Frederick George John.

Weather at the launch was west south westerly force 7 to 8, with moderate seas within Ramsey Sound and good visibility. The tide was ebbing southwards through the Sound at about five knots (high water at St David's being at 1443).

Once clear of Ramsey Sound, Coxswain John set a southerly course, making good progress through the very rough seas, due to the favourable tide.

Contact was made with the casualty at 1815.

The Marigold A was seen lying beam on to the sea and rolling heavily.

The weather had deteriorated once the lifeboat had cleared Ramsey Sound and the wind was west south westerly force 8 to 9, with very rough confusedseas and a heavy swell estimated at about 25 feet. The tidal stream was running south at 4 to 5 knots.

Coxswain John decided to circle the casualty to assess the situation while the crew prepared a tow line. At 1820 the first attempt to pass the tow was made as the coxswain skilfully manoeuvred the lifeboat and ran in along the casualty's port side.

This attempt failed because of the severe motion, causing the heaving line to part.

On the second attempt a large sea threw the two vessels together and only skilful handling of the engines by the coxswain prevented the Marigold A rolling on top of the lifeboat.

Once clear, a third attempt was made and this proved successful. Unfortunately, the skipper of the Marigold A had not advised the lifeboat that his engine was running and was idling ahead. This resulted in the casualty over-running the tow rope and fouling its propeller.

Marigold A immediately swung around and was then being towed stern first. The lifeboat crew, working on the after deck in difficult conditions, managed to shorten the tow before cutting it free, making sure that a minimum length of line was sacrificed.

The tow line was then reconnected and the casualty was requested to parcel the tow line where it passed through the fishing vessel's bow fairlead.

Coxswain John decided to tow the casualty to Milford Haven and course was set via Broad Sound and St Anne's Head. The tow parted again between Skomer and Skokholm Islands, but was quckly reconnected. Milford Haven was entered at 2200 and the casualty was taken to Pembroke Dock, to be safelysecured alongside the B & I Terminal at 2315.

The lifeboat stayed at Milford Haven for the night, conditions at St David's being too rough to enable rehousing to take place.

The lifeboat returned to her station the next morning and was rehoused, refuelled and~ready for service by 1100.Following this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum was accorded to Coxswain Mechanic Frederick George John. Vellum service certificates went to Second Coxswain Terence Williams, 1st Assistant Mechanic E Byron Bateman, 2nd Assistant Mechanic D John Bateman and Crew Members Malcolm Gray, John Phillips and Michael Morris.

A letter of appreciation signed by Rear Admiral W J Graham, director, was sent to Mr D G Hampson, the station honorary secretary, who followed the service throughout and made various arrangements, including keeping those concerned at St David's (particularly the crew wives) advised of what was happening.

South West Division Rescued four SHORTLY BEFORE 1645 on March 27, 1987, a dinghy with five people on board capsized in the roads to the north west of Falmouth lifeboat station.

Mr John Pentecost, working nearby in his Quay Punt workboat Victory immediately went to their assistance, while Falmouth Coastguards alerted the crew of Falmouth's Maclachlan ILB A508, which launched at 1652, with Helmsman Royston Prynn and Crew Members Dave Nicoll, Kevin Mitchell and Nick Lewis on board.

In the meantime Victory arrived alongside the casualties in the water and Mr Pentecost manouvered his boat beside each in turn, skilfully lifting them aboard.

The force 6 wind at the scene was blowing from the west by south, creating a moderately choppy sea.

Mr Pentecost managed to lift four ofthe casualties into his boat—a difficult operation in the prevailing weather and with no-one to assist him. The fifth person had swum ashore to the river bank near Flushing.

While Victory was returning with the casualties she became snarled on a mooring near Flushing. Falmouth ILB arrived at 1656 and one casualty, suffering from hypothermia was removed immediately to the Custom House Quay, Falmouth where an ambulance was waiting.

The remaining three aboard Victory were then removed to Prince of Wales Pier, where a second ambulance was waiting.

The Maclachlan lifeboat then returned to collect the fifth casualty from the shore and take him to the ambulance at Prince of Wales Pier.

A508 returned to the mooring on completion and was refuelled and ready for service at 1750. Some minutes later, Dave Nicoll returned to the Victory to free Mr Pentecost's fouled propeller.

Following this service a framed letter of thanks from the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the RNLI, was presented to Mr Pentecost in recognition of his outstanding contribution to this rescue.

East Division Long Search THE STERN TRAWLER Anmara and her crew of three were reported overdue from Scarborough on the evening of May 21, 1987 and a search was organised by Humber Coastguard, to begin at first light on the following day.

The 37ft Rother class lifeboat Harold Salvesen on temporary duty at Filey, was joined in the search by Scarborough's 37ft Oakley class boat Amelia, Bridlington's 37ft Oakley William Henry and Mary King, an RAF helicopter, HMS Lindisfarne and other vessels.

As dawn broke, the three lifeboats began their long search for signs of survivors or wreckage from the Anmara.

The Harold Salvesen, with Coxswain Frank Jenkinson in command, was asked by the coastguard to start looking between Filey Brig and Flamborough Head, up to five miles offshore, while Coxswain Stuart Ogden and the Amelia were searching along Scarborough's south shore, as far as Filey Bridge and Coxswain Fred Walkington took the Bridlington boat on a north/south route from North Smithwick Buoy.

The weather was poor, with a strong north-easterly breeze and rough seas.

At 0826 Filey lifeboat reported that one of her crew, Kenneth Rennie, was suffering from severe stomach pains and in need of medical attention. He was taken to Scarborough Harbour and landed there, to be seen by a doctor and to be replaced by Crew Member Richard Robinson.

The Harold Salvesen resumed the search immediately, finding a plastic bucket from the Anmara in Cayton Bay, but no other signs of the missing trawler.

Other wreckage was found during the search and the body of one of the Anmara's crew members was washed ashore the following day.

William Henry and Mary King was released at 1448 by HMS Lindisfarne, the on-scene commander and the search was finally called off at 1600, all three lifeboats returning to their respective stations.

Following this service, all three lifeboat stations were sent letters by Lt Cdr Brian Miles, deputy director and chief of operations, expressing his "warm and appreciative thanks" for the dogged determination displayed by the coxswains and their crews in performing such a sad task..