5O years ago From the pages of the LIFEBOAT WAR BULLETIN No. 7 of March 1942 30 MONTHS OF WAR In the first thirty months of war Life-boats have rescued 4630 lives. They have rescued more lives in thirty months of war than in the last thirteen years of peace.

They are rescuing nearly two lives for every life rescued in the last war, and five lives for every one rescued in the twenty years of peace between the two wars.

GOLD MEDAL FOR PETERHEAD The gold medal for gallantry has been awarded to Coxswain John B. McLean, of Peterhead, the silver medal to David F. Wiseman, the motor mechanic, and the bronze medal to each of the other six members of the crew for rescuing the crews of three steamers in a gale, with gusts at over 100 miles an hour, heavy seas, blinding snow and intense cold.

All three steamers had been driven on the rocks, and two of the three rescues were carried out by night.

In the course of three days and three nights the lifeboatmen were at sea, or standing by on shore, for over 63 hours. This is the first gold medal to be awarded by the Institution in Scotland for 104 years.

GOLD MEDAL FOR HARTLEPOOL The gold medal for gallantry has been awarded to Lieutenant W.H. Bennison, COM RNVR, coxswain of the Hartlepool life-boat, the silver medal to H.W. Jefferson the motor mechanic, and the bronze medal to each of the seven other members of the crew, for rescuing five men from a steamer, which had been driven ashore in a gale and had then broken in half. The two halves were 200 yards apart in very shallow water. Those on the stern part were rescued from the shore by the lifesaving rocket apparatus and those on the bow by the life-boat. They were being swept by heavy seas and could not have lived much longer. Heavy seas were breaking all the time in the life-boat and so violent were they that at times she was almost standing on end.

A NEW TYPE OF LIFE-BOAT Construction began last December on the first of a new type of motor life-boat, and three more of the type have been laid down since. They are a development of the powerful Watson cabin type of life-boat, 46 feet long and driven by two 40 h.p. Diesel engines, which has a speed of over eight knots and can travel 200 miles at full speed without refuelling. These new boats will be the first in the Institution's fleet to have the steering wheel amidships instead of at the stern. They will cost about £10,000 each.

SCOTTISH FISHERMEN'S GIFT Two fishermen of Fifeshire were rewarded by the Institution for towing in another boat disabled in rough sea, but returned the rewards saying, 'the Institution requires more funds instead of taking donations from it'..