From THE LIFEBOAT of March 1967 Three Bronze Medals for Welsh crew Three members of the New Quay, Cardiganshire, life-boat crew have been awarded bronze medals for gallantry for the rescue of a boy. One is the coxswain, Winston Evans, another the mechanic, Sydney Fowler. The third is a police sergeant named David Rees, who is the son of a former honorary secretary of the station and a member of the Glamorganshire Constabulary. He happened to be at New Quay on leave at the time and volunteered for service in the life-boat.

A number of boys were missing in the Llwyn Celyn area and the coastguard rescue equipment company were starting a search.

Captain Jones alerted Coxswain Evans and the mechanic, Sydney Fowler, telling them to stand by as the life-boat might be needed. At 12.23 the coastguard asked if the life-boat could search from the River Drewy to the Gilfach-yr-Halen area using her searchlight.

There was a north-easterly breeze with a choppy sea. Visibility was moderate to good. It was high water. The life-boat St Albans, one of the 35 foot 6 ins Liverpool type, was launched and reached the area at 1.10. Coxswain Evans brought the life-boat as close to the cliffs as he could and began a thorough search.

After about half an hour a shout was heard and the searchlight picked out a boy stranded on a ledge about 20 feet up the cliff.

Because of the ou tlying submerged rocks and the backwash from the cliffs Coxswain Evans decided against taking the life-boat in. Yet it was clear that immediate action was needed because the boy seemed to be very distressed. Sydney Fowler and Sergeant David Rees immediately volunteered to swim ashore. The mechanic took the light nylon line with him in case the breeches buoy might be needed.

The coxswain then anchored the life-boat as near to the cliffs as was safe.

Although strong swimmers the men had great d if f iculty in reaching the cliffs through the backwash. Sergeant Rees managed to get a foothold and pushed Mr Fowler on to the lower end of the ledge. The mechanic then secured the nylon rope to a rock and the police sergeant was able to pull himself up on to the ledge. They reached the boy who told them that two of his companions had fallen down the cliff. He refused to move, and some persuasion was needed before the two men could get him into the breeches buoy. He was then hauled to the life-boat where he was kept warm and treated for exposure and shock.

Mr Fowler and Sergeant Rees then began a search for the other boys. They were joined by two members of the Coastguard rescue equipment company named J. Davis and G. Lewis, who managed to bring the Neil Robertson stretcher down.

The two boys were found lying on a small pebble beach at the foot of a steep gully. One was already dead and the other seriously injured. The rescue team strapped the injured boy into a stretcher but he was too badly hurt to be hauled up the cliff.

The mechanic hailed the coxswain and asked if he could bring the life-boat into the beach. Coxswain Evans weighed anchor. The mechanic and police sergeant both waded in and guided the lifeboat into the beach where the coxswain was able, with difficulty, to maintain his position by continual use of the engines.

The men put the stretcher with the injured boy and the body aboard the life-boat and then climbed aboard. By this time both Mr Fowler and Sergeant Rees were suffering considerably from cold and they were treated for exposure.

A message was sent asking for a doctor and an ambulance to be waiting and the life-boat made for New Quay. Captain Jones arranged for a local boat to take out a doctor and a nurse in order to reduce delay, as there was then little water in the harbour. The lifeboat arrived off the harbour at 2.30 in the morning and the injured boy was put into the small boat, but he died before reaching the quay. The rescued boy was landed and taken to the police station.

The life-boat anchored in the outer harbour and was rehoused at 11.10. She suffered only superficial damage to the paintwork round the bow.

Certificates recording their part in the service have been issued to the other members of the life-boat crew..