Sweet Revenge Please allow me to have sweet revenge on my friend Mr Tony Pearce, who is the auxiliary in charge of St Davids coastguard station.

When I first took over as the honorary secretary of St Davids lifeboat station, I placed my pager on the kitchen table while I cooked some bacon and eggs. I overcooked the bacon and set my smoke detector off. Having nipped out to the garage at the time, I rushed in and phoned the coastguard to be told that I hadn't been paged after all. Then the smoke detector went off again and I went as red as a beetroot! I had served for 26 years with the St Davids CRC and my escapades of the day soon spread far and wide.

You will by now have guessed that Mr Pearce from St Davids coastguard station, while grilling his freshly caught mackerel a few weeks ago, set off his own smoke alarm and immediately phoned Milf ord Haven coastguard, thinking his pager had sounded.

Perhaps now I can have the last laugh! Jeff Davies St Davids station branch, DyfedDeed of bravery I wish to pass on my congratulations to the Portpatrick lifeboat crew, whom I watched from the cliff tops on Sunday 21 June perform a deed of bravery by saving three young lads whose boat had capsized in a big swell off the harbour.

To see the lif eboatmen going into the water to get the three chaps made me feel very humble indeed and makes every 1 Op I put in the boxes seem very little to help these brave men.

Mrs Jean Morris, GlasgowCan you help? I am researching the artist John Morgan. In 1870, he exhibited an oil painting at the Institute of British Artists entitled 'The men who man the lifeboats'.

The next year, he exhibited it again at Liverpool Free Library and Museum. Afterhis death, a work with the same title was sold at his studio sale.

Can any readers send me information concerning this painting, especially regarding a reproduction of it? Terry Parker, 54 Old Farleigh Road, Selsdon, Surrey CR2 8PF I am compiling a new edition of 'Maritime Information: a guide to sources of information in the United Kingdom'.

The directory lists libraries, record offices, associations and institutions etc with collections of material - books, manuscripts, photos, computerised information - which can assist with information in the maritime field.

I am seeking knowledge on lesser known sources, material and information 'tucked away' in unlikely places and would like to hear from any readers aware of such material.

Rita Bryon, Maritime Information Centre, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London SE10 9NFSecond to none I feel I must write to you to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude for the service I received from the Lytham inshore lifeboat crew. They were fantastic to say the least, not only did they perform their duties in giving service to my 11-year-old son and myself, but their manner was second to none. I would also like to give my thanks to the Liverpool coastguard for their help on the night of 23 May.

Once again, many many thanks from my son and myself for such a marvellous organisation.

Mr T.I. Squires Rishton, Nr Blackburn, Lanes School memories Thank you for the very interesting article on Lionel Lukin. It brought back memories for me.

I was a pupil at Berbice House School, Great Dunmow when the plaque for Lionel Lukin was dedicated. It was cold, wet and either 1953 or 1954.We had a short service ending with 'Eternal Father, Strong to Save'. Are there any other pupils who remember that day? MissJ.D. Oldfield, Cirencester, GlosThe skill and dedication of the lifeboat service I would like to place on record the admiration of myself and my crew for the way that the coxswain and crew of the Portree lifeboat conducted the rescue of a man and two ladies from a capsized Devon yawl in the Sound of Raasay on 13 June 1992.

We had left Portree harbour in my yacht Southern Comfort (a Moody 30) towards Plockton at 1310 in a forecast wind SW 7, and being aware of the possibility of severe downdraf ts in the Portree area were well reefed down. The weather was about 2nm visibility in rain.

On spotting 'something red' well down on the horizon off the port bow I decided to investigate as it was no place for a small boat on such a day.

This turned out to be a capsized 16ft Devon yawl with two girls in the water wearing life jackets and a man on the capsized hull standing up to wave to us.

With some difficulty, under engine, in the rolling sea I managed to take on board the two girls but then fouled my prop on a sail bag that had come adrift from the yawl. Meanwhile one of my crew sent out a Mayday call which was answered by Oban coastguard who then alerted the Portree lifeboat.

Whilst trying to sort out our problem with the fouled prop and preparing to try to pick up the man from the upturned yawl under sail (not a task I relished) the Portree lifeboat requested our present position. Shortly after this radio call the lifeboat came into view and very quickly rescued the man from the yawl. The coxswain then requested to take the two frightened, very wet girls suffering from hypothermia off Southern Comfort and to hospital in Portree. The sea temperature was 11 degrees C and they had capsized 'over two hours earlier'.

This was executed with the minimum of fuss and a considerable degree of skill as we were rolling and pitching in the sea running at the time.

I elected to try to free the prop myself (and subsequently did so).

Meanwhile the lifeboat took the three into Portree and returned to the scene to search for the capsized yawl which nowpresented a possible hazard to other shipping.

We returned to Portree harbour at around 1630 and observed the lifeboat returning to the harbour towing the yawl and beaching her at the high water mark.

The conditions, although not bad, were unpleasant, which says a lot for the extremely prompt way the lifeboat crew answered the unexpected call and then with total professionalism carried out their task.

It was certainly a lesson to us on how to handle a vessel but more importantly reassurance as to the skill and dedication of the lifeboat service for one who has been a Shoreline member for over 30 years. We salute you, G.L. Fretz and crew of the Southern Comfort, Glasgow Please address your letters to the Editor,.

The Lifeboat, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH151HZ.