Two services in eight days to factory ships - 40 men savedThe joint second coxswain of the Lerwick lifeboat, William Clark, has achieved the rare distinction of being awarded the RNLI's Bronze Medal and also the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum following two services in a period of eight days during November 1993 - both to Russian factory ships.The first service, in the early hours of 9 November 1993, earned William Clark his Thanks on Vellum when the Lerwick lifeboat Soldian was launched to the Latvian trawler Lunhods I, ashore on rocks near Kirkabister Light. Three survivors were snatched to safety from a liferaft just minutes before it would have been driven ashore onto rocks.

The Bronze Medal followed Soldian's service to the factory trawler Borodinskoye Polye on the night of 17/18 November.

The casualty was ashore on Unicorn reef with 73 people aboard, and despite fuel oil pouring on to the lifeboat's decks William Clark approached the casualty 35 times to rescued 37 people.

Vellum Service Certificates have been awarded to joint second coxswain/assistant mechanic Peter Thomson and crew members Dennis Geldard, Robert Wiseman, Richard Simpson, Iain Tulloch and Ian Eraser for their involvement in the first service. Peter Thomson and crew members Robert Wiseman, Richard Simpson, Theodore Nicholson and Ian Eraser have been awarded the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum for their involvement in the second.

Right decisions In his official report John Caldwell, the inspector of lifeboats for Scotland, saidi'Joint second coxswain William Clark made all the right decisions in extremely difficult conditions on both rescues' The Vellum-winning service began at 0230 on 9 November 1993, when Shetland coastguard received reports that the Latvian registered factory trawler Lunohods 1 had run ashore on rocks south of Kirkabister Light at the entrance to Bressay Sound.Ten minutes later Lerwick's Arun class lifeboat Soldian cast off under the command of joint second coxswain Peter Thomson, but because of the weather and the nature of the service he decided to cross Lerwick Harbour and collect joint second coxswain William Clark from the Maryfield Ferry Terminal on Bressay. Five minutes later the lifeboat left the terminal with William Clark in command.

A southerly Severe Gale Force 9 was gusting to Storm Force 10, and visibility was reducing to a mile in heavy rain squalls. Not surprisingly the sea was rough with a heavy swell.

The lifeboat reached the factory ship in fifteen minutes to find her aground by the stern and beam-on to seas breaking over her decks. The Lerwick Harbour Trust Vessel Knab had fired a rocket line aboard, but the crew had not pulled it aboard Lunohods 1.

A coastguard helicopter could not get close to the casualty because of severe turbulence from nearby cliffs. There was nothing more that Knab could do, so shecut the rocket line. The Coastguard asked the lifeboat to go alongside the casualty, but joint second coxswain Clark considered it too dangerous in the conditions and so close to the rocks. Just before 0400 the casualty's bows began to swing and sink, leaving the stern firmly aground on the rocks.

Feeling the movement the crew of Lunohods 1 launched their liferafts, but the change in position also enabled the helicopter to move in and begin winching off the survivors.

Liferaft A liferaft containing three men broke away from the casualty and drifted towards the rocks at Lourie's Stane, so the lifeboat moved in to save them. Contact was made on the second attempt, and the men managed to grab the starboard bow as the raft drifted away. Two were quickly pulled aboard, but the third was exhausted and, weighed down by his clothing, began to slip into the sea.

The lifeboat was now only 150m from the shore, and on the edge of white water breaking on the rocks. The crew managed to pass a rope round the shoulders of the third survivor and, with a tremendous effort, brought him aboard. The lifeboat had not dared use her engines for fear of washing the survivor off the bow, but once he was on board she powered away from the rocks.

Meanwhile a second liferaft had been swept away by the seas and wind and became jammed on rocks at Ouloss Geo.

A survivor jumped into the sea and was thrown onto a large rock at the base of the cliffs. Amazingly he was not seriously injured and was lifted to safety by a cliff rescue team.

The helicopter had now winched 25survivors to safety and William Clark moved close in towards the casualty again, reporting that two liferafts alongside the ship were apparently empty.

One of the survivors from the liferaft, now on board the lifeboat, was complaining of chest pains, so it was decided to transfer him to an RAF helicopter from Lossiemouth which had arrived on scene.

The helicopter made several attempts to get into position, without success, so William Clark made the decision to abandon the attempt and return to Lerwick.

Landed HMS Leeds Castle took over stand-by duty and Soldian landed the three survivors at Lerwick at 0520 - crew member Ian Eraser taking Dennis Geldard's place aboard while she was in harbour. The Arun was back on the scene 15 minutes later, by which time the coastguard helicopter had made a second run and airlifted a further 31 survivors to safety.

The two liferafts which had been alongside the casualty had disappeared, and because of language difficulties it was difficult to confirm that everyone had been accounted for. The lifeboat stood by until just before 0700, then sheltered in Lerwick Harbour for an hour on full alert until all casualties were accounted for.

In his report John Caldwell, the inspector of lifeboats for Scotland commented that William Clark's excellent local knowledge, courage and exceptional seamanship made it possible for his crew to recover the three survivors from the liferaft minutes before it would have been driven ashore..