A helping hand After leaving the River Crouch on 22 October 19951 unfortunately crossed the Swallow Tail Spit too close to the buoy at 1530, two hours before low water, and went aground.

The sea was calm and apart from being very annoyed with myself the incident was expected, to only be an inconvenience.

As a matter of course I told the Coastguard that my wife and I were alright, we had an anchor out and as long as the weather held we should float off without problems.

About an hour later the Coastguard told us that they decided to ask the Walton and Frinton lifeboat to launch to stand-by in case any problems presented themselves.

It transpired that the Burnhamon- Crouch inshore lifeboat had also launched.

The two RNLI lifeboats arrived just about the time we had begun to float and I had started my engines. The second coxswain of the Walton and Frinton lifeboat stationed himself in my wheelhouse and a crew member of the inshore lifeboat and myself went on the foredeck to take the anchor. To speed the operation the inshore lifeboat tripped the anchor and brought it to us and within about five minutes we were underway.

We transferred the inshore lifeboat crewman back to his boat and they sped off into the Crouch. We followed the Walton and Frinton lifeboat through the Spitway; they offered to go all the way to our mooring at West Mersea with us, but we were happy to be left. They compromised and went to the Colne Bar Buoy with us before the second coxswain transferred to his boat and we waved a thank you and goodbye.

Although we had not asked for assistance we were nonetheless very pleased that the Coastguard and the RNLI had made their decision to attend. The assistance given by both crews was done in a happy, reassuring and quietly efficient manner.

I have written to both crews with a small appreciation.

T.R. Ryser, Chislehurst, Kent.

Spreading the cost With regard to a letter which you sent to me some months ago about the fall-off in the monies you receive in legacies, it is, in my opinion, very necessary for you to increase your subscription income to make up some of the short fall.

I am always pleased when reading the abbreviated wills published in the daily newspapers to see money left to the RNLI and to read about the services performed by lifeboats bearing, palpably, the name of the donor.

This, as I understand, may sadly become less frequent in the future. So you have to get more from your annual membership.

You should encourage more shoreline members to advance to governor by suggesting they spread the cost by monthly or quarterly instalments.

Being a pensioner, paying a few pounds each month or quarter seems a lot less than paying in one large lump.

J. F. C. Gaynor Horsham, West Sussexthank assistance pleased assistance a efficient a Ryser, Kent.

Where is she now ? During the course of some family history research, I was surprised to learn that my mother's Great-uncle donated the cost of a lifeboat, which was named Frederick H.

Pilley after him. The RNLI has kindly provided me with some details and photographs of the lifeboat which served on station at The Lizard (1920-34), Port Askaig, Islay (1934-35) and Fleetwood (1935-39). I would be very interested to hear from any reader who can add to the following information.

Frederick H. Pilley (ON 657) was a 38ft self-righting lifeboat equipped with eight fir oars and powered by a 45hp Taylor engine provided free of charge by the manufacturers. She was built at a cost of £5,992 Os by Summers & Payne Ltd. (Nos.

SP72C and S31). In total she made 33 emergency launches and is credited with saving 33 lives during 19 years of service with the RNLI.

RNLI records provide the following post-service comments. The Frederick H.

Pilley was sold for £225 to W. A. Ragless of Bognor Regis after 1939. The Lifeboat Enthusiasts Newsletter reported in August 1989 that she was restored and renamed Natalie and was at Stockton-on- Tees and South Gare. The newsletter reported in 1990 that she was damaged and under repair at Stockton Marina.

I would be very grateful to hear from anyone with further information about the Frederick H. Pilley/Natalie. In particular, I would like to know if she still exists and if so, where she is today. As an ex- Merchant Navy Officer, I am particularly keen to obtain details of rescues undertaken by the Frederick H. Pilley on service at The Lizard, Islay and Fleetwood e.g.

name of casualty, circumstances, RNLI crew names, awards for bravery, outcome.

Christopher J. Clarke 19 Hitherwood, Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 8BW Letters from readers are always welcome.

Address them to The Editor, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH151 HZ and mark clearly 'for publication'Are you lifeboatman enough? Our coxswain, a veteran of the London Marathon and numerous half marathons, succeeded in getting another six of us fit enough to compete the 1995 Great North Run.

So pleased was he with the results and so confident is he about our future running abilities that we have decided to issue a challenge to other lifeboat crews. We would like to see teams of six crew members from other stations come and compete against us in the 1996 Great North Run.

The run takes place from Newcastle to South Shields, a distance of 13 miles, 192 yards. The half marathon run is usually held in September.

If we can get enough interest going then we could get a trophy made and have an annual event, possibly switching venues to other parts of the country.

If anyone requires further information then contact me on the station during the day or at the address below.

Neil Hancock Station Mechanic, Amble lifeboat Northumberland NE65 OBEWandering ways I would refer you to your article Thanks a million' which appeared in THE LIFEBOAT Autumn 1995, page 39.

I note with sadness that Susan Hiscock MBE passed away a short while ago. However I note with pleasure that the name Wanderer is to be kept very much alive on a new Severn or Trent lifeboat.

You refer in your article to Wanderer HI, she was built by my father Herbert Page at his yard William King and Son at Burnham on Crouch. Eric Hiscock refers in his book 'Around the world in Wanderer III', with respect and affection to the men at the yard who built his beloved Wanderer HI. As a young lad I well remember the vessel being built and the pleasure that the vessel taking shape gave to Eric and Susan Hiscock.

I know that, were my father alive today, he would be both pleased and proud that the name will be carried on one of your craft.

I have been a shoreline member for several years and look forward to seeing photos of the new vessel in THE LIFEBOAT in due course.

J.B. Page West Mersea, EssexThanks to Hastings....

May I express my thanks for your assistance in the early hours of 23 September 1995 when my motor cruiser, Silver B suffered fuel contamination in both engines off the Kent/Sussex coast.

As a shoreline member of the RNLI it was the first time I had to seek assistance and was very reassured to know that you were close at hand.

David Sankey Uckfield, East Sussex (Editor's note: Mr Sankey enclosed a substantial donation with his letter, for which the Institution is very grateful)Three in a row As an enthusiastic spotter of ex-RNLI boats, I was delighted to find three together in Crosshaven, County Cork: Watson Class ON 959 Helen Wycherley; Barnett Class ON 943 Claude Cecil Staniforth; Barnett Class ON 883 Norma B. Corlett.

The three until recently were used for sea-angling and belong to Barry Twomey, Whispering Pines Guest House, Crosshaven.

Unfortunately, their fate now seems uncertain as all three are for sale.

These proud boats have given long and good service and as they have many years of useful life left, it is hoped they will find a good home.

P. Moult Spiers, Scarborough, N. Yorks...and a helping hand My partner and I wish to express our profound gratitude for the service rendered by the Padstow Lifeboat last night (ISSeptember 1995). We were bound for Padstow from Milford Haven when our steering gear failed when we were five miles north of the port. In view of the weather and the lee shore, I transmitted a Pan Pan call and although we had rigged our emergency steering gear, we were more than pleased to see the lifeboat coming up.

The operation of taking us in tow and placing us on a buoy was superbly handled and as an ex-professional seaman, I can only express my admiration for the seaman-like way in which it was done.

L.J. Hughes Aboard yacht Lams, Padstow harbour Dunkirk survivor? I received THE LIFEBOAT from a friend - Volume 53 No. 530. I was in North Wales during the war and heard that my Uncle died serving in France. He was a reservist from World War I and assigned to the Army Pay Corps. He was last seen on a vessel at Dunkirk sent to rescue troops and probably it was hit by German planes.

We were extremely distressed at the time as he also did his service in World War I. His widow was my father's sister Katherine, he had one child. Perhaps a family involved with evacuation of troops at Dunkirk or fellow officers would be able to give a history of Paymaster Dudley Dawkins and if his ship was sunk. Of course it is just possible there were survivors.

Mrs N. Johnson (nee Burnes) Suite 224,2229 Maple Street,Vancouver, Canada V6J 3T5.