Lifeboat station histories The Story of the Dover Lifeboats The Story of the Swanage Lifeboats The Story of the Scarborough Lifeboats by Jeff Morris published by the author Jeff Morris, the Honorary Archivist of the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society, really needs no introduction to anyone with an interest in RNLI lifeboat stations- his series of booklets, of which these three are the latest updated second or third editions, are considered the standard works on the stations covered.

Jeff researches his books thoroughly, both through central archives and on-the-ground, to the extent that they are kept close at hand in The Lifeboats editorial office to settle any disputes or answer telephone callers' queries! All of these books were published in January 1998 and the third edition of the Dover volume therefore reflects the arrival of the station's new Severn class City of London It in March 1997 and includes some of her services.

The Swanage history is another third edition, and although this does not include the arrival of any new boats since the previous edition it does mean that the station's Bronze-medal winning service in the October 1996 storm which had once been hurricane Lily can now be included.

Scarborough's history is a second edition, which again means there are no new boats to include (the station's Mersey having arrived in 1991) but once again recent notable services bring the history right up to date.

All three books are valuable additions to the histories of the stations concerned, and will be of great interests to students of the history of both the RNLI and of the individual stations.

The Story of the Dover Lifeboats is available from Capt. G.

Sutcliffe, Honeybee Cottage, Granville Road, St Margaret's Bay, Dover CT15 6DT; The Story of the Swanage Lifeboats from E. Corben at 41 Station Road, Swanage BH19 1AD; and The Story of the Scarborough Lifeboats from F. Normandale at 30 Castlegate, Scarborough, Y011 1QY alt at £3.50 each including post and packing.

The History of the Number Lifeboats The History of the Port Erin Lifeboats by Jeff Morris published by the author These two volumes are yet another pan of the author's selfimposed task of compiling a history of evert single one of the RNLl's lifeboat stations. The slightly differently-titled 'History of...' (rather than 'Story of...') series being available from the author at the address below rather than from the individual lifeboat stations. They are very similar in format and content, again covering the lifeboats and the activity at the station in some detail throughout its life.

Port Erin is a 'first edition', taking in the history of this station on the south west corner of the Isle of Man from its founding in 1883 to the present day-taking in everything from pulling and sailing boats and the high speed Atlantics which look over in 1992.

The Humber book is a second edition, bringing the history of this unique RNLI station (the only one with full-time lifeboatmen) right up to date with the arrival of the latest Severn class Pride of the Humber last year.

Both books are available from Jeff Morris at 14 Medina Road, Coventry CV6 5JB, the Port Erin volume at £2.50 and the Humber one at £3.50 - both including post and packing.

For the yachtsman GMDSS for Small Craft by Alan Clemmetsen published by Fernhurst Books at £11.95 ISBN1-898660-38-7 The introduction of the Global Marine Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) over the next few years will bring many changes to the way in which safety and distress calls are handled - on VHP, MF and HF. Despite the fears which seem to accompany the prospect of change the new system will not only bring greater safety for the small boat sailor in the longterm, but it should also simplify the sending of distress signals.

The disadvantages? All conventional radios, including the yachtsman's VHF sets, will need to be replaced by GMDSScompatible transceivers to make use of the system-and commercial vessels will no longer be required to keep a listening watch on channel 16 from 2005 onwards.

This volume is definitely up-beat about the new system, enthusiastically examining its advantages and ease of installation and use rather at the expense of the additional costs and extra training likely to fall on the small boat user.

This is a perfectly sound viewpoint - design of the the GMDSS system started some 15 years ago and all commercial vessels will need to be equipped by 1999. A small boat may be legally exempt, but we've had one and a halfdecades of warning that GMDSS compatible systems would be needed if we wanted to play with the big boys...

A good basic explanation of the GMDSS system, and well worth reading, but also get hold of one of the RNLI's free Sea Safety scheme booklets on the subject.

General interest… Lifeboat Gallantry RNLI Medals and how they were won edited by Barry Cox published by Spink at £24.95 ISBN 0-907605-89-3 The RNLI has awarded medals to recognise the gallantry of its coxswains and crews since its inception almost 175 years ago, and has also used the medals to mark notable events such as significant anniversaries of other lifeboat servicess or, in the earlier days, the retirement of long-serving coxswains. In view of the reliance on sail and oar and any sort of protection for the crews in early lifeboats it is safe to assume that these coxswains well deserved a medal even if a particular service had not been singled out for the award! The history of these medals, and the stories behind them, is a fascinatng one, although sorting out their history and establishing that story, is a monumental task.

Although records have always been kept they do tend to become sketchier the further back one goes and it was only a few years ago that some research by RNLI staff led to a revision of the official 'total awarded' - although fortunately the perpetrator of the error, and several generations of his descendants, had long since retired! Despite these difficulties Barry Cox, the RNLI's Honorary Librarian, has made an excellent job of preparing what will undoubtedly become the standard reference work on the subject. Each medal awarded between 1824 and the end of 1996 (the cut-off date for the book) is listed in chronological order, either in the 'gallantry' or 'honorary' sections, with a brief description of the circumstances surrounding the award. What makes this volume of particular use to the researcher is the fact that these entries are cross-referenced by listings under the name of the awardee and also the lifeboat station involved (medals awarded during 1997 are shown in an appendix but are not included in the cross referencing).

This is a substantial hard-back volume of more than 450 pages, and with a such a relatively specialised subject and limited number of sales it is bound to appear expensive at first sight. However its true value to anyone needing to know the whats. whys and whensof any RNLI medal is inestimable.

Lifeboats by Nicholas Leach published by Shire Publications at €2.95 ISBN 0-7478-0366-8 Nicholas Leach is a well-known and knowledgeable member of the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society, and is well qualified to pen this general, pocket-size look at lifeboats and their history which forms part of a very large series of A5 size soft-back booklets from this publisher.

The amount of information which has been packed into 32 relatively small pages provides a remarkably good cross-section of the RNLI, past and present.

)ks reviewed on these pages are NOT available from the RNLI unless stated otherwise. When the book is available from only one source a name and address will be given, otherwise the ISBN iternational Standard Book Number), title, author and publisher will enable any good bookshop to obtain the title..