After an action-packed summer on the water, autumn finds us in a reflective mood

As we sent Lifeboat to print, the sun had been baking the UK and Ireland for weeks. And we weren’t complaining! But warm weather draws crowds to the coast, and our volunteers were called away from barbecues, school sports days and a certain football tournament – to make sure summer didn’t turn sour. We tell just a few of their stories from page 8. And while they’re still on call and ready to respond, autumn gives us a chance to draw breath. As we approach the 100th anniversary of the original Armistice Day, thoughts turn to the First World War. With so many of our young men away in the trenches, the make-up of RNLI lifeboat crews changed. As did the types of shouts they were called on – from torpedoed liners to downed aircraft. Wartime heroism is redefined from page 18. Autumn is also back-to-school time. But for our crews and lifeguards, learning and training is a year-round pursuit. We’ve done a number of features in previous issues about the intensive training offered at RNLI College here in Poole, Dorset – but so often it’s local knowledge and trust in your fellow lifesavers that make the difference on a challenging mission. See the paces they put themselves through, week after week, from page 22.

Mairéad Dwane
@mazzadi