BRONZE MEDAL SERVICE AT BEMBRIDGE JANUARY 29TH. - BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT During the afternoon an easterly blizzard was raging at Bembridge in the Isle of Wight.

The wind had been blowing hard for several days and a very heavy sea was running. It was snowing hard. At times it was impossible to see anything.

It was very cold. The tide was at three-quarter ebb. About five. in the afternoon the life-boat station, heard from the coastguard that a trawler was ashore north-west of Selsey Bill, and the motor life-boat Jesse Lumb put out at 5.20. The coxswain made for the examination vessel and was told that a pilot boat was ashore near No Man’s Fort. He was unable to find any vessel near the fort, so he made again for the examination vessel. He was told that the first signal had been made in error, and that there was a vessel ashore between Ryde and Seaview. It was then about 7.30 in the evening.

The life-boat set out again and found a vessel high and dry and in no danger. The coxswain, decided to anchor and stand by until high water.

The life-boat’s radio telephone had not been working properly. It must, have been damaged when the life-boat was launched. While she was at anchor, the mast was lowered and the motor-mechanic repaired the apparatus - in the circumstances a most trying and difficult job.

About three o’clock next morning the examination vessel signalled to the life-boat to come alongside for information and told the coxswain that a vessel was ashore at the entrance to Chichester harbour. The coxswain gave the examination vessel particulars of the ship which he had seen high and dry and was told that a tug was coming out from Portsmouth to her help.The life-boat then made for Chichester bar. The tide was now about high water and the coxswain was able to take the life-boat across the bank. He found the vessel.

She was H.M. Trawler Kingston Cairngorm, with twenty men on board, in command of Lieut.-Commander P. E.

Vaux, D.S.C., R.N., the chief inspector of life-boats, who had been recalled to the Navy on the outbreak of war.

She had been bumping and rolling on the bar for twelve hours. Commander Vaux had hoped to get her off as the tide rose, but that was impossible as she was flooding fast, and there was danger of her rolling right over as the tide ebbed It was now 4.30 in the morning, and the weather was a little better, but it was not an easy task to go alongside.

There was a heavy swell ; where the trawler was lying the tide runs in a circle ; the trawler herself. was lurching heavily, with her decks awash.

The first attempt failed. The second succeeded, and in half an hour the twenty-one men had been taken off.

The life-boat then made again for the examination vessel, and as it would have been impossible, in that weather, to put her back on her slipway at Bembridge she got permission from the examination vessel to make for Portsmouth. There she arrived at 7.30 in the morning and reported to her station, It would still have been impossible to rehouse her at Bembridge. Seas were running high, and the slipway was like a sheet of glass. So the honorary secretary instructed the coxswain to take the life-boat to Cowes and her crew then returned to Bembridge by train.

Although the actual rescue had not been very difficult, the whole service had been carried out in intense cold and in weather of exceptional severity.

The deck of the life-boat was covered with ice; the cable was frozen ; it took the crew half an hour to weigh anchor. The life-boat was at sea for fourteen and a half hours under these conditions, and her crew showed magnificent endurance. The coxswain himself was at the wheel from beginning to end of the service ; and his navigation was perfect, Practicallythe whole time he had to steer by compass and he was not once out in his position.

The Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN HARRY J. GAWN, the bronze medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To H. E. WATSON, the motormechanic, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum ; To MR. W. COULDREY, the honorary secretary, a letter of thanks ; To the coxswain and each of the seven members of his crew a special reward of £3 each in addition to the ordinary scale reward of £2 16s. 6d. each. Standard rewards to crew and helpers £26 7s. 8d. ; additional rewards, £24 ; total rewards £50 7s. 8d.