SILVER MEDAL SERVICE AT SHOREHAM HARBOUR NOVEMBER 16TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. Just after one in the morning the motor lifeboat Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Lunn went out to the help of the minesweeper President Briand. A strong south wind was blowing, with a heavy swell, and the minesweeper, which was having trouble with her engine, was in danger of being carried ashore. The life-boat went alongside and, at the captain’s request, stood by until about 9.30 in the morning. By that time the tide had flowed, there now seemed no danger of the minesweeper going aground, and a tug was on her way out.

The life-boat returned to her station.

About 9.40 the coxswain of the life-boat was asked to go out in the pilot cutter and pilot in the minesweeper.

The pilot cutter took him out and put him on board her. About the same time the S.S. Goole, a blockship, was ordered out to helpwith the tow. The wind had now increased to a gale from the south-east, with a very heavy sea which was breaking at least three-quarters of a mile off the shore. The Goole got into difficulties and narrowly escaped being wrecked in the harbour mouth.

At 9.45 a call came for the lifeboat to go out again, as the minesweeper and the tug were both in danger of going ashore. She was launched at once, the second-coxswain taking command. She found the tug trying to haul the minesweeper clear, and took a tow-rope herself, but both ropes parted. The minesweeper was now in very shallow water. She let go her anchor, but struck and lay helpless, rolling heavily, with the seas breaking over her.

The second-coxswain took the lifeboat straight in to the rescue, but he had to go alongside six or seven times before he was able to take off all the 21 men of her crew and the life-boat’s own coxswain. Once the life-boat’s bow was lifted right on to the minesweeper’s rail and her stem was damaged. Shortly after her crew had been rescued the minesweeper heeled over on her beam. The life-boat came back to harbour through a very heavy breaking sea, with the tide running strongly across the harbour mouth. She took several big seas on board. When she arrived at noon, it was just eleven hours since she had first gone out.

The second-coxswain had only taken charge twice before, both times in fine weather, and he handled the life-boat with very fine seamanship. The dangers of the rescue were increased by the fact, known to all the crew, that there had been many fatal casualties at Shoreham Harbour through landmines which had been placed below as well as above high water.

The Institution made the following awards : To ACTING-COXSWAIN JAMES T. UPPERTON, the silver medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To HENRY PHILCOX, motor-mechanic, the bronze medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ;To the other five members of the crew, JOHN E. LAKER, bowman, CECIL, M. AYLING, assistant motormechanic, VICTOR H. PAGE, CHARLES E. LAKER and ALBERT E. UPPERTON, life-boatmen, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum ; To the acting coxswain, motor mechanic, and each of the other five members of the crew, a reward of £1 in addition to the ordinary scale rewards of £3 15s. 6d., for the two services, making a total reward of £4 15s. 6d. to each man. Standard rewards to crew and launchers, £34 13s. ; additional rewards to the crew, £7 total rewards, £41 13s..