BRONZE MEDAL SERVICE AT PLYMOUTH JANUARY 13TH. - PLYMOUTH, DEVON. At eight minutes past three in the morning a message came from the King’s Harbour Master that distress flares had been seen in Jennycliffe Bay, and at 3.38 the motor lifeboat Robert and Marcella Beck left her moorings. The wind was from south to south-west, with a very rough sea and heavy squalls of rain. At four o’clock the life-boat found a Sunderland flying boat, belonging to the Royal Australian Air Force, with two men on board.

She had been at anchor. A coastal vessel had anchored near her, had dragged her anchor in the rough seas, collided with the flying boat, and carried her on to the rocks. She was aground between the cliffs and the pier. It was just high water and the seas were rebounding heavily from the cliffs. The flying boat was in great danger. She was almost certain to break up in those seas, and the two men on board to be drowned.

The life-boat reported by wireless to the naval authorities, who sent back a message asking the life-boat, if possible, to tow the flying boat clear, and, if that, were not possible, to stand by her. The life-boat found it very difficult, to communicate with the two men on the flying boat,, so she returned to Mount Batten and picked up an air force officer. The night was very dark, with the rain squalls, but the searchlight was turned on from the shore, and by its light the life-boat went in to the rescue. Three times she fired her line-throwing gun, but two of the lines parted, and in the rough seas the two men on the flying boat were unable to get hold of the third. There was very little room to manoeuvre in the narrow space, but the coxswain took the life-boat, closer in to attempt to get a line aboard the flying boat by throwing the heaving cane. He had to go in several times, and the secondcoxswain and one of the crew were nearly washed overboard, but in theend the two men on the flying boat succeeded in seizing and making fast the line, and the life-boat towed the flying boat to safety in the Cattewater with her crew on board. She arrived back at her station at 7.12 in the morning.

The life-boat had been very skilfully and courageously handled, in very difficult circumstances, and the Air Officer Commanding at Mount Batten sent the following message to the King’s Harbour Master : “ Very many thanks for your valuable assistance last night. The prompt action and skill of the life-boat’s crew, with the assistance of searchlights, undoubtedly saved a valuable aircraft from becoming a complete wreck. Would greatly appreciate it if you would convey my thanks to all concerned.” To this the King’s Harbour Master replied : “ Very many thanks for your message, which is much appreciated.

This message is being passed to Plymouth life-boat, to whose excellent work I consider that all credit is due.” The Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN WALTER D CROWTHER, the bronze medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To the eight members of his crew, ALBERT E. SLEEMAN, second-coxswain, W. F. LILLICRAP, bowman, ARTHUR WILLIAM BANHAM, motor-mechanic, REGINALD A. FOOTE, assistant motormechanic, FOSTER L. G. HOLMES, second assistant mechanic, and E .CURTISS, G. STANBURY a n d F. FOWLER, life-boatmen, the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum ; To the coxswain and each of the eight members of the crew, a money reward of £1 in addition to the ordinary reward on the standard scale of £2 7s. Rewards on the standard scale, £18 16s. ; additional rewards, £9 ; total rewards, £27 16s.

On July 11th H.R.H. The Duke of Kent, K.G., President of the Institution, presented the medals and vellums in the Guild Hall Square at Plymouth.

Among those who were present were Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Forbes, G.C.B., D.S.O., Commander: in-Chief, Plymouth, Lady Forbes, the Air-Vice Marshal and Officers of the R.A.F., representatives from the squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force to which the flying boat belonged, the Garrison Commander at Plymouth, the Lady Mayoress (The Viscountess Astor) and the Deputy Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor himself was prevented by illness from being present.

This was the Duke of Kent’s last service to the Institution. Seven weeks later, on August the 25th, he was killed in an air accident on active service.