Launches 30. Lives rescued 19.

OCTOBER 6TH. - PORT ERIN, AND PORT ST. MARY, ISLE OF MAN. Shortly after two in the morning the Ramsey coastguard informed both life-boat stations that a ship was in distress W.S.W. of the Chicken Rock.

Port Erin was asked if she would launch at once, and Port St. Mary if she would stand by. A S.S.W. gale was blowing, with aheavy sea, and the night was dark, with heavy rain. The Port Erin motor life-boat Matthew Simpson left at 2.45 A.M. and reached the ship at 3.30. She found her to be the Glasgow steamer Valldemosa, with her engine broken down. She was at anchor, and the life-boat stood by.

At Port St. Mary a second message was received at 2.30 A.M. stating that the vessel was ashore on the Calf of Man and asking that the life-boat should go out. The motor life-boat Sir Heath Harrison was launched at 3.30, but she could not find the steamer, as all her lights had been extinguished, so she put into Port Erin to see if she could get some more information. She put out again, and at six o’clock she found the Valldemosa, and the Port Erin life-boat.

She stood by for a time, and at 7.30, as the weather was moderating, as there was no immediate danger, and as a government boat had also now arrived, she returned to her station, arriving at 8.45. At 8.45 the Port Erin life-boat left the steamer, and returned to her station. After her crew had had a meal she put out again at 9.15 and stood by the Valldemosa until a tug arrived. Later the steamer got away under her own power, with a tug in attendance, and the life-boat returned to her station, where she arrived at four in the afternoon. - Rewards : Port Erin, £28 8s. 6d. ; Port St. Mary, £33 16s.

OCTOBER 7TH. - CLOVELLY, DEVONSHIRE.

At 3.10 in the afternoon the wife of the life-boat coxswain saw a Seafire aeroplane crash into the sea five miles N.E. by N.

of Clovelly. A moderate N.E. breeze was blowing, and the sea was smooth. The motor life-boat City of Nottingham was launched at 3.15 P.M. and found the badly battered body of an airman. She searched further and found a deflated rubber dinghy.

With the body and the dinghy she returned to Clovelly, arriving at 5.30. - Rewards, £16 15s. 6d.

OCTOBER 11TH. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM.

At 7.20 in the evening the coastguard reported that red flares had been seen by the post of the Royal Observer Corps.

The motor life-boat The Princess Royal - Civil Service No. 7, was launched at 7.45.

The second-coxswain took charge, as the coxswain was on duty as a pilot, but the news of the launch was signalled to him by morse lamp and he joined the life-boat at the harbour entrance. A light W.S.W. breeze was blowing, with a slight swell, and there was a haze. On Mill Rock, a mile north of Heugh Light, the life-boat found the Admiralty motor launch 1054, with a crew of eleven. She could not get alongside owing to rocks, and fired her line-throwing gun, but the line fell short of the launch. The launch’s crew then came out to the life-boat in their own small boat, two at a time, all but one man who had got ashore over the rocks taking with him the ship’s papers.

The life-boat got back to her station with the ten rescued men at 11.5. - Rewards, £13 13s.

OCTOBER 11TH. - AITH, SHETLANDS.

At 9.15 in the evening the naval authorities asked, through the coastguard, that the life-boat should go to a vessel showing signals of distress west of Papa Stour. A strong W.S.W. breeze was blowing, with a rough sea, and the weather was thick and cold.

The motor life-boat The Rankin was launched at 9.45. At midnight she reached the position given and found an R.A.F. Catalina flying boat which had come down in the sea.

She was in a dangerous position, near the dreaded reefs at the entrance to Papa Sound, and an R.A.F. launch was attempting to tow her off shore. The life-boat stood by.

After the launch’s tow rope had parted several times, two of the flying boat’s crew left her in a rubber dinghy and the life-boat went immediately to their rescue, as they were drifting in a perilous position. At the same time the launch took the remaining four men off the flying boat. It was then two in the morning. The life-boat gave the rescued men suits from the emergency kit carried by life-boats to change into, of which they were very glad, for it was 4.30 before the lifeboat reached Aith again. The flying boat became a total wreck. - Rewards, £13 14s. 6d.

OCTOBER 12TH. - THE LIZARD, CORNWALL.

At 6.10 in the evening information was received from the coastguard that a small steamer was flashing an S.O.S., and the motor life-boat Duke of York was launched at 6.37. A fresh southerly breeze was blowing, the sea was moderate, but there was a heavy roll. One and a half miles W. by N. of Pradennack Head, the lifeboat found the ex-Belgian motor vessel Margurette Marie Louise, engaged on government work. Her engine had broken down.

The life-boat towed her to Newlyn, where she was bound, arriving at 11.10. The life-boat returned to her station next morning, arriving at 8.50 A.M. - Property salvage case.

OCTOBER 13TH. - ARBROATH, ANGUS.

At 3.15 in the afternoon the coastguard reported that an aeroplane had crashed into the sea three miles S.W. of Arbroath harbour.

A light southerly wind was blowing, and the weather was fine with a smooth sea. Within live minutes the motor life-boat John and William Mudie had been launched and was on her way to the spot which she reached at 3.38. The aeroplane, which belonged to the Fleet Air Arm, had already sunk, and her crew of three had taken to their rubber dinghy. All were injured. The life-boat rescued them, and at 4 o’clock got back to Arbroath where an ambulance was waiting on the pier. - Rewards, £7 11s.

SILVER MEDAL SERVICE AT MOELFRE OCTOBER 21ST. - MOELFRE, ANGLESEY. About 1.15 in the morning the coastguard sent a message to the coxswain that an aeroplane wasin distress, burning red flares, off Dulas Island, some three miles to the west.

The coxswain summoned the crew, and the boat got away at 1.45. The night was very dark, with rain, and it was blowing very hard from the southward. A very rough sea was running. As soon as the life-boat cleared the land she could see Very lights to the westward, evidently being fired by the airmen. When the life-boat got to the scene she found two or three trawlers standing by, but they could do nothing to help.

They could not lower their boats in that heavy sea, nor could they themselves get near the airmen, who were now in their rubber dinghy, beating up against the rocks on the weather side of a reef on the north of Dulas, where the seas were breaking heavily.

The airmen were in great danger, and the coxswain knew that whatever he did must be done at once, or they would be smashed on the rocks. Telling his crew to “ hold on to yourselves in case she strikes “, he boldly steered through the darkness towards where - somewhere among the rocks - he supposed the dinghy to be. He did not know what rocks were in his way, nor what water was, or was not, under his keel.

Apart from the danger of wrecking the life-boat he had to approach the rubber dinghy very carefully, for fear the life-boat would overrun her or knock the men out of her. He had a man at the searchlight, but the boat was rolling so heavily that it was not of great use, so he placed the secondcoxswain in the bows, telling him to lie flat. There, if he could, he was to watch for the rocks and direct the coxswain through them. All the time he was in great danger himself of being washed overboard as the life-boat rolled. In this way, by faith rather than by sight, the lifeboat moved through the darkness.

All on board knew that the odds were that she would strike the rocks, with almost certain loss of life among her crew. That she did not, and that she found and rescued the airmen was, so the district inspector who visited Moelfre wrote, “ only rendered possible by striking dispensation of Providence, combined with great human skill and daring. The risks to the salvors and the bravery shown were great.” The life-boat found the airmen only just in time. When the secondcoxswain, lying in the bows, saw them, one of them had just been washed out of the dinghy. They were all very much exhausted, and one of them had been injured on the rocks. The second-coxswain was the strong man of the crew. He seized the airman and lifted him straight out of the water into the life-boat, a great feat of strength. Then he threw a line to the dinghy and, with the other three airmen holding it, the life-boat backed out from the rocks towing the dinghy with her until she was in a slightly safer place. Then the men were taken into the life-boat, and the secondcoxswain lifted the dinghy on board her, another great feat of strength.

His unusual strength had played a big part in the rescue and had saved much time, when a few minutes might have meant the difference between life and death. With great difficulty, and at great risk, the coxswain carefully backed the life-boat out from among the rocks, and she returned to her station, undamaged, arriving about three in the morning.

The following message was received from the pilot of the aeroplane : “ Whitley V - ’ H ‘ - ditched quarter of mile S.E. of Point Lynas at 0120 hours. Fired first rocket 0140 hours.

Picked up 0230 hours.

“ Rescued from reef by line thrown from life-boat. Life-boat crew displayed extreme courage and skill in attempting such a rescue in such adverse conditions of weather - 30 m.p.h. wind - and in such a hazardous situation, and I should like on behalf of myself and my crew to recommend them for the highest honour and credit possible in the Royal National Life-boat Institution. The life-boat was brought right in close to the rocks thus endangering the safety of boat and crew to get us safely and quickly off the reef. A wind of almost gale force, a dark rough sea, and an unknown treacherous cove added greatly to the already present difficulties.”For this gallant service the Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN JOHN MATTHEWS, a clasp to the silver medal for gallantry which he already held, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To SECOND-COXSWAIN RICHARD M.

EVANS, the bronze medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To ROBERT WILLIAMS, the motormechanic, who handled the engine with great skill and accuracy, a clasp to the bronze medal for gallantry which he already held, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To the coxswain and each member of the crew a reward of £3 in addition to the ordinary reward on the standard scale of £1 17s. 6d. each ; To each of the five launchers a reward of 10s. in addition to the ordinary reward on the standard scale of 12s. ; Standard rewards, £16 2s. 6d. ; additional rewards, £26 10s. ; total rewards, £42 12s. 6d.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given : OCTOBER 2ND. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

Distress flares had been reported about midnight, but nothing was found.- Rewards, £29 2s. 6d.

OCTOBER 2ND. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.

A German aeroplane had crashed in flames, but no survivors could be found.- Paid permanent crew. - Rewards, £1 4s.

OCTOBER 6TH. - BARRA ISLAND, HEBRIDES.

A vessel had been reported in distress off the south-west corner of the Island of Skye, but nothing could be found, and after spending the night at Carbost, the life-boat, which was in charge of an acting coxswain, returned to her station on the following day.

- Rewards, £26 7s. 4d.

OCTOBER 8TH. - MARGATE, KENT. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but half an hour after the life-boat put out she was recalled by wireless by the naval officer in charge at Ramsgate. - Rewards, £15.

OCTOBER 8TH. - MINEHEAD, SOMERSET.

A Martinet aeroplane had come down in the sea, but only wreckage was found. - Rewards, £18 2s.

(See Watchet, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 65.)

OCTOBER 10TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT. A fishing boat had gone ashore, but she did not need help and got off later in the day.

- Rewards, £7 18s.

OCTOBER 12TH. - DUN LAOGHAIRE, CO. DUBLIN. A small boat had been blown out to sea, but she reached land unaided.

- Rewards, £7 11s.

(See Wicklow, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 66.) OCTOBER 1 2TH. - BALTIMORE, CO. CORK. A vessel had been reported in distress, but it was found that a mistake had been made. - Rewards, £26 4s.

OCTOBER 12TH. - PORTRUSH, CO. ANTRIM. A steamer had run aground but her crew got ashore unaided and the life-boat was recalled. - Rewards, £7 11s.

OCTOBER 17TH. - SALCOMBE, DEVON.

A light had been reported, drifting south of Bolt Head, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £13 12s. 6d.

OCTOBER 17TH. - CROMER, AND SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK. Ten men had baled out from an American Fortress aeroplane, but no trace of them was found, although aeroplanes and other vessels joined in the search. - Rewards : Cromer, £9 3s. 6d. ; and £26 2s. 6d. ; Sheringham, £29 1s.

OCTOBER 17TH. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

A disabled naval motor boat had made signals of distress, but she was taken in tow by another vessel. - Rewards, £10.

OCTOBER 18TH. - PORTHDINLLAEN, CAERNARVONSHIRE. A naval motor boat had broken down, but the life-boat could not find her and she reached Fishguard unaided. - Rewards, £12 12s.

OCTOBER 18TH. - ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK. An aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but her crew got ashore in their rubber dinghy. - Rewards, £47 13s. 6d.

OCTOBER 21ST. - HASTINGS, SUSSEX.

A parachute had been seen coming down, but only a large patch of oil was found.- Rewards, £36 0s. 6d.

OCTOBER 24TH. - ANSTRUTHER, FIFESHIRE. A Swordfish aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but two of her crew were saved by a rescue launch, and the third man could not be found. - Rewards, £19 11s. 6d.

OCTOBER 24TH. - PETERHEAD, ABERDEENSHIRE. A Whitley bomber had come down, but two of her crew were rescued from the shore and a search for the others was unsuccessful. - Rewards, £15 13s.

OCTOBER 25TH. - ST. DAVID’S, PEMBROKESHIRE.

An aeroplane’s dinghy was reported to have been seen, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £12 8s.

OCTOBER 28TH. - APPLEDORE, DEVONSHIRE.

A British aeroplane had crashedinto the sea, but her crew of two were rescued by an American amphibious craft. - Rewards, £9 12s.

OCTOBER 28TH . - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE. Two ships had been reported in collision in Strathbeg Bay, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £14 18s. 6d.