Launches 29. Lives rescued 42.

SILVER MEDAL SERVICE AT BARRA ISLAND SEPTEMBER 5TH. - BARRA ISLAND, AND STORNOWAY, HEBRIDES.

At 7 o’clock in the morning a message came from the coastguard that a vessel was ashore on Idrigill Point on the Isle of Skye, 40 miles away. The local telephone service was out of order, and there was some delay in getting away the reserve motor life-boat Duke of Connaught, which was on temporary duty at Barra Island. She left at nine o’clock. A gale was blowing from the south-south-east and a heavy sea was running. There was continual heavy rain and the visibility was nil. From time to time the life-boat took heavy seas on board.

About 2.15 in the afternoon the weather cleared and the coxswain could see Idrigill Point and the vessel stranded close under the high cliffs. She was the S.S. Urlana, of London, of about 9,000 tons, and she had a crew of about forty. Another steamer, the Thurland Castle, which had been in the same convoy, was standing by.

The gale was blowing as strong as ever, and the wind was now coming from the south.

Heavy seas were dashing over the Urlana, and heavy seas were breaking in the life-boat as she made straight for her. The coxswain could see some of the steamer’s crew running along the deck. Then they disappeared, and it seemed that no one was left on board. As the life-boat got closer, the coxswain could see that the steamer’s port side amidships was on a sharp point of the cliff, but that there was a small space under her port quarter where it would be possible for the life-boat to go alongside, although there was a fierce backwash of sea from the cliffs. He came round the steamer’s stern and nearly collided with a motor boat full of men coming out from behind her. He had just time toput the helm over and swing clear.

As the life-boat came round she passed very close to the rocks.

The life-boat stood by until the ship’s boat had got clear and had set a course for the Thurland Castle. Then she hailed her and was answered that the men on board the ship’s boat were the last of the steamer’s crew.

The others had already been put on board the Thurland Castle. The ship’s boat asked the life-boat to stand by her, but they had only gone a few yards together when the ship’s boat’s engine broke down, and the men shouted for the life-boat to take them in tow.

In the heavy seas running it was no easy task to pass a rope, and there was a great risk of the two boats crashing into one another, but the life-boat got the ship’s boat in tow without mishap. Then, as soon as the tow started, the line snapped, and the ship’s boat drifted broadside on to the seas. She was in imminent danger of being swamped or capsized, but the life-boat, running down the trough of the sea, threw a line as she passed her. As she did so the ship’s boat disappeared completely under a heavy sea, and all on board the life-boat thought she had gone, but she came up again, the rope was made fast, and the life-boat towed her head on to wind and sea. This time the rope held, and the life-boat brought her safely to the Thurland Castle, about a mile away. The steamer was rolling heavily, which made it difficult to approach her, but the coxswain, watching his opportunity, went full speed alongside her, and a rope was thrown from the steamer to the ship’s boat. At that moment the steamer rolled over so heavily, that the coxswain had to let go his tow rope, and this was done only just in time to get clear. The life-boat stood by until the 15 men from the ship’s boat had been taken on board the steamer.

The coxswain decided to make for Carbost, some ten miles away, to refuel and shelter. It was now just after four in the afternoon. At this moment the oil pressure gave out ; the motor-mechanic had to throttle down his engine ; the lifeboat was struck by a heavy sea ; her engine stopped. She was very close to the rocks. She began to drift towards them. The crew quickly set the sails, but in the heavy seas the life-boat would not tack. By this time the rocks were very close, and as the life-boat would not come up to the wind the coxswain wore her round. It was plain that she would not clear the point, but the mechanic had now found that the engine had failed because the oil pump had been severed.

Using the hand pump he was able to start the engine again just in time to get clear. The life-boat then made for Carbost, where she arrived at six that evening, nine hours after she had set out. The gale continued through the following day, the Monday, and the coxswain decided to remain at Carbost.

By the next day, Tuesday, the weather was moderate, and the lifeboat returned to Barra Island, arriving there at four in the afternoon.

It was a long and difficult service, skilfully carried out, and the Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN MURDO SINCLAIR, the silver medal for gallantry, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum ; To the coxswain and the seven members of his crew a reward of £3 each in addition to the ordinary reward on the standard scale of £4 14s., making a money reward to each man of £7 14s. ; Standard rewards to crew and launchers, £39 1s. 8d. ; additional rewards to crew, £24 ; total rewards, £63 1s. 8d.

The owners, The British India Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., made a gift of £100 to the Institution.

The Stornoway motor life-boat William and Harriot left at 6.45 in the morning. She had some 70 miles to travel and when she arrived at 5.15 in the afternoon, she found the steamer abandoned. She put into Loch Harport for the night, and reached Stornoway again at 7.50 on the evening of 6th September.- Rewards, £16 19s.

SEPTEMBER 6TH. - HASTINGS AND EASTBOURNE, SUSSEX. At 12.40 in the afternoon information was received from the coastguard and the police that anaeroplane was down in the sea. A fresh W.S.W. wind was blowing, with a moderate sea. The aeroplane was an American Fortress and she was reported to be a quarter of a mile off shore at Bexhill with her crew in their dinghies. With the second coxswain in charge, in the absence of the coxswain, and with the honorary secretary, Commander W.

Highfield, O.B.E., R.N., on board, the motor life-boat Cyril and Lilian Bishop was launched at 1.17. She found and picked up some photographic apparatus attached to a parachute, and saw a rubber dinghy washed up on the beach. Nothing else could be seen so the life-boat returned, reaching her station again at 2.53. The Eastbourne motor lifeboat Jane Holland was also launched, but found nothing. All the crew of the aeroplane had already been rescued, some by a boat and some from the shore. - Rewards : Hastings, £16 6s. 9d. ; Eastbourne, £7 9s.

(See Bexhill and Pevensey, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 66.)

SEPTEMBER 6TH. - HOYLAKE , CHESHIRE. At 3.28 in the afternoon the coastguard reported a small fishing boat, at anchor, in a dangerous position in Hilbre Swash with seas breaking over her. A strong W.S.W. wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat Oldham was away at 4.19 P.M. having been launched with aid of the tractor in the record time of eleven minutes. She found the West Kirby fishing boat Commander, half a mile north of Hilbre, hoisting sail to go into Hilbre Pool. The life-boat escorted the boat until a safe anchorage was reached and then returned to her station, arriving at 6 P.M. - Rewards, £8 5s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 7TH. - DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN. At 11 A.M. the naval authorities reported that a naval cutter, being used for training purposes off Douglas, was being driven on to the rocks at Onchan Head. A strong W.S.W. breeze was blowing, with a very rough sea. The motor life-boat Manchester and Salford was launched at 11.20 A.M., found the cutter, got a line aboard, and towed her and her crew of five into Douglas harbour.

The life-boat then put out to look for a second cutter, and found that she was all right. Searching again, she found a third cutter, but it was in tow of an R.A.F. launch.

The life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 2 P.M. - Rewards, £5 10s.

SEPTEMBER 8TH. - BOULMER, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At 9.43 in the morning a message came from the coastguard that a British Hurricane aeroplane had crashed into the sea two miles east of Embleton, some seven miles N.N.E. of the life-boat station.

The honorary secretary, Mr. William S.

Stanton, was then at Alnwick on business, six miles away. As soon as the message was passed on to him he returned to the station by car. There he found that all the fishermen were out at sea, including all the regular members of the life-boat’s crew. The only one on shore was the motor-mechanic, and he got the life-boat ready. When the honorary secretary arrived he collected a scratch crew, which included three men of the R.A.F., and took command himself, and the motor life-boat Clarissa Langdon was launched, the motor-mechanic driving the launching tractor. It was then five minutes past ten, only twenty-two minutes after the message had been received from the coastguard.

About one and a half miles east of Dunstanburgh Castle the life-boat found patches of oil and picked up a rubber dinghy which had not been inflated. She learned later that the pilot had been saved by a fishing boat. She returned to her station, arriving at 1.10 in the afternoon. - Rewards, £6.

(See Newton-by-the-Sea, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 65.)

SEPTEMBER 15TH. - PORT ST. MARY, ISLE OF MAN. At. 7.30 in the afternoon the Castletown coastguard telephoned that a vessel was in difficulties in Castletown Bay.

A S.W. gale was blowing, with a heavy swell.

The life-boat crew assembled, but the naval authorities asked them not to launch at once as the vessel, which was landing craft 2429, appeared to be getting out of her difficulties.

At nine o’clock another message came from the naval authorities asking the life-boat to go and at 9.15 P.M., the motor life-boat Sir Heath Harrison was launched.

She reached the vessel at ten o’clock.

She was then half a mile from the beach in the centre of Castletown Bay. The life-boat guided her into Castletown harbour and returned to her station, arriving at 12.20 in the afternoon. The naval authorities expressed their thanks. - Rewards, £17 15s.

SEPTEMBER 17TH. - NORTH SUNDERLAND, AND HOLY ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At 12.25 in the morning the coastguard reported that an aeroplane had crashed into the sea one and a half miles north by east of Seahouses. She was an American Flying Fortress which had been in the air since 11 the previous morning. Her wireless had failed and she had lost her bearings.

Just as she reached land her fuel had come to an end and she had been forced down into the sea beside the Farne Islands. The weather was fine, and the sea smooth. The motor life-boat W.R.A. was launched at 1.15 A.M. and found eight of the aeroplane’s crew on one of the islands. One of them was badly injured. They had got out of the aeroplane into their dinghies, and so reached the island, but the Flying Fortress had sunk in a few minutes, and two of the crew had gone down with her. Two members of the life-boat’s crew who had received firstaid training in the Home Guard, attended to the injured man. They found that his leg was broken, and put it in splints. Then, using a rubber dinghy as a stretcher, they carried him to the life-boat across three hundred yards of rocks. With the eight rescued airmen on board the life-boat reached her station again at 2.45 A.M. She went back again to the island and finally returned at 4.45 A.M. The Holy Island motor life-boat was also launched at 12.58 in the morning. She searched for some time without finding anything and returned at 7.15.-Rewards : North Sunderland, £15 9s. ; and Holy Island, £13 16s. 9d.

SEPTEMBER 21ST. - FRASERBURGH, ABERDEENSHIRE. At 6.30 in the evening the coastguard telephoned that a vessel, one and a half miles N.E. of Kinnaird Head, was flying a distress signal. A N.W. gale was blowing, with a choppy sea. The motor life-boat John and Charles Kennedy was launched at seven o’clock, and found the motor vessel Sven Knud, of Esbjerg, with a crew of four. Her engine had failed and she had been riding to a sea anchor for two days in the gale. Now she had broken adrift and was driving in a nasty sea on to a lee shore.

The life-boat took her in tow and brought her safely into Fraserburgh harbour at 8.10 P.M.

- Property salvage case.

SEPTEMBER 22ND. - BARROW, LANCASHIRE.

At 2.15 in the morning the naval authorities telephoned that an aeroplane was down in the sea about three miles W.N.W. of Silecroft. A light N.E. wind was blowing and the sea was smooth, with a flood tide. The motor life-boat N.T. was launched at 2.30 and, 500 yards off shore, between Haverigg and Haverigg Point, found a damaged Anson aeroplane, but there was no sign of her crew. The life-boat took on board some of the wreckage and stood by until a rescue launch arrived. She then returned to her station, arriving at 10.15- Rewards, £13 19s.

(See Millom, “ Services by Auxiliary Rescue-boats," page 69.)

BRONZE MEDAL SERVICE AT LOWESTOFT SEPTEMBER 30TH. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK. At 9.40 in the evening the naval authorities asked that the motor life-boat Michael Stephens should go out to the help of a vessel which was ashore about one and a half miles south of the harbour. She was H.M.M.S. 106 and had a crew of fourteen.

The life-boat left at ten o’clock.

The wind was light, from the west, but there was a heavy ground swell, and the night was dark and foggy. Searchlights were turned on the vessel, and it could be seen that she had stuck fast near the outer end of a sea-defence groyne about 100 yards from the shore. She was in seven feet of water and her crew, in their own boat, had run out a kedge anchor. The coxswain knew that there were submerged coast defences consisting of concrete blocks and iron piles near where the vessel lay, but their exact position was unknown to him. The vessel, in fact, was actually on the iron piles.

In spite of this the coxswain went alongside her without hesitation, and at the request of her commanding officer took off all confidential books and gear. He left the vessel at eleven o’clock and landed these things at the naval base.

At 11.45 red rockets were seen coming from the vessel and the lifeboat again went out to her. She took with her this time a naval officer. A searchlight was playing on the harbour, but as the life-boat came out, going slowly on one engine, the light was suddenly switched off. In the intense darkness which followed the life-boat hit the pier a glancing blow. The bow fender took the force of it and the boat was undamaged, but the coxswain, a man of 63, was thrown against the binnacle which cut open his jaw for three inches. It was bleeding severely, and the naval officer examined it and advised him to return. This the coxswain refused to do, and carried on until the life-boat was out at sea when he had the wound bound up.

He went on to the vessel. The tide was falling, and she was listing 45 degrees. It was much more difficult than before, with the falling tide, to approach, and several times the lifeboat herself touched bottom, but she succeeded in getting alongside and this time took off wireless sets, instruments, movable guns and rifles. At 12.30 she left the vessel and landed all the gear at the naval base.

The coxswain had another dressing put on his wound, and at 1.15 in the morning put out for the third time.

He found the vessel rolling very heavily, and in danger of breaking up, so he made fast alongside and took off ten men. The other four had climbed along the groyne and got ashore. It was now two in the morning. The life-boat hauled out into deeper water and anchored until daylight. She then went back to the vessel and put her crew on board her again. She waited until a motor naval boat came out to stand by, and returned to harbour where she arrived at 3.30. Then, and not till then, the coxswain agreed to go to hospital. There his woundwas cleaned and eight stitches were put in it. Even then he refused to go off duty, and attended the hospital as an out-patient. He and his crew were warmly thanked by the commanding officer and the crew of H.M.M.S.

106. It was found impossible to refloat the vessel, so boatbuilders sawed her through, brought three-quarters of her into harbour, and left the bow ashore on the defence piles.

It was a long and arduous service in which the coxswain displayed courage and fortitude, and the Institution made the following awards : To COXSWAIN ALBERT SPURGEON, a clasp to the bronze medal for gallantry which he already held, with a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum, and £2 ; To each of the other six members of the crew a reward of £1 in addition to the ordinary reward on the standard scale of £2 7s. ; Standard rewards to crew and launchers, £12 5s ; additional rewards to crew £8 ; total rewards, £20 5s.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given :

SEPTEMBER 5TH. - MARGATE, KENT.

An aeroplane had crashed into the sea. but the airman’s body was picked up by a fishing boat. - Rewards. £5 12s. 6d.

(See Margate, “’ Services by Shore-boats,” page 64.)

SEPTEMBER 6TH . - DUNBAR, EAST LOTHIAN. Two Hurricane aeroplanes had collided, and an airman had baled out, but he was picked up by a fishing boat. - Rewards, £2 10s.

SEPTEMBER 8TH. - PORTHDINLLAEN, CAERNARVONSHIRE. An Anson trainer aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but the life-boat found nothing. - Rewards, £5 7s.

SEPTEMBER 9TH. - PORTHDINLLAEN, CAERNARVONSHIRE. An Anson training aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but two men in a rowing boat had rescued three of the crew and recovered two bodies. A third body had been left in the aeroplane.- Rewards, £7 6s.

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

SEPTEMBER 12TH. - PENLEE, CORNWALL.

A small boat was reported to have capsized, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £14 14s.

SEPTEMBER 13TH. - DUNBAR, EAST LOTHIAN, AND ST. ABBS, BERWICKSHIRE.BERWICKSHIRE.

The American liberty vessel No. 572 had stranded, but a fishing boat stood by her and she refloated. - Rewards : Dunbar, £4 7s. 6d. ; St. Abbs, £6 8s.

SEPTEMBER 16TH. - SALCOMBE, DEVON. An aeroplane had come down in the sea, but her crew had been picked up from their rubber dinghy by a Hope Cove fishing boat. - Rewards, £6 13s.

(See Hope Cove, “ Services by Shoreboats,” page 65.)

SEPTEMBER 18TH. - FENIT, CO. KERRY.

Flares had been reported off Loop Head, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £13 16s.

SEPTEMBER 19TH. - NORTH SUNDERLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND. An aeroplane had crashed into the sea, and a ship which had been seen to stop and put out a small boat was believed to have saved the pilot, but no trace of the observer could be found. - Rewards, £13 4s. 9d.

SEPTEMBER 25TH. - BARMOUTH, MERIONETHSHIRE, AND PWLLHELI, CAERNARVONSHIRE. An Anson aeroplane had been reported down, north of St. Patrick’s Causeway, but a search by the life-boats, aeroplanes, and an R.A.F. boat was without result. and later it was learned that no aeroplane was missing. - Rewards : Barmouth, £16 17s. 6d. ; Pwllheli, £10 0s. 3d.

SEPTEMBER 27TH. - MARYPORT, CUMBERLAND. A motor schooner had grounded, but she refloated and after she had drifted for a time her anchor held and she did not need the services of the life-boat.

- Rewards, £30 15s.

SEPTEMBER 28TH . - LLANDUDNO, CAERNARVONSHIRE. A launch attached to a Coast Artillery School had got into difficulties and had capsized after striking a diving tower, but the crew were all rescued from the shore. - Rewards, £8 17s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 2 8TH. - FILEY, YORKSHIRE.

Lights, which might have been from an airman baled out from an aeroplane, had been reported, but nothing was found.- Rewards, £15 17s. 6d.

SEPTEMBER 29TH. - BUCKIE, BANFFSHIRE.

A small motor boat had been reported in difficulties, but she managed to reach Cullen unaided. - Rewards, £7 19s.