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 toSILVER 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 lifeboatlifeboat 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..