OCTOBER 19TH. - CLOVELLY, DEVON.

At 1.30 in the morning a message came from the naval officer-in-charge at Appledore that phoenix AX193 - one of the concrete caissons used to build the breakwater of the invasion port on the coast of Normandy - was in a dangerous position in the bay. He asked the life-boat to take off the crew. A moderate north-north-west gale wits blowing, with squalls, and a heavy sea was running. In that sea a launch over the difficult beach was hazardous, and after consultation with the naval officer-in-charge, it was decided to postpone it until the tide was more favourable.

At four o’clock an attempt was made and the motor life-boat City of Nottingham was launched, but owing to the heavy seas she had to be hauled back on to the slipway. An hour and a half later, at high water, a second attempt was made, and the life-boat got away. About 7.30 she came up to the phoenix.

It was both difficult and dangerous to go alongside that mass of concrete rolling in heavy seas, but the coxswain did it without mishap and rescued the eight men on board.

At 8.30 the life-boat brought them ashore, and at 9.30 the naval officer-in-charge asked her to take them out again so that they could run the phoenix aground in a safe inshore position. This the life-boat did, and the phoenix was grounded about two miles to the westward of Clovelly. The life-boat brought its crew ashore at 5.30 in the afternoon.

The War Office asked the Institution to convey to the life-boatmen the appreciation of the Army Council.

Coxswain GEORGE LAMEY had handled his life-boat with skill and daring, both in getting her twice afloat, and twice alongside the phoenix, and the Institution awarded him its thanks inscribed on vellum. - Rewards, £62 18s..