Services by the Life-boats of the Institution and by Shore-boats during 1939 During the year life-boats were launched 685 times. Of these launches 200 were to vessels and aeroplanes in distress through attack by the enemy or from other causes due to the war. War was declared at eleven in the morning of the 3rd of September. The Record Month by Month Vessels Number Lives which Lives of Rescued Life-boats Rescued 1939 Life-boat by Saved or by Launches Life-boats Helped Shore-boats to Save January . 50 35 7 February . 18 8 1 4 March . 37 12 3 3 April . 27 5 2 3 May . 18 30 2 5 June . 29 54 8 20 July . 47 31 3 23 August . 37 13 5 September* . 52 115 4 11 October . 107 107 7 26 November . 120 460 19 27 December . 143 328 13 87 I Totals . 685 1198 74 209 * War was declared at 11 a.m. on the 3rd of September. 1 Fifty Medals for Gallantry ST. IVES, CORNWALL On the 23rd January, 1939, seven members of the crew of eight of the St. Ives life-boat were lost when the boat capsized while on service to an unknown vessel. COXSWAIN THOMAS COCKING was posthumously awarded the bronze medal. BOWMAN MATTHEW S. BARBER, acting as second coxswain, was post- humously awarded a clasp to his bronze medal. LIFE-BOATMAN WILLIAM B. BARBER, acting as bowman, was post- humously awarded a clasp to his bronze medal. MOTOR MECHANIC RICHARD Q. STEVENS was posthumously awarded the bronze medal. ASSISTANT MOTOR MECHANIC JOHN B. COCKING was posthumously awarded a clasp to his bronze medal. SIGNALMAN JOHN THOMAS was posthumously awarded a clasp to his bronze medal. LIFE-BOATMAN EDGAR BASSETT was posthumously awarded the bronze medal. LIFE-BOATMAN WILLLAM FREEMAN was awarded the bronze medal. CLOUGHEY, CO. DOWN On the 17th-18th June, 1939, the Cloughey life-boat rescued a salvage party of eleven men from the S.S. Arantzazu-Mendi, of Bilbao. COXSWAIN ROBERT YOUNG was awarded the silver medal. MOTOR MECHANIC GEORGE YOUNG was awarded the bronze medal. CROMER, NORFOLK On the 9th October, 1939, the Cromer life-boat rescued the crew of twenty- nine of the S.S. Mount Ida, of Piraeus. COXSWAIN HENRY G. BLOGG was awarded a second clasp to his silver medal. SECOND COXSWAIN JOHN J. DAVIES was awarded a second clasp to his bronze medal. MOTOR MECHANIC HENRY W. DAVIES was awarded a clasp to his bronze medal. ASSISTANT MOTOR MECHANIC JAMES W. DAVIES was awarded a clasp to his bronze medal. THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE On the 10th October, 1939, the Humber life-boat rescued the crew of nine of the steam trawler Saltaire, of Grimsby. Later the men returned to their ship, with the owner’s agent, and seven were rescued a second time by the life-boat, the other three being rescued from the shore. COXSWAIN ROBERT CROSS was awarded a second clasp to his silver medal. MOTOR MECHANIC JOHN S. MAJOR was awarded the bronze medal. 2 SERVICES 1939 3 WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX On the 14th October, 1939, the Walton and Frinton life-boat rescued the crew of three of the barge Estrel, of London. COXSWAIN THOMAS H. BLOOM was awarded the silver medal. SECOND COXSWAIN WALTER J. OXLEY was awarded the bronze medal. ASSISTANT MOTOR MECHANIC FRASER T. BACON, acting as motor mechanic, was awarded the bronze medal. SIGNALMAN FREDERICK J. WILLIAMS was awarded the bronze medal. WHITBY, YORKSHIRE On the 12th November, 1939, the Whitby life-boat rescued the crew of eighteen of H.M. Minesweeper Cape Comorin. COXSWAIN JAMES MURFIELD was awarded the silver medal. LIFE-BOATMAN JOHN R. DRYDEN, acting as second coxswain, was awarded the bronze medal. MOTOR MECHANIC JAMES PHILPOT was awarded the bronze medal. YARMOUTH, ISLE OF WIGHT On the 14th November, 1939, the Yarmouth life-boat rescued the crew of twelve of one of H.M. Trawlers. CLACTON-ON-SEA, ESSEX On the 19th November, 1939, the Clacton-on-Sea life-boat rescued the crew of two of the smack Charlotte Ellen of Tollesbury, and the crew of two of the barge Lorna, of London. COXSWAIN CHARLES R. ELLIS was awarded the silver medal. BLACKPOOL, LANCASHIRE On the 26th November, 1939, the Blackpool life-boat rescued the six survivors of the crew of the Mersey pilot boat Charles Livingstone. COXSWAIN WILLIAM R. PARR was awarded the silver medal. MOTOR MECHANIC THOMAS E. RIMMER was awarded the bronze medal. LYTHAM-ST. ANNES, LANCASHIRE On the 26th November, 1939, the Lytham-St. Annes life-boat got alongside the Mersey pilot boat Charles Livingstone, but the men on board, who were rescued later by the Blackpool life-boat, refused to leave her. COXSWAIN JOHN J. PARKINSON was awarded the silver medal. MOTOR MECHANIC GEORGE HARRISON was awarded the bronze medal 4 SERVICES 1939 DOVER, KENT On the 26th November, 1939, the Dover life-boat rescued the crew of sixteen of H.M. Trawler Blackburn Rovers. COXSWAIN COLIN H. BRYANT was awarded the silver medal. LIEUTENANT RICHARD WALKER, R.N.R., Assistant King’s Harbour Master, was awarded the bronze medal. SECOND COXSWAIN SIDNEY T. HILLS was awarded the bronze medal. MOTOR MECHANIC WILFRED L. COOK was awarded the bronze medal. MOTOR MECHANIC CHRISTIAN R. T. STOCK was awarded the bronze medal. GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK On the 2nd December, 1939, the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat rescued the crew of ten of the steam trawler Resolvo, of Grimsby, on Admiralty Service. COXSWAIN CHARLES A. JOHNSON was awarded a second clasp to his bronze medal. BROUGHTY FERRY, ANGUS On the 5th December, 1939, the Broughty Ferry life-boat rescued the crew of nine of the steam trawler Quixotic, of Aberdeen. COXSWAIN JAMES COULL was awarded the silver medal. SECOND COXSWAIN GEORGE B. SMITH was awarded the bronze medal. MOTOR MECHANIC JOHN GRIEVE was awarded the bronze medal. SALCOMBE, DEVON On the 7th-8th December, 1939, the Salcombe life-boat rescued the sixty-two survivors of the S.S. Tajandoen, of Amsterdam, from the S.S. Louis Shied, of Antwerp, which had gone ashore after picking up survivors of the Tajandoen, sunk by enemy action. COXSWAIN EDWIN W. DISTIN was awarded the silver medal. SECOND COXSWAIN EDWIN CHANT was awarded the bronze medal. BOWMAN GERALD SHEPHERD was awarded the bronze medal. MOTOR MECHANIC JOHN ALLEN was awarded the bronze medal. ASSISTANT MOTOR MECHANIC PHILIP E. CHANT was awarded the bronze medal. SIGNALMAN GEORGE J. LAKE was awarded the bronze medal. LIFE-BOATMAN JOHN FIELD was awarded the bronze medal. LIFE-BOATMAN THOMAS CHEESEMAN was awarded the bronze medal. SERVICES 1939 5 TORBAY, DEVON On the 16th December, 1939, the Torbay life-boat rescued the crew of seven of the motor schooner Henrietta, of Truro. COXSWAIN WILLIAM H. H. MOGRIDGE was awarded a clasp to his silver medal. SECOND COXSWAIN WILLIAM PILLAR was awarded the bronze medal. BOWMAN FREDERICK C. SANDERS was awarded the bronze medal. MOTOR MECHANIC RICHARD T. HARRIS was awarded the bronze medal. SERVICES 1939 11 Persons Time of rescued from 1939 Launching shipwreck Nov. 12. 7.10 p.m. S.S. Fireglow, of London, and S.S. Deerpool, of West Hartle- pool. Humber life-boat saved S.S. Fireglow, and rescued 34 from S.S. Deerpool, including 4 from a tug’s crew- - - - 34 ,, 12. 9.30 p.m. S.S. Appledore. Lowestoft life-boat took out letter from naval authorities. ,, 13. 7.25 a.m. Fishing boat Sea Queen, of Hastings. Hastings life-boat saved boat and rescued - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 ,, 13. 11.30 a.m. Fishing coble Royal Empire, of Whitby. Whitby No. 2 pulling life-boat escorted coble. ,, 13. 7.10 p.m. S.S. Matra, of Liverpool. Margate life-boat - - - - - 52 ,, 13. 11.20 p.m. S.S. Matra, of Liverpool. Margate life-boat - - - - - 1 ,, 14. 8.0 p.m. S.S. Georgios, of Piraeus. Humber life-boat - - - - - - 22 ,, 14. 9.15 p.m. H.M. Trawler. Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) life-boat - - - 12 ,, 15. 4.40 a.m. S.S. Alaska, of Havre. Selsey life-boat saved ship’s boat. ,, 15. 11.50 a.m. S.S. Woodstown. Margate life-boat landed 4. ,, 16. 5.30 a.m. S.S. Veloce, of Napoli. Dungeness life-boat stood by vessel. ,, 16. 1.10 p.m. Motor fishing boat Margaret, of Minehead. Minehead life-boat saved boat and rescued - - - - - - - - - - - 3 ,, 17. 12 noon. Fishing boat Pride and two cobles, of Scarborough. Whitby No. 1 life-boat escorted boats. ,, 19. 4.0 a.m. Auxiliary smack Charlotte Ellen, of Tollesbury. Clacton-on- Sea life-boat - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 ,, 19. 5.17 a.m. Barge Cetus, of London. Aldeburgh No. 1 life-boat saved barge and rescued - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 ,, 19. 8.56 a.m. Sprit barge Lorna, of London. Clacton-on-Sea life-boat - - 2 ,, 19. 10.58 a.m. S.S. Roxby, of West Hartlepool. Walmer life-boat landed an injured man. ,, 20. 10.45 a.m. H.M. Minesweeper Mastiff. Margate life-boat landed 4. ,, 21. 1.17 p.m. S.S. Terukuni Maru, of Tokio. Walton and Frinton life-boat saved ship’s boat. ,, 22. 9.20 a.m. S.S. Fianona, of Genoa. Walmer life-boat stood by vessel. ,, 22. 11.45 p.m. S.S. Elena R., of Syra. Weymouth life-boat landed 24. ,, 23. 8.25 a.m. French naval trawler. St. Peter Port life-boat gave help. ,, 23. 10.5 a.m. Margate life-boat warned shipping of dangerous area. ,, 23. 12.50 a.m. Trawler Sulby, of Fleetwood. Tobermory life-boat landed 5. ,, 24. 9.12 a.m.