THE LIFE-BOAT The Journal of the Royal National Life-boat Institution VOL. XXXIV MARCH 1957 No. 379 THE LIFE-BOAT FLEET 155 Motor Life-boats 1 Harbour Pulling Life-boat LIVES RESCUED from the foundation of the Life-boat Service in 1824 to 31st December, 1956 80,578 Notes of the Quarter THE year 1956 was one in which William Carder, of Exmouth. leuan greater demands were made on life- Bateman was washed out of the St. boat crews all round our coasts than David's life-boat in the course of an in any comparable year in the past. exceptionally exacting service, a full In fact there have been only two years account of which appears on page 384. in the whole history of the Institution William Carder was washed out of the in which life-boats were called out on Exmouth life-boat when she was service more often. One was 1940, called out on the afternoon of Christ- the year of the Battle of Britain, when mas Day. Until the last quarter there at one period life-boats, particularly on had been no loss of life among mem- the south and east coasts, were out bers of life-boat crews in spite of the almost continuously searching for allied great demands made on the Service and enemy airmen; the other was 1941. and of the exceptionally bad weather The previous busiest year in time of which was experienced at almost all peace was 1954, when there were 668 times of the year. launches on service. Last year there were no fewer than 745—an astonish- LOSS OF A NEW LIFE-BOAT ing increase. 533 lives were rescued by Another most unfortunate loss of a life-boats during the year and rewards different kind which the Institution were paid for the rescue of 75 lives by has suffered was the destruction by fire shore-boats. on the 10th of December, 1956, of The busiest months were August, the life-boat and boathouse at Thurso. with 146 launches, and July, with 129, An account of this incident appears on and from June to November inclusive page 388. The life-boat was the first every month was busier than in the of the new 47-feet class Watson boats, corresponding month of the year before. and she was named by H.M. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, no later LOSS OF TWO MEMBERS OF CREWS than the 18th of August, 1956. She It is with deep regret that this cost over £32,500 to build, the money journal has to record the loss of two being subscribed by the Civil Service members of life-boat crews during the Life-boat Fund. A new life-boathouse fourth quarter of 1956. They were is being erected at Thurso at an esti- leuan Bateman, of St, David's, and mated cost of £23,000. 382 THE LIFF-BOAT [MARCH, 1957 The whole of this loss falls on the LIFE-BOAT SERVICE TELEVISED Institution, because it has been the On the afternoon of Sunday, 25th of Institution's practice for some years November, 1956, a life-boat service not to insure its life-boats and boat- was shown for the first time on tele- houses against accidents of this nature. vision screens as it actually took place. For the first quarter of a century after The Dover life-boat Southern Africa motor life-boats began to be built the took part during that week-end in two Institution regularly took out in- television programmes arranged by the surance policies, as it was felt that the B.B.C., one on the Saturday evening risk of fire was considerable in the early and one during children's hour on Sun- petrol boats. The whole question of day afternoon. She was at sea with insurance was closely examined by a the B.B.C. producer, Mr. Peter committee in 1932, which came to the Webber, the commentator, Mr. Ray- conclusion that excessive premiums mond Baxter, B.B.C. engineers and were being paid and that the risk of cameras on board, when a man in the damage or destruction by fire or other motor boat Silver Wings, anchored near cause was actuarially less than the rates the eastern arm of Dover harbour, of premium implied. Experience over shouted to Coxswain John Walker that the past twenty-five years has shown the local motor boat Mayflower needed the committee's conclusion to have help near the South Foreland light. been correct, for the premiums which There was a moderate sea, a moderate would have had to be paid would south-westerly breeze was blowing, greatly have exceeded in amount and the tide was flooding. The life- the losses suffered. Nevertheless, the boat made for the position and some loss of a new life-boat and boathouse five minutes later found the Mayflower, is a sudden and considerable blow. which had been taking part in an angling contest, very close to the shore MORE V.H.P. SETS FITTED at South Foreland. Her engines were The Institution has decided to install working, but she was unable to make very high frequency radio-telephones headway against the wind and tide. into a further 50 life-boats to enable Watched by millions of viewers on their them to communicate directly with screens, the life-boat took her in tow helicopters and other search and rescue to Dover, arriving at 4.45 p.m., a aircraft. Eighteen of these life-boats quarter of an hour before the children's are at Scottish stations, thirteen in programme was due to begin. Wales, seven on the mainland of Eng- land, three in Ireland and three in the ROYAL SUPPORT Isle of Man. Six are reserve life- With the death of H.H. Princess boats. Marie Louise the Life-boat Service has In the September number of The lost a most valued and respected sup- Life-boat it was announced that a first porter. The late Princess Marie list of 50 life-boats in which V.H.F. Louise's work for the Service was sets would be installed had been mainly concentrated in the London selected. When the sets have been area. She presided over the London installed in the life-boats on the new district conference, was an active sup- list, all life-boats of 41 feet or more in porter of the Central London women's length which are within range of nor- committee, and for a number of years mal helicopter coverage will have been was president of the bridge party equipped with V.H.F. radio tele- organized by this committee. Her phones. loss will be deeply felt. Portrait on the Cover THE portrait on the cover is of Cox- swains in the Service. He was appoin- swain Lionel Scott of the Mumbles. ted in 1955 and first joined the At the age of twenty-nine Coxswain Mumbles crew in 1947. He has served Scott is one of the youngest cox- as bowman and second coxswain. MARCH, 1957] THE LIFE-BOAT 383 Silver Medal for Sheringham Coxswain AT 8.20 on the morning of the 31st side to. Seas some fifteen feet in of October, 1956, the Sheringham height were sweeping over the Wimble- honorary secretary, Brigadier A. L. don's foredeck, but eight men from Kent Lemon, learnt from the Cromer her crew were successfully taken coastguard that the S.S. Wimbledon, a aboard the life-boat. Coxswain West ship of 1598 tons, had reported by decided to transfer these men to radio that she was making water in her another ship which was standing by fore hold and needed help. Her posi- a mile and a half away, the Blyth, in tion was given as thirteen miles north order to make it easier to take on of Cromer light. The S.S. Eleanor board the remaining members of the Brook had reported that she was W'imbledon's crew if they too needed standing by the Wimbledon, and the to be rescued. S.S. Sydenham, sister ship of the Wimbledon, later sent a message, Landed by Helicopter which was intercepted by the coast- guard, that she too was going to stand Meanwhile the Eleanor Brook had by and that the Wimbledon was mak- picked up the master of the Wimbledon, ing for the shore at Blakeney. and a helicopter from the R.A.F. The maroons were fired at 8.35. station at Horsham St. Faith's had A fresh gale was blowing from the landed a doctor aboard her. All north-east and very heavy seas were attempts to resuscitate the master of breaking on the beach. The tide was the Wimbledon had failed and he was half ebb. It was clear that it would dead. The R.A.F. station therefore not be easy to launch the life-boat sent a message asking for the doctor Foresters Centenary, which is one of and the dead body to be brought the 35-feet 6-inches Liverpool type ashore. Coxswain West decided he launched by tractor. A number of must continue to stand by the Wimble- the enrolled members of the crew were don, and at 10.55 he requested the at the time away from Sheringham for coastguard to ask for the Wells life- beet picking. Nevertheless, a good boat to be launched, both to land the launch was made from a new type of doctor and the dead body and to bring carriage at 9.3. more petrol for the Sheringham life- boat. Master Washed Overboard The Wells life-boat Cecil Paine was Coxswain H.