COASTGUARD HEROES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13736, 28 October 1908, Page 7

COASTGUARD HEROES.

FREXCK GOVERNMENT REWARD. A story of gallant work by coastguards in the succour of distm-ot-d seamen was told at Plymouth, when Captain John Gordon Fletcher, late divisional officer of the coastguard-, at Kilkee. Ireland, was the recipient; of gifts from the French Government/ In October last the French barque Leon XIII. was driven on the locks of the south const of Ireland dining a heavy gale. The coastguard, under Captain Fletcher, made brave efforts to tave the crew, and after fifty huuib' continuous toil the twentv-oiie hands of the barquewere all saved*. The vessel afterwaids became a total wreck. In another gale in March the French barque Finest Saver was driven to anchor in a dangerous position on the south co:u>t, twentv miles from Kilkee. Captain Fletcher went to her assistance. with the life saving apparatus, and stood bv her for three days as bhe dragged her anchor along the coast. On the third day H.M'.S. Forth arrived *nd towed the barque out to sea. Sir Joseph Bellamy, French Consul, on behalf of the French Government, presented Captain Fletclh-r with gold medal* and a pair of binoculaiis. and also presented a medal to Miss Fletcher for her humane treatment of the shipwrecked crew of the Leon XIIT.