Taken from “The story of the Dover lifeboats” by Jeff Morris available from the Fundraising Branch's shop.

Shortly after 10 o'clock on the evening of December 1st 1975, the Coastguard picked up a ‘MAYDAY' call from the 1,200 ton Cypriot coaster “Primrose”, which had a cargo of phosphate. Her steering- gear had broken-down, 3 miles east of Dover Harbour and the Master asked for the assistance of a tug. Conditions at the time were appalling. A storm force 10 south-westerly severe gale, gusting up to 55mph , was churning up extremely heavy seas and conditions at the entrance to Dover Harbour were so bad no tug could get out, with the wind and high tide combining to produce a mass of white, churning water. The lifeboat-men were called out and, at 10-37pm, the “Faithful Forester” slipped her moorings, under the command of Coxswain Lidden and he headed towards the harbour entrance. He then had to use all his considerable skill just to take the lifeboat safely out of the harbour, one enormous wave laying the lifeboat right over on her beam-ends. She quickly righted herself and Coxswain Lidden headed on out, into deeper water.

The wind was increasing in strength all the time and, shortly after the lifeboat had cleared the harbour, it had risen to 70mph. Two ‘Townsend' cross-channel ferries, the “Free Enterprise VII” and the “Free Enterprise VIII”, were standing by the crippled coaster, which the lifeboat reached at 11-30pm, by which time the vessel was only 1.5 miles from Goodwin Sands. The lifeboat had covered the five miles to the casualty at an average of 7.69 knots, despite mountainous seas on her quarter, reliably reported to have been in excess of 25 feet high. The crew of the coaster had managed to rig temporary steering gear and the vessel was just about able to maintain her heading.

Coxswain Lidden took up station astern of the coaster, maintaining his position by expert use of both engines and rudders. At 12-40am, the Coastguard began broadcasting a warning that a weather front would pass through the area of the casualty in about 30 minutes time, but just 10 minutes later with a wind speed of 100mph being recorded on board the “Free Enterprise VII”, the lifeboat was laid right over on her beam-ends by a combination of huge seas and wind pressure. She remained healed right over for more than 30 seconds, before the wind eased and the lifeboat righted herself. The crew of the “Free Enterprise VII” had witnessed this near disaster and they immediately radioed to the lifeboat-men, to check that they were alright. Fortunately they were and the lifeboat resumed her position astern of the coaster. As the tide was then slack and with the wind easing down to 65mph, Coxswain Lidden suggested to the Master of the “Primrose” that he should steer a course to try and gain some shelter from the land. This the Master did and, slowly, they drew closer to the coast and, by 3-15am they were six miles from Dover.

The continued to make very slow progress and then, when about 2 miles from Dover , the Master of the “Primrose” requested a Pilot to take his vessel into the harbour. But conditions off the harbour entrance were still too bad for a Pilot Boat to put to sea and so, at 3-50am, the “Faithful Forester” took up position ahead of the coaster and by passing alterations to her course and speed, Coxswain Lidden safely guided the “Primrose” into Dover Harbour at 4-12am.

For this truly outstanding service, demanding tremendous skill, expert seamanship and great courage, Coswain Arthur Lidden was awarded a Silver Medal by the RNLI. Second Coxswain/Assistant Mechanic Anthony Hawkins was awarded a Bronze Medal, with each of the other members of that very gallant crew - Second Assistant Mechanic Richard Hawkins and lifeboat-men John Smith and Gordon Davis – each by awarded the Institution's ‘Thanks on Vellum'.

Captain Robinson, the Master of the “Free Enterprise VII”, a man with 18 years experience of conditions at sea in the Dover Straits, later said “The whole incident, from start to finish, must be the finest piece of seamanship I have ever seen, with such limited facilities, in the worst possible conditions and I salute this small band of dedicated lifeboat-men, who risked life and limb for some 8 hours.