Whilst on the voyage from the Gulf of Suez to Aden part of our task was to visit some lighthouses, which, it was considered, would benefit from a visit of one of Her Majesty's ships. Coincidentally the first lighthouse we visited was flying the International Code Signal indicating that it required medical assistance.
The whaler was most ably manned by a hand picked crew and lowered into what might be called a 'most uncomfortable swell'. Also embarked was Surgeon Lieutenant A Robinson, RN, the Squadron Medical Officer, and his bag of tools. The ship was lying about a mile off shore when the whaler took to the water and the pull inshore was a long and arduous task. Everyone in the boat was thoroughly soaked before the whaler had travelled very far.
The lighthouse was perched on the peak of a long extinct volcano which rose sheer from the sea. The coastline of the island was rugged and the considerable sea which was running made the approach and the landing an extremely hazardous business. The first attempt to land nearly ended in tragedy as there were many rocks in the vicinity of the beach, which only revealed themselves when the waves retreated. The whaler had to 'back-water' hastily. It was at this time that the thought occurred that it was prudent for a seaboat's crew to inflate their lifebelts before leaving the ship rather than wait until something happens. On the second approach, made a few hundred yards further along we were guided into a narrow opening between the rocks in which there was just sufficient space to moor the whaler.
Leaving the whaler to be looked after by the crew, the doctor and I, guided by an Arab, a most disreputable type, followed a winding path, which took us to the very top of the volcano. By the time we reached the top we were extremely exhausted. The island consisted of nothing but volcanic rock and ashes. Nothing grew, nothing green could possibly live there. The Arab stated that he had not left the island for nine years. There was nothing about his appearance to make us doubt this remark!
Inside the lighthouse we found the crew, which consisted of three more Arabs gathered around a bed upon which lay the chief lighthouse keeper. The doctor examined the patient whilst I consumed the contents of a pot of tea. Dr Robinson told the patient that he was the victim of a mild heart attack, whereupon the keeper, who was a Maltese, burst into tears. He said that the Arabs of his crew hated him and that he heartily reciprocated. Although he had been ill they still insisted that he did his share of the work. How, he complained, could he live under such circumstances.
We cheered him up as best we could and promised that he would be relieved as soon as possible. He was, in fact, relieved soon after we arrived back in Aden, Surgeon Lieutenant Robinson again visiting the island.
The trip back to the ship was just as exciting as the inshore passage but we arrived safely having lost nothing more than one broken oar.
The second lighthouse incident occurred in New Zealand when the ship was ordered to proceed with all dispatch to Cuvier Island where a female required medical attention. This time we did not carry a Medical Officer but we did have with us SBPO 'Tug' Wilson RNZN. The weather on these errands of mercy always seems to be against us. On arrival at Cuvier Island the whaler was dropped into a considerable swell but managed by a crew of stalwarts who couldn't care less about the weather! A landing was made under very trying conditions but it was successful. Leading Seaman Canning lay off out of reach of the breakers whilst PO Wilson and I climbed Everest. At least it seemed about as high as Everest although in fact it was only just over five hundred feet,
The 'female' who required medical attention was a sweet young thing of three years old who had been bitten in the face by a dog. She submitted to PO Wilson's examination without a murmur. We decided to bring her off to the ship, together with her mother, so that we could take her to Auckland for proper medical attention. There was a slight delay after this decision whilst mother cleaned junior's shoes and sewed buttons on her coat, but we managed to get clear of the island just before sunset. Once again the swell made embarkation difficult and with a woman and child as passengers it was momentarily even more tense. However the boat's crew pulled skilfully and willingly and this second lighthouse operation was completed without any serious accident.