On the morning of the 19th April, large red flares were seen on the Middle Gross Sand, and the Middle Cross, St.

Nicholas, and Gorton light-vessels were firing rockets. The No. 1 Life-boat, Covent Garden was launched, a great deal of difficulty being experienced in getting her afloat on account of the heavy sea.

This, however, was overcome, and the boat having crossed the Barber and Scroby Sands, shipping heavy seas all the time, found a fishing-smack ashore, but before it was possible to reach her she foundered, the crew, numbering six men, just managing to get clear of her in their own boat. The Life-boat sailed to them and rescued them. Their boat was then nearly full of water, and the men were greatly exhausted some of them being only partly clothed. The master of the smack, which was the Boy Ernest of Great Yarmouth returning from a fishing voyage, stated that he had only just time to get a box of lights and jump into the rigging or he would not have been able to make any distress signal at all..