In response to a telephone message from Thorpeness on the 17th September the No. 1 Life-boat City of Winchester was launched, great difficulty being experienced in getting the boat afloat owing to the heavy sea running and the bad state of the beach.

Eventually, with the assistance of about two hundred persons, the boat was successfully floated, and at once pro- ceeded to Thorpeness, where she found the barge Perseus, of London, driving on shore with her rudder head gone. The boat attempted to veer down to the barge, but the anchor dragged, and Coxswain Cable found it necessary to cut his cable as the boat was very near inshore in heavy broken seas and ship- ping a great deal of water. He then made for the barge again and in three tacks succeeded in reaching her, when the crew of the three hands were, with great difficulty, taken off. The barge at this time was lying in only two and a half fathoms of water. The Life-boat then started for Aldeburgh, but just before she arrived home the wind shifted into the W., and the men decided to return to the barge which had been left riding to two anchors. Life-boatmen were placed on board and, with the assistance of a mine sweeper, the barge was towed to Harwich, the Life-boat steering her on account of the damage done to her rudder..