At 3.10 P.M. on the 30th August a message was received reporting that a Government transport had been in collision off Rottingdean, i and was in a sinking condition. A light S. W. breeze was blowing at the time and | the sea was smooth, i After consulting j the Coastguard, the Honorary Secretary of the branch gave instructions for the Life-boat Sir FitzRoy Clayton to proceed to the assistance of the damaged vessel.

On arriving off Rottingdean, Coxswain Payne found that the vessel was the s.s. Bion, of Newcastle, and that the i Newhaven tug Alert and another transport were standing by her. The ' Kim had all her boats out. Coxswain Payne offered assistance to the captain, ! who stated in reply that he had engaged the tug to try and tow his vessel to Newhaven. He asked the Coxswain, however, to stand by while this was being done, as he was afraid that the vessel might founder. The Life-boat accordingly accompanied the vessel.

When she arrived off Newhaven it was found that she was drawing too much water to enter the harbour ; she was, therefore, beached in Seaford Bay, and the Life-boat returned to her station, At the time of the casualty the vessel was bound from Dover to Portsmouth in ballast.