At 1 A.M.

on the Hth January, Coxswain John Crocombe, received a message from the Coast-guard Station stating that inform- ation had been received by telephone to the effect that a vessel was firing signals of distress in Woody Bay. He at once took steps to summon the crew and the Life - boat Pritchard Frederick Gainer was launched and proceeded in tow of a steamer to the scene of the casualty.

When about a mile off the stranded vessel the Life-boatmen sighted a rowing- , boat burning lights, and this proved to be the ship's boat containing all the crew of nine hands. The Life-boat took the men on board and conveyed them in safety to Lynmouth, at the same time towing the empty boat in. The vessel, which became a total wreck through running on to the rocks, was the steam trawler Mikaga, of Cardiff, and was bound at the time from Cardiff to the Irish Sea. The weather was moderately rough, and the women of the village rendered much valuable help both in the launching and in hauling up the Life-boat, as so many of the men were away on active service..