Aldeburgh and Southwold, Suffolk.— At about 8 A.M. on the 18th July, an explosion was observed on a large steamer abreast of Southwold, and it was reported that she had been tor- pedoed. As some of the crew were observed leaving the vessel in the ship's boats the Southwold Life-boat Alfred Carry was not immediately launched, but the vessel was kept under obser- vation, and a message was sent for tugs to proceed to her assistance. In the meanwhile the vessel proceeded in the direction of Aldeburgh and, a report having reached that place that a large steamer had been torpedoed, prepara- tions were made for launching the No. 2 Life-boat Edward Z. Dresden. The dis- tressed vessel was then within the neigh- bourhood of the Sizewell Bank, and with the assistance of a large number of helpers the boat was tracted sufficiently far to windward to enable her to fetch the ship. She proved to be the s.s.

Batoum, of Swansea, carrying a crew of thirty-three men, and loaded with oil fuel. Six men had been killed by the explosion. When the Aldeburgh Life-boat reached the steamer the crew were employed by the captain to stand by and to take a tow rope to a drifter, as the steamer was in a sinking condition with her decks awash. Later a tug arrived from Lowestoft and took the steamer in tow, but she shortly after- wards grounded in Aldeburgh Bay.

When the Lowestoft tug was observed from Southwold proceeding to the Batoum, the crew of the Life boat Alfred Carry, seeing that the vessel was lower in the water, launched the boat and the tug took her to the steamer. Her services were also engaged and, by the united efforts of the Life-boatmen and tugs, the ship -was eventually refloated and towed ' into Sheerness, accompanied by a naval escort..