THE night will long be remembered for the almost unparalleled violence of the gale which swept over England, leaving a track of ruin and devastation such as is rarely seen in our temperate climate.

In Gorleston itself the wind increased with the darkness to a hurricane force, with blinding snow which blotted out everything, while the wind shook houses to their foundations, damaged roofs, smashed telegraph and telephone wires and poles, and levelled hoardings. On such a night the hearts of those ashore go out to the mariners who are fighting their desperate battle for sheer life against the fury of the elements which, on this occasion, appeared to have allied themselves with our foes for the de- struction of British life.

But it is precisely in such circum- stances of extreme danger and emergency that the Life-boatman is in his element, and never, perhaps, have our gallant crews rendered finer service than that performed by the Mark Lane in the pitchy darkness of this terrible night. j At 1.30 A.M. a large flare was observed j off Gorton, while another vessel was j seen to .be burning flares and drifting ' north of the St. Nicholas Light-vessel.

Coxswain Harris at once took steps to secure the services of a tug. This done, he launched the Life-boat at 2.50 A.M. and proceeded to the vessel flaring near the St. Nicholas Light-vessel. He found that she had lost both anchors but was under her own powerful steam and required no assistance. He then proceeded to Hopton, and found the schooner Dart sunk. Only her masts could be seen just above the water, with her crew of four men lashed''to the rigging. The Coxswain let go the anchor and veered down to the vessel, the Life-boat actually passing over the wreck, an incident always attended with the gravest danger.

The crew then hauled the boat back into position again, and after some difficulty got close to the spars of the wreck. They found two men in the main rigging and two in the fore rigging, their legs being rove in between the ratlines. The problem was how to release these men and get them into the Life-boat. One of the crew, Edward Bensley, at once jumped into the main rigging and succeeded in getting the master and mate into the Life-boat, though these men were quite helpless, having been exposed to the bitter cold and driving sleet for twelve hours.

Bensley could not get on to the fore- mast so he returned to the Life-boat, and Coxswain Harris then manoeuvred the boat into the position for the fore rigging. Bensley then jumped on to the rigging again, and bent a rope on to Charles Samuel Kent, a man of over eighty-one years of age, and assisted him into the Life-boat. He then tried to get a line on to the other man in the fore rigging, but the poor fellow fell backwards on being released from the lashings, and Bensley then called on William Newson, another member of the crew, to jump on board the rigging and help him. With Newson's assistance the fourth man was then got into the Life-boat. All four men were un- conscious, having been exposed to the hard frost, driving sleet, and icy wind for many hours. The Coxswain at once hauled away from the wreck, and the men were well rubbed and brandy was given to them. Two of them came round, including the wonderful old man of eighty-one, while the other two remained unconscious. On arrival at the quay a doctor was sent for. He found that one of the men was dead, but there was still a possibility of saving the other man's life, and this was fortunately achieved.

The service was rendered in a N.N.E. gale, force eight, with a heavy sea, in a thick snow and heavy frost.

When it is considered that the Silver Medal of the Institution is never given except on rare occasions, and only for very unusual and exceptional acts of gallantry connected with the Life-boat service, and that many coxswains of Life-boats pursue a long and honourable term of service without earning it once, some idea may be gained of the unique position of a station such as Gorleston, where this honour has been bestowed five times in eleven years.