Kessingland.

On the night of the 11th December, with a gale blowing and a very heavy sea, the Kessingland Life-boat was called out to the rescue of a sailing smack, the A.J. W., of Rye, which had stranded on the Newcombe Sands. As she was being launched, the Life-boat shipped three heavy seas, the haul - off warp parted, and she was driven back almost to the beach; but sail was made very smartly and she drew clear, still shipping heavy seas as she went through the broken water. It was a cold night and very dark, and when the Sands were reached no vessel could be found. After cruising about for some time the Lifeboat heard shrieks, and by their help found the two masts of the sunken smack showing above the water and four men clinging to them. The seas were breaking heavily over the wreck, and she was rolling to the shock of them, so that it was a difficult and dangerous task to approach her. The Coxswain anchored, veered, down, and made fast with a grapnel to the rigging.

The first man was then dragged through the water and got aboard the Life-boat in a 'state of collapse, for during four hours he had been lashed in the rigging with the seas breaking continually over him. To rescue the remainder of the crew in the same way was found to be^ impossible, for they were higher up in the rigging. There was only one way to do it, and the risk of it to Life-boat and crew was very great, but the risk was taken. The Coxswain veered the Life-boat right over the rail of the sunken vessel, until she was between her masts. From there it was possible to reach the three men, and all were saved, but only just in time. The tide was flowing, and had the Life-boat come only half-an-hour later all four men would have been drowned.

Such a rescue was only made possible by great daring and skill on the part of the Coxswain and crew, and the Committee of Management felt that the service would be fitly recognised by awarding the Silver Service Medal of the Institution to both the. First and Second Coxswains, G. Knights and E. Smith, and the Bronze Medal to each member of the crew. A double monetary reward was also given.