The Service to the S.S. "Hopelyn." By Commander £. S. CARVER, R.D., R.N.R., Inspector of Life-boats for the Eastern District.

ON Friday, 20th October, at about 11 A.M., I arrived at the harbour at Gorleston. A strong gale was blowing from the N.E. with a very heavy sea. It was then just over twelve hours since the Gorleston No. 1 Life-boat had been launched, the scene of the wreck being the extreme north end of the North Scroby Sands.

I went at once to the Coastguard Look-out, where I obtained the following information from their Log Book :— THURSDAY, 19TH OCTOBER.

9.45 P.M. Coastguard, Gorleston, observed rockets to N.E.

9.48 P.M. Caister Coxswain reported preparing to launch.

9.50 P.M. Gorleston fired green rockets.

10.29 P.M. Coxswain, Gorleston, to Coxswain, Caister : " Is your Life-boat launched yet." 10.30 P.M. Reply : " Just in water, will shortly be away." 10.42 P.M. Harbour Master, Gorleston, to Honorary Secretary, Caister: " Please let me know as soon as possible if your Boat can get off, otherwise I shall take the Gorleston Life-boat out." 10.50 P.M. St. Nicholas Light Vessel fired two red rockets and one gun.Gorleston answered with green rockets.

11 P.M. Caister reported : " Our Boat unable-to get away." 11.3 P.M. H.M.T. Rennet (lying at Yarmouth) reported by wireless: " Wreck breaking up." 11.10 P.M. Gorleston No. 1 launched, and proceeded in tow of tug George Jewson to wreck.

I subsequently learnt from the Coxswain that on arrival at the scene of the wreck he was unable to do anything until daylight, owing to the darkness and terrific seas. At daylight he approached the wreck, only the amidship portion of which was above water. No sign of life was visible, and very heavy seas were sweeping right over. The Life-boat remained there for about two hours, and then being forced to the conclusion that there were no survivors, tug and Lifeboat returned to Gorleston, arriving there about 9 A.M. on 20th October.

They had been afloat just ten hours.

About an hour afterwards the Coastguard at Caister reported that a flag was being shown from the wreck. The Coxswain consulted with the temporary Honorary Secretary, Mr. A. D. Snell, and returned with tug to wreck, Mr. Snell accompanying them. The Life-boat had left about half an hour when I arrived on the scene.

I remained in the Gorleston Coastguard Look-out, being in continuous communication with Caister who could at times see both wreck and Life-boat.

They reported to me that the Life-boat had apparently anchored close to the wreck.

A£ about 3.30 P.M., it being then low water, and the Life-boat apparently still unable to get alongside I telephoned to Lowestoft calling out the Motor Lifeboat with instructions to call at Gorleston for me. The message was sent at 3.45 P.M., and the Motor Life-boat arrived Gorleston within the hour. She picked me up, and we proceeded to the scene of the casualty. A fresh N.E. gale was blowing with squalls and a heavy sea.

Darkness had fallen before we reached the wreck, and we met the tug and Lifeboat returning. We stopped them, and learnt from the Coxswain that he had been unable to get alongside the wreck owing to the terrific sea, the broken portions of the hull and the remains of an old wreck some 30 to 40 yards off; and that his boat had apparently been damaged by striking heavily on the sands, the mizzen outrigger being broken and wale stove in.

I asked him if he would return to the wreck with us, which he immediately volunteered to do and came on board.

We then went on. On arrival at the scene of the wreck it was obvious that nothing could be done that night owing to the intense darkness and very heavy seas. After consulting with Coxswain Swan and Coxswain Fleming I decided to return to Gorleston and make a further attempt at daylight. Arrived back at Gorleston 7.30 P.M.

We left Gorleston again at 4.30 A.M. on the Saturday morning. N.E. gale with squalls, rough sea, very heavy on the Sands.

We arrived at the scene of the wreck at daylight, and found only the bridge, funnel and fidley casing above water.

The fore and after decks were completely submerged, and the hull of the vessel was split down on afterpart of foredeck and fore-end of afterdeck, with jagged edges of plates projecting, leaving barely the length of the Life-boat in which to come alongside.

We dropped anchor astern, and to windward of the wreck, and veered down.

While we were doing this the Life-boat was struck by a terrific sea, and almost thrown on to the afterdeck.

Had it not been for the powerful Motor fitted in this Boat, I do not consider we could have got alongside.

WTe sheered alongside, and the shipwrecked crew jumped and slithered down ropes into the Life-boat (in about thirty seconds). We then steamed ahead to cable. The bight of it had fouled the sunken portion of the wreck, and with the very heavy seas it was impossible even to make an attempt to clear, so the cable was cut, and almost at the same time the Life-boat was buried by a terrific broadside sea. Fortunately no one was washed out and we returned to Gorleston, arriving at 7 A.M. We then proceeded up the river to Yarmouth,and landed the shipwrecked crew of twenty-four (and one black kitten) at Hall Quay, where they were sent in charge of Coxswain Fleming to the Sailors' Home. The 'Vessel, which became a total wreck, was the s.s.

Hopelyn, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, of 1,301 tons.

In recognition of this splendid service, the Committee of Management have made the following awards :— To Coxswain J. SWAN, of the Lowestoft Motor Life-boat, the Gold Medal and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.

To Coxswain W. FLEMING, of the Gorleston No. 1 Life-boat, the Gold Medal and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.

To R. SCOTT, Motor Mechanic of the Lowestoft Motor Life-boat, the Silver Medal and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.

To Commander E. S. CARVER, R.D., R.N.R., Eastern District Inspector, the Silver Medal and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.

To each of the fourteen men who manned the Lowestoft Life-boat when the actual rescue was performed, and to each of nine of the crew of the Gorleston No. 1 Life-boat who went out twice in that Boat, the Bronze Medal and the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.

To Mr. A. B. SNELL, the temporary Honorary Secretary at Gorleston, the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum and a Pair of Binoculars.

To the tug George Jewaon, the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum.

Additional monetary rewards have also been given to the life-boatmen concerned, and the attention of the Admiral Commanding Coast-guard and Reserves was called to the valuable help given by the Coast-guard at Caister and Gorleston.

Coxswain Swan already holds the Silver Medal with a Second Service Clasp for two fine services to H.M. ships during the War. He was awarded the Silver Medal when the Lowestoft Pulling and Sailing Life-boat rescued nine men from H.M. Minesweeper Condor on 22nd November, 1914, and the Second Service Clasp when the same boat, manned by a crew of veterans, rescued nine men from H.M. Sloop Pomona, wrecked on 30th September, 1918, seventeen miles away from Lowestoft. It is hoped to publish photographs of the two coxswains in the next issue..