The Lowestoft Life-boat.

The Lowestoft Motor Life-boat, a few miles to the south of Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, would have been launched to the help of the Georgia instead of the Southwold boat, but on the afternoon before she had carried out a dangerous and very gallant rescue and been so badly damaged that she was temporarily unfit for further service.

Shortly after four in the afternoon of 21st November—that is to say, between two and three hours before the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston boat was called out to the Georgia—a sailing smack, Lily of Devon, attempted to make Lowestoft Harbour. A whole gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea. The smack was caught by the tide, missed the entrance, and was carried into broken shallow water, where she began to bump heavily on the sand. The seas were breaking clean over her, and her crew of three took refuge in the rigging. In two minutes the Life-boat was launched. II the men were to be saved it would have to be done at once, as the smack was being carried towards a concrete breakwater, not 40 yards away. The Lifeboat anchored and began to veer down to the smack, but she also struck the bottom and was swept by heavy seas so that her Crew were in danger of being washed out of her. As the seas, lifted her she was gradually got alongside.

Then a very heavy sea threw her under the wreck's stern, and she was badly damaged. Fortunately, she was not out of control, although the startinggear handle of the engine was smashed, so that had the engine stopped it would have been impossible to restart it. As the Life-boat lay by the wreck the three men in the rigging jumped aboard her, and with all hands hauling on the cable, and the engines going full speed, the Life-boat was gradually worked clear of the surf. It was a service carried out with great promptness and courage in face of the gravest danger, and the Silver Medal of the Institution was awarded to Coxswain Albert Spurgeon, while he and each member of the Crew received an additional monetary reward..