Just after one in the morning of 6th Janu- ary, the' Motor Life-boat Greater London was launched in answer to flares. A moderate S.W. gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea. She found the motor barge Coder Idris, of Rochester, with the dumb barge Stanley Margetts in tow, both in danger of sinking. She got alongside, took two men off the motor barge and one off the dumb barge.

Immediately afterwards both barges sank. When the Life-boat arrived back at the pier she found that the Nore Lightship had been firing rockets. After landing the three men, she went out at once to the Nore and then on to the Mouse Lightship, where she was in- formed that flares had been seen to the N.W. There she found the barge Lady Mary, of London, ashore on the Maplin Sands. She stood by the barge until she refloated, and then returned to her Station, arriving at 9 A.M.—Rewards, £23 9s..