A t about noon on the 24th March a sudden squall sprang up in Fraserburgh Bay. This developed later into a N.W. gale with a heavy sea. Shortly after 1 P.M. the harbour-master tele- phoned that the Fraserburgh and Cairnbulg fishing fleets were out. He asked for the life-boat to go to their help, as he feared that some of the boats would not be able to make the harbour. The motor life-boat Lady Rothes was launched at 1.20 P.M., and, going to the Beacon, Cairnbulg, escorted into Fraserburgh about seventeen fish- ing boats. The Thrive, a motor boat with a crew of two, she towed home, as it could make no headway against the gale. While the life-boat was at sea a telephone message was received from the coastguard at Kinnaird Head that some Cairnbulg fishing boats were in difficulty in Rattray Bay, and this information was passed to her when she had towed The Thrive in at 2.30 P.M.

She reached Rattray Bay at 3.15 P.M., but could not find the boats. They had run for home. The life-boat cruised about until it was certain that all the boats had reached safety, and then returned home again. She reached her station at 4.50 P.M.—Rewards, £7 16s. 6d..