ON the morning of 27th July eight crab boats put out from Cromer, with a gale blowing. The sea was moderate, but heavy for small boats. It got heavier while the men were attending to the crab pots. The coastguard had them under observation, in particular the White Heather, as she was in rougher water than the rest. On board her were two members of the Cromer life-boat crew, Charles Cox and Gilbert Mayes, brothers-in-law and owners of the crab boat. Just after 11.30 the coastguard saw the boat capsize, or go under swamped, and the two men in the water. They were about a mile and a quarter out. The maroons were fired and seven minutes later the motor life-boat H. F. Bailey was launched. She reached the spot where the boat had disappeared in a quarter of an hour, saw various articles from her floating about, and after a short search found the body of Charles Cox.

He was brought ashore. Efforts were made to revive him by the crew, and by a doctor who was taken on to the life-boat when she returned to the pier, and later at the hospital, but they ' failed. As soon as Cox had been landed, the life-boat continued the search, but could find no trace of Gilbert Mayes or of the White Heather. She returned at 2.15 p.m., having then been out about two and a half hours.

It was not until twelve days later that the body of Mayes was washed ashore.

Charles Cox had been a member of the life-boat's crew for about 38 years.

He won the bronze medal for his share in the service to the Swedish steamer Fernebo in 1917, the Institution's thanks inscribed on vellum, and a bronze medal from the Italian govern- ment, for the service to the steamer Monte Nevoso in 1932, and again the Institution's thanks inscribed on vellum for the service to the barge Sepoy in December of last year.

Gilbert Mayes had been a member of the crew for about 35 years, and won the bronze medal for the service to the Fernebo.

The Institution has made a grant of £50 each to the two widows, and a special meeting of the Cromer Urban District Council was held at which it was unanimously decided that the Council should open a fund for them..