On the 31st October the steam drifter Viola, of Banff, ran ashore on Scroby Sands when returning to Yarmouth from the fishing grounds.

An increasing N.N.E. wind was blow- ing and the sea was heavy on the sands.

The drifter was seen by the Cockle lightship, which made distress signals, and the reserve motor life-boat City of Bradford I, which was on temporary duty at Great Yarmouth and Gorle- ston, put out at 7.45 A.M. When she got abreast West Scroby buoy the life- boat saw the Viola on the east side of the sands, and after going north for some time, crossed the sands and ran down to her. She was lying with her decks awash, and her nets were floating about. Her small boat was missing and there was no sign of life on board.

The Caister pulling and sailing life- boat Charles Burton, which had been launched a quarter of an hour after the City of Bradford I, came up, but she returned to her station when she saw the other life-boat already on the scene. The City of Bradford I spoke the Cockle and St. Nicholas light- ships and made a thorough search, but was unable to find any trace of the crew of the Viola. Meanwhile a mes- sage had been received at Gorleston that the Caister look-out man had seen a small boat in the Pightle. The life- boat was recalled, given the boat's position, and put off again. This time she found the drifter's small boat, with the whole of the crew of ten on board, in a very dangerous position. She had been floating about for six hours and was in grave danger of being swamped.

The men were very exhausted. The life-boat went to windward, to give the small boat the benefit of her lee, as a big swell was now running, and rescued the men. They were given rum and made as comfortable as possible, and the life-boat returned to harbour at full speed. She reached her station again at 12.15 P.M. The skipper wrote expressing the sincere thanks of himself and his crew, and their appreciation of the masterly handling of the life- boat.—Rewards, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, £14 8s. 6d.; Caister, £22 5s..