LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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A Small Boat (1)

Shoreham Harbour, Sussex.—During the afternoon of the 9th September, 1938, a small boat carrying two men and a seven-year-old girl capsized about three-quarters of a mile off Shoreham beach. A moderate northerly breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. The motor life-boat Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Lunn was launched at 3.24 P.M.

Meanwhile, John Bumstead, a sixteenyear- old boy, showing great courage and presence of mind, put off in a canoe, jumped into the sea, and tried to get the girl into the canoe. It upset, but righted again, and he got the girl on board. He then helped the two men to keep afloat until another man came out in a small dinghy and took them on board. He was still in the water when the life-boat arrived, rescued him, and took the two men from the dinghy and the girl from the canoe. On her way back, she picked up another small boat with one man on board. He too, was in difficulties, following the loss of an oar.

The life-boat returned to her station at 4.25 P.M.—Rewards: Life-boat, £5 2s. Qd.; shoreboat, inscribed wristwatch to John Bumstead, and the sum of 5s. to the man in the dinghy..