TWO LIFE-BOATS AND A STEAMER TO THE RESCUE North Sunderland, and Boulmer, North- umberland.—At 4.36 in the afternoon of the 17th of January, 1948, the Seahouses coastguard telephoned to North Sunderland that the local fishing yawl Marguerite was off Cullernose Point and the weather was getting worse. The motor life-boat W.R.A.

was launched at 5.22 in a very strong southerly wind, with a rough sea run- ning. On her way to Cullernose Point her wireless aerial was washed away, but her motor mechanic was still able to keep in touch by wireless with the shore. In this way the life-boat heard that a passing vessel had seen a red flare and had found the Marguerite.

But the vessel could not get near enough and asked for a life-boat's help. It was learned later that the two men who were on board the Marguerite, with their dog, had torn up their shirts and underclothing, dipped them in oil and set them alight. A rope had fouled the yawl's propeller, and she was then half full of water.

Meanwhile, since four in the after- noon, watch had been kept at Boulmer, as a small boat had been seen making heavy weather and it was learned that one of the local fishing boats was at sea.

At five o'clock came a message from North Sunderland that that life-boat was launching and the Boulmer motor mechanic went on duty to keep in touch by wireless with her. Shortly after six o'clock the message was re- ceived at Boulmer from the coast- guard about the red flare and the steamer, and this message the motor mechanic passed on to the North Sun- derland life-boat. Her coxswain re- plied that he could not see the flares, but could see the lights of the vessel, and asked the Boulmer life-boat to launch. She put to sea at 6.50, but before she arrived the North Sunder- land life-boat had been able to get close to the Marguerite, and taken her in tow.

When this news was received ashore, the Boulmer life-boat was recalled and arrived back at her station at 8.20.

The North Sunderland life-boat, with the Marguerite in tow, reached her station at 9.20.—Rewards, North Sun- derland, £30 4s. 6d.; Boulmer, £12 Is.