FORT IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING Margate, Kent.—At 2.33 in the after- noon of the 5th of December, 1947, the coastguard telephoned that the Com- mander-in-Chief at the Nore had asked that the life-boat should take off the crew of four of the Tongue Sands Fort.

This fort had been built as part of the defence against mine-laying aircraft during the war. A south-south-west gale was blowing, with a rough sea, and it was feared that the fort would col- lapse. The motor life-boat The Lord Southborough—Civil Service No. 1, was launched at 2.40. It was only at the third attempt that she was able to get alongside the fort in the heavy seas.

She took off the four men and arrived back at her station at 5.30. The Commander-in-Chief at the Nore sent his thanks.—Rewards, £19 13*..