Walmer, Kent. — At 7.39 in the morning of the 24th of December, 1950, the Deal coastguard reported a message from the Italian motor vessel Santagata that she was aground on the southern part of the Goodwin Sands and in need of help. She was a ship of about 7,000 tons, carrying a crew of thirty- two and bound, laden with phosphate, from Casablanca to Leith. At 7.50 the life-boat Charles Dibdin, Civil Service No. 2 was launched in a moderate easterly breeze and heavy swell. She went alongside the Santagata and put two life-boatmen aboard. They found that the ship had broken her back; it was therefore decided to take off twenty-six, as the master did not yet want to abandon ship. He asked the life-boat to return and stand by to take off the rest of his crew. The life- boat went back to shore and then put off again and rescued the six remaining members of the crew and the two life- boatmen, arriving back at 1.10 in the afternoon. During the service the bowman, J. Rich, collapsed and died.

His body was landed when the life-boat returned with the twenty-six rescued men.—Rewards, £40 1*. 6d..