Margate, Kent. — On the 22nd of March, 1951, the motor vessel Teal wirelessed that she was standing by the S.S. Wirral Bank, of London, in distress fifty-two miles north-east of North Foreland, with a crew of nine.

About 1.0 on the afternoon of the 23rd, the Wirral Bank escorted by the Teal arrived in Margate Roads, and anchored a mile off shore. Her master asked the life-boat to stand by as his steamer's cargo of wheat had shifted, her steering gear was damaged and she was making water. At 6.10 that evening the coast- guard reported that she had signalled for the life-boat; so at 6.18 the life-boat North Foreland, Civil Service No. 11, was launched on service for the first time.

The master told the coxswain that he was going to make for Sheerness as the sea "was very rough and a north-westerly gale was blowing. The life-boat therefore escorted the Wirral Bank to Sheerness.

They reached it at 10.30 that night.

The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at 2.30 next morning.

Here the weather was too bad for her to be rehoused, so she made for Rams- gate and was taken back to her station on the afternoon of the 25th.—Rewards, £38 16s. lOrf..