Tenby, Pembrokeshire, and The Mumbles, Glamorganshire.—At 10.45 on the night of the 26th of December, 1951, the Tenby coastguard telephoned the Tenby life-boat station that the Helwick Lightvessel had reported that an ex-R.A.F. boat, which was towing a motor fishing vessel, appeared to be drifting westwards half a mile south- west of the lightvessel, but that she had made no distress signals. The life-boatmen assembled. At 2.30 in the morning of the 27th the coast- guard reported that a red flare had been seen about three miles north by east of the Rhossili coastguard station, and at 2.45 the Tenby life-boat John R. Webb, was launched, with the hon- orary secretary, Mr. D. B. Bancroft, on board. A strong south - south - west gale was blowing, with a very rough sea and heavy squalls ot rain and hail.

The life-boat searched Rhossili Bay and Burry Holms, but found nothing and her compass was damaged by the seas.

The life-boat then decided to re- turn to her station, and informed the Tenby coastguard by radio telephone.

At 7.10 he informed the coastguard at The Mumbles who passed on the message to the life-boat station at The Mumbles, and at 7.38 the life- boat William Gammon—Manchester and District XXX was launched to the help of the Tenby life-boat, but the help was not needed. The Tenby boat reached her station at 8.30 that morning, after a very rough trip, and The Mumbles life-boat reached hers an hour later, but the seas were too heavy for her to be rehoused, so she made for Swansea and returned to her station next morning.

The Tenby life-boat replaced her compass, refuelled and put out again at 9.45, but owing to the very heavy seas she gave up the search and returned to Tenby again at eleven o'clock. Later that day the wreckage of the ex-R.A.F. boat and the motor fishing vessel were found inside the bar of Llanelly Harbour. There had been two men on board. They were both drowned.—Rewards, Tenby £48 12*.; The Mumbles, £33 15*. Qd..