Hastings, and Eastbourne, Sussex, and Dungeness, Kent.—At three o'clock in the morning of the 14th of June, 1952, the S.S. Baron Douglas, of Ardrossan, bound for London from Macoris with a cargo of sugar, wirelessed that she had been badly holed in collision with the S.S. Korenica, of Yugoslavia. At 3.38 she gave her position as ten miles east of the Royal Sovereign Light- vessel. Her crew of thirty-seven were then abandoning her. At 3.43 the Fairlight coastguard told the Hast- ings life-boat station, and the life-boat M.T.C. was launched at 4.6. At 3.50 the Eastbourne coastguard told the Eastbourne life-boat station, and at 4.28 the life-boat Beryl Tollemache was launched. At 4.10 the Lade coastguard told the Dungeness life- boat station, and at 4.50 the life-boat Charles Cooper Henderson was launched.

The sea was slight, the south-westerly breeze light, but there were thick patches of fog. The M.T.C. found the Baron Douglas at five o'clock between five and six miles east of the lightvessel. She was down by the bow and her deck was awash. The Korenica was standing by about a quarter of a mile away, but did not need help and went on her way. The Eastbourne life-boat arrived at 6.45, but the Dungeness life-boat, hearing by wireless that the Hastings life-boat had reached the Baron Douglas, and that the Eastbourne life-boat was on her way, returned to her station, where she arrived at 8.30.

The master of the Baron Douglas said that he was waiting for a tug from Dover, and the life-boats stood by until the tug Rumania arrived.

The tug took the steamer in tow and the master then asked the life-boats to take his crew ashore. The Hastings life-boat took on board eighteen, the Eastbourne life-boat took four- teen, but the master and four officers remained in the steamer while the tug moved her. The Hastings life- boat returned to her station and landed the rescued men at 12.59 that after- noon. Her crew then stood by on shore. The Eastbourne life-boat con- tinued to stand by the Baron Douglas.

The steamer ran aground, and the master and his officers were then taken into the Eastbourne life-boat. The tug pulled her clear and the life-boat put the master and officers on board her again. The.Rwmamafmally beached the Baron Douglas off Pett Level, four miles south-east of Hastings. The Eastbourne life-boat again took off the master and officers, but remained with the Baron Douglas until two more tugs arrived. She then put the master and three of the officers on board once more and landed the fifteen other men at Hastings pier. There she embarked two Lloyd's surveyors and took them, and the steamer's chief engineer whom she had just landed, to the Baron Douglas.

She continued to stand by her all that night, at the master's request, but as the Baron Douglas settled down evenly on the bottom the life-boat left the men on board her and arrived back at her station at 11.15 on the morning of the 15th. The Hastings life-boat was then asked to be ready to put out again should the weather get bad. At 11.30 that night the Fairlight coast- guard reported that the Rumania, which was still standing by the steamer, had asked if a life-boat would land the tug's chief engineer, who had injured a hand, and at 11.58 the need help and went on her way. The Eastbourne life-boat arrived at 6.45, but the Dungeness life-boat, hearing by wireless that the Hastings life-boat had reached the Baron Douglas, and that the Eastbourne life-boat was on her way, returned to her station, where she arrived at 8.30.

The master of the Baron Douglas said that he was waiting for a tug from Dover, and the life-boats stood by until the tug Rumania arrived.

The tug took the steamer in tow and the master then asked the life-boats to take his crew ashore. The Hastings life-boat took on board eighteen, the Eastbourne life-boat took four- teen, but the master and four officers remained in the steamer while the tug moved her. The Hastings life- boat returned to her station and landed the rescued men at 12.59 that after- noon. Her crew then stood by on shore. The Eastbourne life-boat con- tinued to stand by the Baron Douglas.

The steamer ran aground, and the master and his officers were then taken into the Eastbourne life-boat. The tug pulled her clear and the life-boat put the master and officers on board her again. The.Rwmamafmally beached the Baron Douglas off Pett Level, four miles south-east of Hastings. The Eastbourne life-boat again took off the master and officers, but remained with the Baron Douglas until two more tugs arrived. She then put the master and three of the officers on board once more and landed the fifteen other men at Hastings pier. There she embarked two Lloyd's surveyors and took them, and the steamer's chief engineer whom she had just landed, to the Baron Douglas.

She continued to stand by her all that night, at the master's request, but as the Baron Douglas settled down evenly on the bottom the life-boat left the men on board her and arrived back at her station at 11.15 on the morning of the 15th. The Hastings life-boat was then asked to be ready to put out again should the weather get bad. At 11.30 that night the Fairlight coast- guard reported that the Rumania, which was still standing by the steamer, had asked if a life-boat would land the tug's chief engineer, who had injured a hand, and at 11.58 the Hastings life-boat M.T.C. again put out. She asked for an ambulance to be ready and landed the injured man who was taken to hospital for treat- ment at 1.15 the next morning, the 16th.

He left the hospital about an hour later, and the life-boat put him on board the tug again and returned to her station, arriving at 3.38 that morning. The Dungeness life-boat had also been launched to the Baron Douglas, but had not been needed. The steamer was berthed in Tilbury Docks by tugs on the 18th.—Rewards, Hastings, 1st service, £35 18*. 6d., 2nd service, £30 8*. 6d.; Eastbourne, £105 105.; Dungeness, £26 17s. Total rewards for the service, £198 14*. Od..