Barrow, Lancashire.—-At 7.5 on the evening of the 20th of December, 1952, the Walney Island coastguard tele- phoned that the coaster Bankville, of Liverpool, was in distress with a shifted cargo ten miles west of Walney lighthouse. At 7.30 the life-boat Herbert Leigh was launched in a rough sea with a strong west-north-west breeze blowing. She found the coaster, with a crew of nine and a cargo of steel rails, off the Wyre Light. The life- boat stood by her for some time and then fetched a pilot from Fleet wood.

She put the pilot on board, escorted the Bankville to Fleetwood, and then returned to her station, arriving at 1.40 the next morning.—Rewards, £18 12s. 6d..