Southend-on-Sea and Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.—Beginning on the evening of the 31st of January, 1953, floods inun- dated areas in the east of England to an extent unknown in this country in living memory. The Southend-on- Sea life-boat was called out on seven occasions, and a rescue was also carried out by the Clacton-on-Sea life-boat.

For a full account of these services and of the rewards given, and of the damage done to life-boats and life- boat stations by the floods, see page 476..