Southend-on-Sea, Essex.—At 8.10 onthe morning of the 15th of May, 1954, the life-boat The Lord Southborough, Civil Service No. 1, on temporary duty at the station, was launched to welcome the return of H.M. the Queen in H.M.

Yacht Britannia. The sea was very choppy, and a fresh wind was blowing from the north. The life-boat made for her station again about eleven o'clock, but when she was a quarter of a mile west of Southend pier she saw a man and two boys in a home- made punt. The punt's outboard motor had broken down, and she had shipped a lot of water. She was in danger of capsizing, and the life-boat rescued the three people, gave them hot cocoa and food, and towed the punt to the pier. She landed them and then put off to another boat reported in difficulty at Leigh Middle, but a naval boat was already with her.

The life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 12.40.—Rewards, £8 18s..