Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 3.6 on the morning of the 26th of March, 1955, the coastguard rang up to say that a vessel off Sandsend had flashed an SOS signal. At 3.30 the No. 1 life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched.

There was a ground swell, a light north- westerly breeze was blowing and it was one hour before high water. The life-boat saw distress rockets being fired and found the motor vessel Lea, of Groningen, aground four miles north- west of Whitby. The coxswain shouted to the crew to be ready to jump into the life-boat when she came close enough. With difficulty he took the life-boat alongside, and two of the skipper's children were passed into her.

The life-boat then had to leave the ship because of the swell. She went alongside again and took on board the skipper's third child and his wife. The skipper and his crew of four declined to leave their ship, so the life-boat landed the woman and children and then returned to the Lea and stood by her. When the tide had ebbed, leav- ing the vessel high and dry, the life- boat returned to her station, arriving at 7.30. During the afternoon rocket life-saving apparatus was connected to her from the shore in case the men had to abandon ship in a hurry, for the weather was becoming worse. At 3.25 in the afternoon the life-boat was launched again to stand by with a tug.

The tug was unable to connect a tow rope to the Lea because of the shallow water and heavy swell, and about five o'clock one of the crew was taken ashore by breeches buoy. The four other men preferred to remain in the Lea and the life-boat stood by until the tide fell again. The life-boat finally reached her station at 6.30.—Rewards, £25 14s..