Whitby, Yorkshire.—At 8.25 on the morning- of the 30th of October, 1955, the coastguard rang up to say that a fishing boat three quarters of a mile north of Whitby was burning flares.

Five minutes later the no. 1 life-boat Mary Ann Hepicorih was launched.

The sea was rough, there was a moder- ate north-westerly breeze, and the tide was low. The life-boat found that the fishing boat Gem, which was in Whitby Roads with a crew of four, had been hit by several seas and was leaking badly. The tide was too low to allow her to cross the bar and enter the harbour. The life-boat remained with her while the tide rose, and escorted her in at ten o'clock.

The fishing boat Progress was known to be still at sea with a crew of five, and the life-boat was kept in readiness in the harbour. At 12.30 the Progress was seen approaching the harbour.

The life-boat put off again, escorted the Progress in, and reached her station again at 1.30.—Rewards to the crew, £10 10s.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £l 16s..