Weymouth, Dorset.—At 3.15 on the afternoon of the 30th of December, 1956, the Wyke Regis coastguard telephoned that the Dutch vessel Pegasus, of Groningen, was on fire 25 miles south-west of Portland Bill and that her deck cargo was exploding.

At 3.30 the life-boat William and Clara Ryland put out. There was a very rough sea, a strong south-westerly gale was blowing, and there were heavy rain squalls. The tide was flooding. The life-boat came up with the Pegasus, which had a crew of eight, eight miles south-west of Port- land Bill. A Shackleton aircraft had dropped flares to indicate to the coxswain the position of the vessel, and contact was kept with the aircraft by use of the life-boat's V.H.F. radio- telephone. The life-boat escorted the Pegasus to calmer waters off Portland harbour, where the Pegasus anchored.

The life-boat returned to her moorings at 8.20. The master of the Dutch vessel thanked the crew.—Rewards to the crew, £14 5s.; reward to the helper on shore, 12,9..