Dover and Walmer, Kent. At 2.24 on the morning of the 16th of October, 1957, the Deal coastguard reported that the S.S. Flandres, of Antwerp, had been in collision with the Liberian steamer Trader four miles south-east of the Goodwin Sands, and that there were several injured men on board the Flandres. At 3.3 the Dover life-boat Southern Africa put out in a moderate sea, with a moderate south-south- westerly breeze blowing and thick fog.

The tide was flooding. At 3.30 the Walmer life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched with a doctor on board. The Dover life- boat reached the Flandres fourteen miles east of Dover and guided the Walmer life-boat to the position by the use of parachute and hand flares.

Much help was given by the French tug Jean Bart, which was standing alongside the Belgian steamer and passed direction-finding bearings to the life-boat. The injured men had al- ready been taken on board the Jean Bart, and the doctor from the Walmer life-boat was transferred to her. The Jean Bart then took the Flandres in tow for Calais. In the meantime theSouthern Africa had left for her station, which was reached at 9.14. The Walmer life-boat accompanied the Jean Bart for a short while and then returned to her station, arriving at 10.45. The doctor remained on board the Jean Bart until she reached Calais. Dover : rewards to the crew, £13 10s. ; Walmer, rewards to the crew, £20 5s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £15 14s..