Dover, Kent. At 2.15 on the after- noon of the 12th of December, 1958, a message was received from the eastern arm signal station that the trawler Gratitude, which was towing another trawler, the Forseti, to Ramsgate, had broken down with engine trouble off South Foreland. The life-boat Southern Africa put out at 2.35 in a very rough sea. There was a southerly gale with heavy rain squalls and an ebb tide. The life-boat found that the Gratitude had been taken in tow by the tug Dominant of Dover, but the Forseti had parted from her tow and was lying broadside to the seas which were breaking over her.

The life-boat went alongside her to take off her crew, but they declined to leave, and the trawler was taken in tow to Ramsgate harbour, at the entrance of which there was only seven feet of water.

The tow line parted three times before the trawler was safely berthed. The life-boat reached her moorings at 8.15.

Rewards to the crew, £20 15s..