Margate, Kent. At 9.21 on the evening of the 25th of June, 1959, the coastguard informed the coxswain that red flares had been seen in the direction of Margate Sands five miles north-west of Margate. The coxswain had also seen these flares, and at 9.30 the life-boat North Foreland (Civil Service No. 11) was launched. There was a choppy sea with a light south-westerly wind blowing and an ebb tide. The life-boat found the motor yacht Lalage of Bristol aground on the sands with a heavy list to starboard. Her owner came along- side in his small boat and asked the coxswain to help him refloat the yacht.

He had his wife on board with four children and three friends. The cox- swain sent the second coxswain and one member of the crew back to the yacht with the owner and then stood off to await the flood tide. At 1.45 the life- boat closed the yacht, a tow rope was passed, and shortly afterwards the yacht was pulled clear of the bank. As one of the yacht's engines had broken down and the other was unreliable, the life-boat towed her to Margate, where the yacht was safely berthed and which was reached at 4.20 in the morning. At 3.46 in the afternoon the coastguard reported that the same yacht, which had left Margate for Ramsgate, was now in difficulties near the rocks at Foreness.

The local pilot boat had gone out to her, but she was too near the shore for the pilot boat to be of assistance. The life-boat was launched a second time at four o'clock. By then the wind was light, but there were heavy thundery showers. Once again the second coxswain was put aboard and the yacht was taken in tow, this time to Ramsgate.

The owner told the coxswain that while he was trying to reach Ramsgate to have repairs carried out the second engine had developed a defect. The life-boat returned to her station at 7.45. 1st Service, property salvage case. 2nd Service, property salvage case..