Walton and Frinton, Essex. At 3.45 on the afternoon of the llth of April, 1959, the coastguard passed on to the assistant honorary secretary and coxs- wain a message received from the Galloper lightvessel that an auxiliary cutter was " going round in circles " off the lightvessel. As the yacht had made no attempt to make contact with the lightvessel and was not showing any distress signals, the assistant honorary secretary told the coastguard he would wait for further information before launching the life-boat. The whaler Nortreff made contact with the yacht and was informed that her owner had been lost overboard and that her crew were searching for him. At 5.35 the Nortreff sent a radio message that she was towing the yacht Rose to the light- vessel and asked for some other vessel to take over the tow as she wanted to continue on her passage.

It was decided to launch the life-boat Cunard, which was on temporary duty at the station, for the wind and sea were increasing. A message had also been received from the lightvessel that the Rose had been brought alongside her under extremely difficult conditions, and that her three remaining crew, consisting of two men and a woman, were on board the lightvessel, the woman having suffered severe injuries to both shoulders in climbing on board.

The life-boat left her moorings at 5.39 in a strong south-easterly wind with heavy rain squalls. The sea was very rough, and the tide was ebbing. The life-boat took the crew of the Rose off the lightvessel and landed them at 1.30 on the morning of the 12th of April at Harwich, where they were taken to hospital. It was learnt from the three survivors that during a heavy squall the yacht's mainsail had been torn and her owner had been attempting to repair it by leaning over the gaff when the gaff swung overboard and carried him away.

Two unsuccessful attempts had been made by the cutter's crew to pull him aboard. After refuelling the life-boat left Harwich at two o'clock and returned to the lightvessel. She towed the Rose to Harwich, where the yacht v/as moored at 12.30 and then returned to her station, arriving at 3.55. First service : rewards to the crew, £18 Is. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £5 3s. Second service : property salvage case..