Margate, Kent. At 5.19 on the after- noon of the 3rd of May, 1959, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a motor boat appeared to be in difficulties two miles east of Tongue Sand Fort. The life-boat North Fore- land (Civil Service No. IT) was about to be launched when the coxswain saw a sailing yacht which was also in difficul- ties three miles north of Margate. The life-boat was launched at 5.26. The sea was rough, a strong south-westerly wind was blowing, and the tide was flooding. The weather was overcast with heavy rain squalls. When the life-boat reached the yacht Wings of the Morning, which had four people on board, it was learnt that the yacht had run short of petrol and that her halyards had jammed. The second coxswain was put aboard to help the yacht's crew to bring her into the shelter of land, and the life-boat made for the boat which had first been reported in distress. A radio-telephone message was received from the Tongue lightvessel that the cabin cruiser Jonarra of Ramsgate was secured alongside her, and the life-boat reached the lightvessel at 6.30. She took the Jonarra, which had three people on board, in tow to Margate, arriving at 8.30. The cabin cruiser was moored in the harbour, and the life- boat then returned to the position of the yacht Wings of the Morning, which was then anchored half a mile off shore.

The wind had veered to the north-west, causing a very rough sea at the harbour entrance, and as the yacht's crew intended to make for the harbour, the second coxswain remained on board, and the life-boat escorted the yacht safely in. The life-boat finally reached her station at 9.5. Rewards to the crew, £14 8s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £4 4s..