IN the early hours of the 8th of December, 1959, the Broughty Ferry life-boat Mona was launched on receipt of a message that the North Carr lightvessel had broken adrift. Some time between 5.15 and 6.00 in the morning the life- boat capsized, her whole crew of eight losing their lives. The following is the official report on this disaster, which was issued by the Institution, after its investigations had been completed, and signed by the Chairman of the Committee of Management, Earl Howe : " It is clear from internal evidence that the life-boat capsized. The capsize was almost certainly caused by the life-boat being thrown off course and across the sea some time between 05.15 and 06.00 in the morning. The life-boat was probably in the shallow water just to the south of the entrance to the River Tay at the time. The life-boat then appears to have drifted bottom up in a north-westerly direction until her signal mast touched bottom in the shallow water between Buddon Ness and Carnoustie. This had the effect of righting the boat.

Complete Confidence in Coxswain "It is clear beyond doubt that the condition of the hull and machinery of the life-boat at the time of launching were first class, and the engines and bilge pumps were working satisfactorily up to the moment of capsize. The crew were experienced and had complete confidence in the life-boat and in her coxswain, Ronald Grant.

" Weather conditions were exception- ally severe with a strong south-easterly gale blowing across the entrance to the River Tay and the flood tide flowing to the westward. The life-boat probably first got into difficulties when approaching the bar. After 04.06, when a report was received from the life-boat that she was abeam of the Abertay lightvessel, some six miles from Broughty Ferry, the crew could not have been wholly certain of their position because of the absence of navigational buoys, which had been driven by the bad weather from their normal positions.

" Despite the tragic outcome the Institution considers that the decision to launch the life-boat was in the circumstances a wholly correct one.

Details of Findings " The following are the details of the Institution's report and findings : "At 02.42 the acting honorary secretary of the Broughty Ferry life-boat station, Captain Moug, received the following message from Fifeness Coast- guard : ' North Carr lightvessel broken adrift and drifting in north-westerly direction. Advise launch.' Captain Moug immediately authorised the launching of the life-boat, which put out at 03.13 with a full crew of eight men : Coxswain Ronald Grant, Second Cox- swain George Smith, Bowman George Watson, Mechanic John Grieve, Assistant Mechanic James Ferrier, Alexander Gall (formerly coxswain of the life-boat), John J. Grieve (son of the mechanic) and D. Anderson.

" The weather was overcast with frequent fierce rain squalls. The wind was from the south-east, force 7 to 9, with a very rough sea and a heavy swell.

Visibility varied from 2 to 6 miles. Low water neap tide was at 02.52.

Buoys Adrift " The two middle buoys marking the bar at the entrance of the river had been absent from their normal positions since the 20th November. It is almost certain that the Fairway buoy, the most seaward lightbuoy, was extinguished and adrift from its position at this time, as the buoy was found on the beach to the north-eastward of Carnoustie on the morning of the 8th December, having drifted 2f miles.

" Wireless communication was maintained between the coastguard and the life-boat until 04.48. After that time no further signals were received from the life-boat.

" Between 05.50 and 06.50 there was an almost continuous broadcast by the Fifeness Coastguard to the life-boat on the distress frequency of 2182 k/cs. At first light, about 08.30, a search was organised by the coastguards in which a helicopter and shore parties took part.

The life-boat was found by a life-saving apparatus team about 08.45. She was on the beach north of Buddon Ness with her bows to the north-east in a position approximately 9 cables 214° true from the coastguard look-out. The life-boat was seen from the helicopter about the same time.

First to Board Life-boat " The Carnoustie Station Officer of Coastguard was the first person to board the life-boat. This was about 09.20. He found five bodies all wearing life-jackets ; of these the body of Mechanic John Grieve was half in and half out of the engine room, the hatch being secured in the open position.

Three other bodies were in the after shelter, two with their heads to port.

The fifth body was lying under the steering shaft abaft the steering position, head to port. The body of John J.

Grieve, the mechanic's son, was found on the beach near the life-boat. Half a mile to the southward of the life-boat was found the body of ex-Coxswain Gall. Near it were the life-jacket of Bowman George Watson, whose body had not yet been found, and the broken foremast of the boat. The life- belts of John J. Grieve and ex-Cox- swain Gall were on their bodies. All seven men whose bodies have been found died from drowning and they suffered no injuries apart from abrasions.

" The life-boat Mona is a 45' 6" X 12' 6" Watson cabin life-boat with twin engines, each of 40 h.p. She was built by Messrs. Groves and Guttridge at Cowes in 1935. Nineteen boats of this class were built between 1927 and 1935.

This is the first disaster to any of them.

Crews have always spoken very highly of the sea-keeping qualities of these boats. The sister ship to the Mona based at Longhope, Orkneys, crossed the Pentland Firth both ways against the tidal stream on the 7th December in a whole gale (force 10 to 11) which is strong evidence of the soundness of the design of the boat.

Hull and Engine Survey "A complete survey of the hull and engines of the Mona was carried out at Messrs. Weatherhead's boatyard at Cockenzie between 9th December, 1957, and 19th March, 1958. The hull was opened up and water-tested and no leaks were found. The general condition was good and no structural defects or decay found. Only normal maintenance work was necessary. Both engines were removed and completely stripped, and coolers and propeller shafts were also removed. Everything was found to be in good order. The engines were last air-tested for water tightness on the 24th/25th November, 1959. No machinery failures have been reported in the boat over the past eight years. The life-boat was taken out on an exercise and tested by the Northern District Inspector on the 27th October, 1959, and by the Northern District Engineer on the 5th December, 1959.

" The coxswain, Ronald Grant, who was aged 29, was appointed on the 1st November, 1959. He was employed at the Caledon Shipyard as a rigger and had been an able seaman and quarter- master for ten years in the Ben Line and in the Dundee, Perth and London Line.

During his service at sea he was very highly thought of. He possessed the full confidence of the life-boat crew and of the Institution.

District Engineer's Report " The District Engineer's examination showed that : (a) Engine controls were set as for normal running : (i) Both engines were in ahead gear, (ii) Both throttles were set at half speed, (iii) Each engine was set to run on its own fuel tank, (iv) Air pressure was still present in both fuel tanks, (v) Magneto, advance and retard control, was set to normal.

(b) 97 gallons of petrol were re- moved from the tanks. Con- sumption of both engines at full and half speed is 7.9 and 4.25 gallons an hour respectively.

Assuming that both tanks were full on launching, 15 gallons were used, thus giving extremes of running time for the engines as approximately 2 hours and 3 hours and 30 minutes respectively.

(c) Navigation lights, batteries, dynamos and lighting change-over switch were switched on. The port navigation light was still burning but the steaming and starboard navigation lights had carried away.

(d) R/T was switched on for opera- tion at the remote control position by the engine controls in the after canopy.

(e) Both bilge pumps (which operate continuously when engines are running) had their suctions set normally, i.e. starboard on to the fore cabin and port on to the engine room.

(f) There were oil marks on the engine room deck-head, and water had entered the instrument panels on the engine room after- bulkhead from both sides.

Surveyor of Life-boats' Report " The Surveyor of Life-boats' examination showed that : (a) The cabin and engine room emergency hatches were closed.

(b) The fore signal mast had broken just above the tabernacle and was lying on the beach. The mast- head hoop and signalling lamp were still made fast to the mast shrouds and forestay on board.

(c) The loud hailer was missing.

(d) The searchlight was missing and the crutch shank was still in its starboard socket. The search- light switch at the panel had been switched off.

(e) Both cowl ventilators (3|" diameter) were missing from the cabin casing.

(f) Two of the three cowl ventilators (6" diameter) on the engine room casing were missing. The third ventilator and the funnel were completely undamaged.

(g) The starboard footwale and the guard-rail stanchions were adrift for about 10 feet amidships.

(h) The port life-buoy was missing.

(i) The centre section of the wind- screen was missing.

(j) The boat's anchor was in its stowage. The cable was bent on to the anchor and still in stowage trays with lashings still fast.

(k) The drogue, drogue rope and tripping line were still in their stowage position.

(1) The rudder was split.

(m) The steering gear was in working order.

(n) The keel was unmarked.

(o) Both propellers were undamaged.

Undoubtedly Capsized " The evidence of oil marks on the engine room deckhead and bilge dirt on the cabin deckhead indicate that the boat undoubtedly capsized ; it is not possible to say whether she capsized to port or to starboard.

" There are three pointers to the time of the disaster : 1. (a) It was after 04.48 when the life-boat sent her last R/T message.

(b) Evidence of fuel consumed suggests an earliest possible time of 05.15 (if full speed was used all the time) and 06.45 (if engines ran continuously at half speed), (c) A watch in the inside pocket of the jacket of the second coxswain had stopped at 06.19|. It was half wound and full of water and sand.

2. No help is forthcoming from the life-boat's clocks as one was still running and the other had stopped before the life-boat launched.

3. It is probable that the engines were running at full speed until at least 04.06, when the life-boat was abeam of Abertay light- vessel. The life-boat would then get the full effect of the seas, having lost the small protection from the Abertay sands at low water, and would probably reduce speed soon afterwards.

Water would also take a little time to get through the second coxswain's life-belt, oilskin and jacket to his watch, and it is considered that the disaster most probably occurred between 05.30 and 06.00.

Pensions to Dependents " In accordance with its invariable custom the Royal National Life-boat Institution is paying from its own funds pensions to the widows and dependents of the eight men who lost their lives.

The standard scale of these pensions is that of chief petty officers in the Royal Navy dying as a result of service.

Additional benefits will also be received by the families from the fund inaugura- ted by the Lord Provost of Dundee.

" When a reserve life-boat of similar design to the Mona was sent to Broughty Ferry station a fortnight after the disaster some 40 applications to serve in a new crew were received, and the local life-boat committee had consider- able difficulty in making their selection." The Lord Provost of Dundee opened a fund shortly after the disaster, to which nearly £90,000 was subscribed.

Very many messages and sympathy and condolence were received : from the President of the Institution, H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent, from life-boat stations in all parts of the country, from life-boat societies in other countries and from well-wishers in many parts of the world.

A memorial service was held at the parish church of St. James, Broughty Ferry, on the llth of December, 1959, attended among others by Earl Howe ; Lord Saltoun, the Chairman of the Scottish Life-boat Council ; Colonel A. D. Burnett Brown, Secretary ; and Commander S. W. F. Bennetts, Chief Inspector of Life-boats.

Minister's Answer In the House of Commons on the 9th of December, 1959, Mr. Ernest Marples, Minister of Transport, answering a question about a possible official inquiry into the disaster, stated : " The statutory responsibility is that under the Merchant Shipping Acts I could, if I wanted to do so, hold a preliminary inquiry, but in view of the excellent work done with this specialised type of craft by the Institution, I think that it would be wrong for a Minister to take that action and that at this stage of the proceedings it should be left to the Institution." Earlier, in answer to a question from Mr. Greville Howard, M.P. for St Ives, who had called attention to the fact that the Deputy Chief Inspector of Life-boats had already arrived at Broughty Ferry together with an official with full powers to pay out monies for the immediate needs of the dependents, Mr. Marples had replied : "I think that the whole House would like to express its obligation and gratitude to the Royal National Life-boat Institution, which has moved so quickly and so generously.".