Southend-on-Sea, Essex. At 3.50 on the afternoon of the 19th of January,1960, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a vessel in tow of a tug had broken adrift three miles off Maplin Head. At 4.38 the life-boat Greater London II (Civil Service No. 30) was launched in a south-westerly wind of nearly gale force and a very rough sea. It was one hour after high water.

An hour and a half after launching the coxswain saw lights to the north-west and later came up with the tug Exchange of Southampton, which was making for shelter. The tug by then had anchored the dredger, which had earlier broken adrift, in shallow water on Maplin Sands. The life-boat escorted the tug to Southend, arriving at 9.30. Re- wards to the crew, £15 15s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £6 1 Is..