Walmer, Kent. At 1.55 on the after- noon of the 27th of November, 1960, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that residents at Walmer and Kingsdown had seen a number of small fishing boats in difficulties because of a sudden deterioration in the weather.

There was a strong northerly wind with a moderate to rough sea, the weather was squally, and visibility was poor. At 2.2 the life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 32) was launched one hourafter low water. She went to the help of a number of boats three-quarters of a mile off Kingsdown. A local motor boat also made for the position and rescued three Royal Marines from their dinghy and landed them at Kingsdown.

The life-boat found the Deal motor boat Ursula broken down and took her in tow. The tow rope parted, and the motor boat's crew of five were trans- ferred to the life-boat, two of the life- boat's crew boarding the Ursula. The Ursula was then towed to Deal and safely beached. The life-boat, with the five people still on board, returned to the position near Kingsdown and picked up the Royal Marines' dinghy.

She towed it back to the life- boat station, which she reached at 3.55..