North Sunderland, Northumberland.

At nine o'clock on the morning of the 28th of March, 1961, the honorary sec- retary noticed three local fishing vessels sheltering in the lee of the Fame Islands.

There was a moderate west-north-west- erly wind and a corresponding sea. At ten o'clock the reserve life-boat Howard D, on temporary duty at the station, left the harbour where she had remained overnight after her service the evening before. The tide was flooding, and there was a dangerous cross sea at the har- bour entrance. The life-boat stood by at the entrance until the fishing boats had entered safely..