Hartlepool, Co. Durham. At 12.10 on the afternoon of the 15th May, 1961,the coastguard told the honorary sec- retary that a fishing vessel, with a crew of four, had broken down and was drifting two miles north of Heugh. The men were waving a red flag, so at 1.35 the life-boat The Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7) was launched. There was a light northerly wind and a slight sea.

It was one hour before low water. The life-boat found the fishing beat Border Queen of Berwick, towed her to Hartle- pool, and returned to her station at 1.10..