Hartlepool, Co. Durham. At 5.25 on the afternoon of the 15th August, 1961, the coxswain told the honorary secre- tary that he had been asked whether, because conditions were growing worse, the life-boat could land a working party from a caisson and a pontoon. A diving boat was in position but could not take the men off and would herself need the life-boat to escort her to har- bour. There was a fresh north-east wind blowing with a rough sea. At six o'clock the life-boat The Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7) was launched on a flooding tide. On reaching the position the life-boat took off ten men from the caisson and twelve from the pontoon. The sea was breaking over the caisson, and the pontoon was pitching heavily during the operation.

One man fell between the pontoon and the life-boat, but he was hauled safely on board before the two craft came together. The life-boat, with the twenty- two men safely on board, made for Hartlepool, at the same time escorting the diving boat, which had six men on board. The life-boat reached her station at 7.35..