Plymouth, Devon. At 11.54 on the morning of the 19th August, 1961, the coastguard look-out at Breakwater Fort informed the honorary secretary that a small fishing boat had capsized off Mewstone. There was a moderate north- westerly breeze blowing, and the sea was choppy. The weather was cloudy.

At 12.10 the life-boat Thomas Forehead and Mary Rowse slipped her moorings on an ebbing tide and made for the position given. At 12.24, as the life-boat cleared the breakwater she came up with the Queen's harbourmaster's launch, which had one rescued person on board. At 12.40 the life-boat came up with a Royal Air Force launch, which had a dinghy in tow and the second occupant of the dinghy on board the launch. As the R.A.F. launch was hav- ing difficulty in towing the dinghy, the life-boat escorted both to harbour. The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at two o'clock..