Hartlepool, Co. Durham. At 12.45 on the afternoon of the 8th August, 1961, the coxswain informed the honor- ary secretary that Messrs. Wimpey had requested the help of the life-boat, as one of their pontoons two miles north of Hartlepool was dragging itsanchors and the attendant launch was also in difficulties because of the high seas. There was a near gale blowing from the south-east with a rough sea.

At 1.5 the life-boat Princess Royal (Civil Service No. 7) was launched on a flooding tide. She reached the position given at 1.58 and found the pontoon pitching heavily. The twenty men on the pontoon and the crew of two of the launch were taken on board the life- boat, which then returned to the har- bour, with the launch in tow, arrivina at 2.20..