ESCORT FOR COBLE IN TOW Sunderland, Co. Durham. At 5.35 on the evening of the 13th August, 1962, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a small boat had broken down half a mile north-east of Roker pier and that her crew were waving a flag. At 6.5 the life-boat Edward and Isabella Irwin was launched. There was a light north-easterly breeze and a slight sea. The tide was half ebb. The life-boat made a search, but found that the fishing coble Forward, which had broken down, had been taken in tow by a motor launch. The life-boat escorted the boats to harbour and arrived back at her station at seven o'clock..