MISSING BUOY TAKEN IN TOW Weymouth, Dorset. At 2.10 on the morning of the 29th September, 1962, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a red flashing light had been seen south-east-by-south of Portland Bill moving west. There was a light west-by-south breeze with a smooth sea.

The tide was ebbing. At 2.30 the lifeboat Frank Spiller Locke made for the position given. Within half an hour she was given a new position, and less than a quarter of an hour later another one.

Nothing was found, and it was reported from Portland Bill that the light had been lost to view. The life-boat, after twice checking her position with Portland Bill by burning white flares, continued to search without success. She was now given a fourth position, and it was thought that the flashing light might have been a degaussing buoy that was missing from Portland range. The tide was now turning, and the life-boat sighted the buoy one mile south of Portland Bill and towed it to Portland harbour. After handing it over to an Admiralty tug she returned to her station, which she reached at eight o'clock..