TWO LIFE-BOATS OUT TO DUTCH VESSEL ON FIRE Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, and Caister, Norfolk. At 4.36 on the morning of the 17th January, 1963, the coastguard informed the honorary secretary at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston that a ship was on fire in Yarmouth roads, and a similar message was passed to the coxswain of the Caister life-boat. The life-boat Elizabeth Elson, on temporary duty at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, was launched at 5.16, and at 5.50 the Caister life-boat Jose Neville put out with a fire pump and six firemen on board. There was a strong easterly breeze and a rough sea. The tide was ebbing. The Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat reached the position of the ship first. She was the motor vessel Maria W. of Rotterdam and her engine room was on fire. Six men from the Trinity House vessel Mermaid were helping the Dutch vessel's crew of five to fight the fire, using an auxiliary pump from the Mermaid. The Caister lifeboat reached the Maria W. at 6.30, and the pump and the six firemen she was carrying were put aboard. The Great Yarmouth and Gorleston life-boat then left to return to harbour for another pump, but before she reached the harbour a message was passed to her coxswain at eight o'clock that the fire was under control and the additional pump was not required. The life-boat reached her station at nine o'clock. A tug had been summoned meanwhile. At 9.25 two of the crew of the Caister life-boat were put aboard the Maria W. and the lifeboat then took ashore the Dutch vessel's mate and engineer and the six firemen.

The life-boat returned to the Maria W.

with her mate at 12.15 and, when she had been taken in tow by the tug, escorted her into harbour, arriving at four o'clock. The Caister life-boat reached her station at five o'clock..