TWENTY-NINE HOURS AT SEA Cloughey, Co. Down. At 8.25 a.m.

on 6th October, 1965, the coastguard reported that the coaster Normanby Hall had asked for assistance as she was aground off South Rock. The life-boat Constance Calverley put to sea at 8.50 in dense fog, two hours before high water.

An hour later the coxswain was given a position two miles north of the Strangford Bar buoy. The life-boat was alongside the Normanby Hall at 10.30.

Attempts were made during the day to get a line aboard the vessel as she continued to flood in both her fore and aft holds. An attempt to re-float her was made at n p.m. after the water level had reached 7 feet in her holds and after 90 tons of cargo had been jettisoned, but it was abandoned as visibility was reduced to nil. The life-boat remained on watch through the night. In the morning the tanker Oarsman, in answer to a request transmitted by Holyhead R/T station, pulled the casualty clear and took her in tow to Belfast. The life-boat returned to her station at 2.15 p.m. the next day after 29 hours' duty at sea..