Eastbourne, Newhaven, Shoreham Harbour and Selsey, Sussex - At 9.45 p.m. on 7th January, 1967, a message was received that the East German m.v.

Saale, which was on fire, required assistance.

The life-boat Beryl Tollemache was launched at 10.5 in a fresh east south easterly wind and a rough sea. It was one and a half hours after high water. She proceeded to the vessel, which was south of Beachy Head, and went alongside. The coxswain was told that most of the crew had been taken off by the tanker Edenfield.

The life-boat went to the Edenfield and took off 12 members of the crew of the m.v. Saale and returned them to their ship to help fight the fire. She then took 14 more crewmen and one woman off the Edenfield, and returned to the Saale. By this time tugs were in attendance, one of which was alongside the vessel, so the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 5.30 a.m. with the survivors. The Newhaven life-boat Kathleen Mary took over and escorted the Saale and her attendant tugs until they neared Shoreham. The Shoreham Harbour life-boat Dorothy and Philip Constant relieved the Kathleen Mary at 10.45, an(i the Newhaven lifeboat returned to her station. It had been decided to beach the m.v. Saale near Spithead, and the Shoreham Harbour lifeboat continued to escort the vessels until the Selsey life-boat, Canadian Pacific, took over at i.io p.m. when they reached the Owers lightvessel. The Dorothy and Philip Constant returned to Shoreham and the Canadian Pacific escorted the vesselsuntil the m.v. Saale was beached on Mother Bank. The Selsey life-boat then proceeded to Portsmouth as conditions at Selsey were not suitable for rehousing.

She arrived in Portsmouth harbour at 5-15-.