Trader went aground off Cromer in October 1941. Henry Blogg was then aged 65. His lifeboat H. F. Bailey put out in a full gale blowing from the north-north-east. When he approached English Trader, Blogg was confronted with what he considered the most appalling problem he ever had to face, for he knew how great the risk would be to his crew if he attempted a rescue.

Seas were running from both directions along the hull of English Trader, some of them reaching mast height. Five men had already been washed overboard from the stricken vessel, but 44 men remained aboard.

About one o'clock in the afternoon as the tide dropped, Coxswain Blogg decided to move in. It was impossible to come alongside, but before long Blogg made a second attempt. The lifeboat was overwhelmed by a mass of water and several members of the crew, including Henry Blogg himself, were washed overboard. Blogg was unable to swim, but a member of the crew who had remained on board threw an aircraft dinghy which was stowed in the canopy of the lifeboat to him, and he clung to it as he was hauled aboard.

For a man of 65 it was a formidable ordeal, but Blogg immediately took the wheel and continued with the rescue operation. In the end all 44 men were taken safely off English Trader and brought ashore by the Cromer lifeboat..