On service 11 hours ON MONDAY, MAY 31, HM Coastguard informed the honorary secretary of Walmer lifeboat station that a cabin cruiser had broken down in a position some three to four miles south east of the lifeboat station; she was drifting towards the Goodwins and needed help. An accompanying cabin cruiser was unable to close her because she was too near the sandbanks.

There was a gentle to moderate westnorth- westerly breeze, the sea was choppy and it was low water. Visibility was poor with misty rain.

At 1816 the 37' 6" Rother lifeboat Hampshire Rose was launched. She setcourse for the casualty but on the way received a radio call from the Coastguard saying that another cabin cruiser in the vicinity of East Goodwin Lightvessel was making water badly and needed help. Coxswain Bruce Brown told the Coastguard that he would close the first casualty, take off her crew, anchor her in a safe position and then go on to the East Goodwins area.

At 1850 Hampshire Rose was alongside the first casualty, a 22' cabin cruiser Phase II. Her crew of three were taken aboard the lifeboat but considerable difficulty was experienced in anchoring her due to damage forward and lack of cable length. However, the lifeboat crew did the best they could and then, as there was not enough water for them to steam directly north-eastwards to the lightvessel, made a detour round South Calliper.

The lightvessel was reached at 2100 and the 36' cabin cruiser Raven was found made fast astern, her sole occupant exhausted with pumping and bailing. The lifeboat crew helped with the pumping out and eventually Raven was taken in tow around Goodwin Knoll and into Ramsgate Harbour.

Meanwhile, the Coastguard had despatched a local boat to tow Phase II into Dover but, because of poor visibility in fog and misty rain, she could not be found.

Coxswain Brown left Ramsgate and made for the southern Downs to search for her and, with the help of the Coastguards, a radar echo was spotted off Kingsdown. Continuing on course the lifeboat found this to be the missing Phase II, dragging her anchor. With some difficulty a towline was made fast and Ramsgate Harbour was reached in safety.Hampshire Rose eventually returned to her station at Walmer at 0520 on Tuesday, June 1, having been on service for over 11 hours..