Accounts of Services by Life-boats (4)
Launches 18. Lives rescued 30.
MAY 3RD. - CROMARTY. At 3 P.M. a message was received from the Seaforth Highlanders Depot at Fort George that the ferry boat Tim, running from Fort George to Chanory, with the depot band of twelve men on board, had broken down when half-way across and was drifting towards the Riff Sands. A S.S.W. wind was blowing, with a moderate sea. The motor life-boat James Macfee was launched at 3.10 P.M., and found the Tim three miles off her course. She was riding at anchor, but the anchor would not have held had the wind increased. The ferryman having gone ashore with one of the bandsmen in a dinghy for help, the life-boat landed the eleven remaining men at Chanory Point. She then put out again and towed the boat to anchorage, arriving back at her moorings at 6.35 P.M.-Rewards, £4 7s. 6d.
MAY 11TH. - YARMOUTH, ISLE OF WIGHT. At 6.16 P .M. a message was received from the coastguard at Cliff End that a motor launch off Barton-on-Sea had broken down, and that its occupants were waving clothing to attract attention. As the sea was smooth, the weather fine, and the launch near to the shore it was decided to wait and see whether she could get in herself or whether some other boat would go to her help. At 7.3 P.M. a further message was received that the launch was still in difficulties, and the motor life-boat S.G.E. was launched at 7.12 P.M. She found the launch, with two men on board, off Becton Cliffs, towed her in, and returned to her station at 9.10 P.M.-Rewards, £7 16s.
MAY 16TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.
During the morning a strong N.E. wind was blowing with a very rough sea. About 10.15 it was learnt that two small fishing boats were returning. Then just as the motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was about to put out, at 10.40 came a message from Staithes that the fishing vessel Gallilee had broken down off Skinningrove and that another fishing vessel was attempting to tow her. The life-boat first escorted in the fishing cobles Royal Empire and Silver Line. She then went in search of the Gallilee and found her four miles north of Whitby. The attempt of the other vessel to tow her had failed as all her ropes had parted. The Gallilee had then managed to get her engine started again, but the fly-wheel was loose.
The life-boat escorted her into Whitby and returned to her station at 12 noon.-Rewards, £5 9s.
MAY 23RD. - HYTHE, KENT. At about 8.15 P.M. the motor life-boat Viscountess Wakefield was off Beachy Head on passage from Cowes to her station after overhaul.
There she saw the motor cruiser Mary, of Chichester, with her engine broken down.
There were two men on board. The sea was smooth and the weather fine. The Mary was bound for the East Coast and the life-boat towed her to Folkestone, arriving at 3.20 A.M., on the 24th May. She reached her station at 4 . 3 0 A.M.-NO rewards. Crew paid for bringing boat from Cowes.
MAY 2 6TH. - WALMER, KENT. At 12.10 A.M. a message was received from the South Goodwin Light-vessel through the Deal coastguard that a vessel was ashore on the sands to the N.E. by E. A N.N.E. breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. The motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 3) was launched at 12.44 A.M. She found the trawler Louci Gougy, of Dieppe, aground and stood by until 2.10 A.M., when the trawler refloated with the rising tide. After escorting her clear of the sands the lifeboat returned to her station at 3 A.M. - Rewards, £19 7s.
MAY 28TH. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. At 5. 15 A.M. a message was received from Gunfleet Lighthouse through the coastguard that a vessel had gone aground on the Gunfleet Sands. A moderate N.N.W. breeze was blowing, with a slight sea. The vessel was kept under observation and at 6.25 A.M. red flares were seen. The reserve motor life-boat Mary and John Meiklam of Gladswood, on temporary duty at the station, was launched at 6.55 A.M.
She found the yacht Our Laddie, of London, with thirteen people on board, four of them women. The yacht was on a pleasure cruise from Southend-on-Sea. The life-boat took all the passengers on board, except two men who stayed with the crew. Two life-boatmen boarded the yacht and the life-boat towed her clear of the sands and anchored abreast of Walton Pier. There she landed nine of the passengers, who were exhausted. She then towed the yacht into Harwich Harbour and returned to Walton at 2.20 P.M.- Rewards, £7 11s. 6d.
MAY 29TH. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.
The life-boat coxswain was told by the coastguard at about 8 P.M. that a motor vessel was in difficulties about a mile to the S.S.E.
The weather was fine, but the sea was rather rough with a fresh N.E. wind. The motor life-boat Agnes Cross put out at 8.10 P.M. and found the motor vessel Joy, of Lowestoft, out on a pleasure cruise, with a crew of three and fourteen passengers. Her engines had become overheated and failed, and there was a danger of fire. She was drifting across the Newcombe Sands where the seas were rough. The life-boat took her in tow and brought her safely into harbour at about 9 P.M.-Rewards, £25 2s. 6d.
The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given:
MAY 9TH. - CLOUGHEY, CO. DOWN.
The Arantzazu-Mendi, a steamer of Bilbao, had stranded, but was in no immediate danger.-Rewards, £l0 11s. 6d. (For another service to this steamer, see page 31.) MAY 9TH.. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.
An aeroplane had crashed into the sea off the Lincolnshire coast, but only wreckage was found. Two shoreboats also took part in the search. (See “ Services by Shoreboats,” Mablethorpe, page 93.)-Permanent paid crew : Rewards, 6s.
MAY 13TH. - WICKLOW. A yacht had run on the rocks, but all attempts to refloat her failed.-Rewards, £5 5s. 6d.
MAY 21ST. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. A rocket and lights had been reported, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £10 5s.
MAY 23RD. - DOVER, KENT. A vessel had been reported on fire, but it was found that it was only her funnels sending out dense smoke.- Partly permanent paid crew : Rewards, £2 17s.
MAY 27TH. - HOYLAKE, CHESHIRE.
Distress signals at sea had been reported but were found to be fireworks on land - Rewards, £20 11s. 6d.
MAY 29TH. - ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK.
A yacht had gone ashore in a dangerous position but she was refloated without the life-boat’s help.-Rewards, £29 15s. 6d.
MAY 29TH. - PEEL, ISLE OF MAN. A competitor in the Manx Air Races had crashed into the sea, but he was picked up by a fishing boat.-Rewards, £7 13s.
MAY 30TH. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. A yacht had gone ashore on the Buxey Sands, but she got off without help.- Rewards, £14 5s.
MAY 30TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, AND WORTHING, SUSSEX. During the afternoon a sailing boat, with a crew of two, father and son, capsized about two miles off Goring. A moderate N.E. breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea.
At the request of the Worthing Beach Inspector a motor fishing boat put out, rescued the two men and landed them. The Shoreham motor life-boat Rosa Woodd and Phyllis Lunn, had also been summoned and put out at 3.5 P.M. A speed-boat put out from Shoreham to tell her that the men had been rescued.
Another motor boat, from Ferring, had also put out with two men on board. She picked up the derelict boat and took her in tow, receiving help from the life-boat which returned to her station at 6.5 P.M.-Rewards, Life-boat, £5 2s. 6d. ; Shoreboats, a Letter of Thanks and £1 5s., together with 5s. for fuel.
MAY 31 ST. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.
A motor fishing boat of Bridlington had broken down, but was towed into Bridlington by a Whitby fishing boat.- Permanent paid crew : Rewards, 6s.