Launches 29. Lives rescued 54.

JUNE 1ST. - LLANDUDNO, CAERNARVONSHIRE.

H.M. Submarine Thetis dived, while on trials in Liverpool Bay about fifteen miles from Llandudno, and did not come to the surface. On the following morning four survivors escaped by means of the Davis apparatus and a request was received from the Hoylake coastguard for a doctor.

The weather was fine, with a northerly wind and a moderate sea. At 1 P.M. the motor life-boat Thomas and Annie Wade Richards put out with Dr. Maddock Jones on board.

She took him to the destroyer Somali and remained alongside for some hours, returning to her station at 10.30 P.M. Ninety-nine lives were lost in this the biggest submarine disaster of all time.- Rewards, £24 11s. 6d.

JUNE 3RD. - DOVER, KENT. During the morning six children belonging to the Dover garrison were cut off by the tide under Shakespeare Cliff. A moderate N.E. gale was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor boarding boat William Myatt, attached to the Dover life-boat, put out about midday with a crew of six and a dinghy in tow. Meanwhile a police sergeant had been lowered down the cliffs to the children. The dinghy was sent in but the first attempt failed as there was great danger of the dinghy being smashed. The dinghy went in again, with an anchor and cables from the motor boat, and this time she was able to get near enough for the police sergeant to pass the children to her and then to board her himself. Sergeant and children were got safely from the dinghy to the boarding boat and she brought them ashore.-Partly permanent crew : Rewards, £2 2s. 6d.

JUNE 10TH. - MARGATE, KENT. At about noon a yacht was seen by a life-boatman ashore on the Margate Sands. A light S.E. breeze was blowing, the sea was smooth.

The motor life-boat Lord Southborough (Civil Service No. 1) was launched at 12.20 P.M. with the honorary secretary, Mr. P. E. W. Gellatly, on board. She found the auxiliary yacht Morn, of the Royal Air Force Yacht Club, near the North Spit Buoy, with three people on board. The life-boat towed her clear of the sands into deep water, and returned to her station at 2 P.M.-Property salvage case.

JUNE 11TH . - FLEETWOOD: LANCASHIRE.

At 1.30 P.M. the lighthousekeeper reported that a small motor boat was aground on the east side of the Wyre Channel. A strong N.W. breeze was blowing with a rough sea. Two other motor boats could be seen attempting to reach her, but were unable to do so. The motor life-boat Ann Letitia Russell was launched at 2.15 P.M.

She found the motor boat Roma, of Fleetwood, a converted ship’s life-boat, with three people in her, wet and exhausted. She took them on board, put a life-boatman in the Roma and towed her to harbour. The lifeboat returned to her station at 3.15 P.M. A letter and a donation were received in gratitude for this service.-Rewards, £5 5s. 6d.

JUNE 11TH. - NEW BRIGHTON, CHESHIRE. At 9.10 P.M. a message was received from the police that a motor boat was in difficulties off Seacombe Stage and needed immediate help. A moderate northerly breeze was blowing with a choppy sea. The No. 2 motor life-boat Edmund and Mary Robinson was launched at 9.26 P.M. and found the motor boat Sally, of Birkenhead, out fishing, with three men on board. Her rudder and stern post had been broken ; she was leaking badly ; her crew were unable to cope with the flow of water. The life-boat took the men on board and towed the Sally to New Brighton, returning to her station at 10.30 P.M.-Rewards, £10 5s.

JUNE 14TH. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. At 10.25 P . M . a message was received from the Felixstowe coastguard, through the Walton-on-Naze coastguard, that a vessel was in distress one mile east of the Cork Light-vessel. A S.W. gale was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat John and Mary Meiklam of Gladswood, on temporary duty at the station, was launched at 10.50 P.M. She found the motor vessel Kentish Hoy, of Chatham, with a crew of three, laden with 150 tons of sugar, on passage from Great Yarmouth to Chatham.

Her engine had broken down. She was being swept by heavy seas. The life-boat waited for the seas to ease. She then towed the Kentish Hoy into Harwich Harbour arriving at 6.30 A.M. the next morning. The life-boat returned to her station at 9.3 0 A.M. - Property salvage case.

JUNE 15TH. - CLACTON - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At 9.39 P.M. on the 14th June a message was received from the coastguard that the motor yacht Mayflower of Great Yarmouth, was ashore at Jaywick. As the yacht was not then in a dangerous position the life-boat was not launched. The following morning, at 9.36 A.M., a message was received that the Mayflower was flying a distress signal. A moderate S.W. breeze was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor life-boat Edward Z. Dresden was launched at 9.50 A.M. and found the Mayflower with a crew of two aboard. The life-boat towed the yacht to Brightlingsea, returning to her station at 3.30 P.M.-Property salvage case.

SILVER MEDAL SERVICE’ AT CLOUGHEY JUNE 17TH. - CLOUGHEY, CO. DOWN. The S.S. Arantzazu-Mendi, of Bilbao, had gone aground on Butter Pladdy shoals, outside Kearney Point, Co. Down. Efforts were made to salve her, and there was a salvage party on board on 17th June. A strong south-south-west wind was blowing that day, with a very heavy sea on the shoals, and at 9.30 in the evening the salvage party sent up distress signals. They were seen by the coastguard, and at ten o’clock the Cloughey motor life-boat, William Maynard, was launched. She reached the wreck an hour later, having had to drive into a head sea all the way.

Seas fifteen feet high were breaking over the steamer from abreast of the bridge and were sweeping clean over her after part, from which everything movable had already been washed away. The eleven men were on the fore-deck, knee-deep in water.

As the steamer was taking the seas head on there was no lee for the lifeboat to get under, so the coxswain anchored 150 yards ahead of her and veered down on his cable stern first.

As he did so a heavy sea broke right on top of the life-boat. All her crew were knocked down ; the anchor began to drag ; and if the coxswain had not at once gone full speed ahead on his engines, the life-boat herself might have been wrecked. The anchor held after it had dragged about 40 yards; the life-boat veered down again ; a line was thrown to her from the steamer. But a wave flung the lifeboat away and the line snapped. A second line was thrown, and snapped.

A third line was thrown. This held, and the life-boat was pulled alongside the steamer. Then a fourth line was thrown, and down this line the salvage men dropped, one or two at a time, into the life-boat. It took three-quarters of an hour for the eleven men to get aboard her. Each wave flung the life-boat ten or twelve yards away from the steamer, and the coxswain had to go full speed ahead to prevent her being caught broadside on by the waves. Then he had to work her back close enough to the wreck for the men to slide down the rope into her. Again and again this manoeuvre was repeated. All the time waves were breaking in the lifeboat, and the mechanic, kneeling under the canopy at his controls, was up to his chest in water.

About 11.45 that night the last of the men had been rescued, and half an hour later the life-boat landed them. The coxswain handled the life-boat with unerring skill. Any mistake on his part might well have meant disaster. All his crew ably supported him in a fine piece of seamanship, and the motor-mechanic in particular managed his engines very smartly in very trying conditions.

The Institution made the following awards : To Coxswain ROBERT YOUNG, the silver medal for gallantry, accompanied by a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum 11 A.M.-

To GEORGE YOUNG, the motor- the bronze medal for gallantry, and a copy of the vote inscribed on vellum To the coxswain and each of the six crew a reward of £2 in addition to the ordinary scale reward of £l 5s. Standard rewards to crew and launchers, £13 17s. 6d.  additional rewards to crew, £14; additional rewards to launchers, £3 4s. ; total rewards, £31 1s. 6d.

JUNE 18TH. - NEWHAVEN, SUSSEX.

During the morning four men were cut off by the tide under the Seven Sisters Cliffs, near Seaford. One of them swam to Cuckmere. There the police informed the Newhaven coastguard who passed the news to the lifeboat station. A fresh S.W. breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. The motor life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpott was launched at 12.13 P.M. and with a small boat in tow she went to Cuckmere Haven. The men were got into the small boat and then taken on board the life-boat, which landed them safely at Newhaven. The life-boat  returned to her station at 2.15 P.M . - Rewards, £6 8s.

JUNE 18TH. - CROMER, NORFOLK. During the morning a small boat with five boys on board was seen two miles N.N.E. from the life-boat station. A moderate S.S.W. breeze was blowing, with a choppy sea. The boat was kept under observation and at 1.25 P.M. the coastguard reported that the boys appeared to be exhausted. The No. 1 motor life-boat H.F. Bailey was launched at 1.30 P.M. She took the five boys on board and with the boat in tow arrived back at her station at 2.15 P.M.-Rewards, £8 14s.

JUNE 21ST. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At about 2.35 P . M . a message was received from the Shoeburyness Garrison that a small yacht appeared to be in difficulties off Shoebury. Then a second message came that the yacht had capsized.

A strong N.E. wind was blowing, with a rough sea. The reserve motor life-boat The Brothers, on temporary duty at the station, was launched at 2.55 P.M. She found the yacht to be the Redshank, of Shoeburyness.

There was no sign of her crew. The life-boat righted the yacht and towed her ashore, returning to her station at 4.45 P.M. It was learnt later that the Redshank’s crew of two had been picked up by a boat from Shoebury. -Rewards, £6 10s.

JUNE 22ND. - MONTROSE, ANGUS. At 9.40 AM. a strong N.E. wind was blowing, the sea was rough and the tide ebbing. It was evident that two motor fishing boats, Rosa and Widgeon, which were out would have great difficulty in crossing the bar and the No. 1 motor life-boat, John Russell, put out at 9.50 A.M. She escorted the two boats into

JUNE 22ND. - REDCAR, YORKSHIRE. At 10.55 P.M a message was received from the Staithes coastguard that a three-masted vessel had fired distress rockets three and a half miles to the N.N.W. A strong N.N.E. breeze was with a heavy sea. The motor life-boat  Louisa Polden was launched at 11.30 P.M. She found the vessel to be the S.S. Ernrix, of Hull, loaded with wheat, on passage from Hull to Thornaby-on-Tees. She had sprung a leak, and was sinking when the life-boat arrived and rescued her crew of ten. The life-boat returned to her station at 3 A.M. Later the tug King’s Cross attempted to tow the Ernrix in, but she sank.-Rewards, , . . £12 19s.

JUNE 25TH. - HARTLEPOOL, CO. DURHAM.At 2.30 P.M. a message was received from the coastguard that the motor coble Ben My Chree, with two men on board, was then two and a half miles N.E. of Heugh. With a northerly breeze blowing and a very heavy sea, anxiety was felt for her safety. A pilot cutter had gone to her help, and at 3.46 P.M. the two boats were seen to be returning. As a very heavy sea was breaking at the breakwater and bar the motor life-boat Elizabeth Newton was launched at 3.50 P.M. and escorted the Ben My Chree to safety. She returned to her station at 4.30 P.M.- Rewards, £4 16s. 6d.

JUNE 28TH. - NEW QUAY, CARDIGANSHIRE.

At 4 P.M. the crew and helpers had assembled for an exercise launch when the small sailing boat Idle Hour, of New Quay, with a crew of two, was seen drifting to the east of the harbour. A strong S.W. breeze was, blowing, with a choppy sea. The pulling and sailing life-boat William Cantrel Ashley was launched at 4.15 P.M. She took the two men on board and tried to tow the Idle Hour, but the boat was soon swamped, so she was lifted into the life-boat. The lifeboat returned to her station at 5.40 P.M.- Rewards, £11 9s. 6d.

JUNE 28TH. - CLACTON - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At 7 P.M. a message was received from the coastguard that a motor yacht two miles to the S.W. was drifting, and was flying distress signals. A fresh S.W. breeze was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor lifeboat Edward Z. Dresden was launched at 7.10 P.M. and found the yacht to be the Alanfred, of Benfleet, with four on board. She had run out of fuel and was leaking badly. The life-boat took off the four people, towed the yacht to Brightlingsea, and arrived back at her station at midnight. Gifts were sent to the Institution and to the crew in gratitude for this service.-Rewards, £11 6s.

The following life-boats were launched, but no services were rendered for the reasons given :

JUNE 1ST. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. A sailing boat had capsized off Worthing, but the man on board was rescued by another boat.-Rewards, £5 2s. 6d.

JUNE 1ST - TENBY, PEMBROKESHIRE.

Two girls had been cut off by the tide at Llanelly, but they reached safety without the life-boat’s help.-Rewards, £2 5s.

JUNE 2ND. - SELSEY, SUSSEX. An aeroplane had come down in the sea, but another boat reached her first and picked up two of the crew.-Rewards, £15 13s. 6d.

JUNE 4TH. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. A yacht was in distress off Foulness Island, but she was taken in tow by another vessel-Rewards, £13 6s.

JUNE 4TH. - DONAGHADEE, CO. DOWN.

An aeroplane had been reported to have fallen into the sea, but later news was received that she was safe.-Rewards, £4 10s.

JUNE 6TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. Smoke which appeared to come from a burning boat had been reported, but nothing could be found. The honorary secretary, Captain C. T. Keigwin, R.N.R., also put out in a speed-boat and took part in the search.-Rewards, £5 2s. 6d.

JUNE 12TH. - TORBAY, DEVON. A small boat had capsized, but a motor boat rescued the crew. A donation and a letter of thanks were received in gratitude for the launching of the life-boat.-Rewards, £2 16s.

JUNE 14TH. - YARMOUTH, ISLE OF WIGHT. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea off Barton-on-Sea, but nothing was found, nor was any aeroplane reported missing.-Rewards, £3 18s.

JUNE 17TH. - MARGATE, KENT. A rowing boat was overdue and believed to be in difficulties, but later a report was received that the boat had been found and was safe.

Mr. P. E. W. Gellatly, the honorary secretary, went out in the life-boat.-Rewards, £9 8s.

JUNE 18TH. - YARMOUTH, ISLE OF WIGHT. A motor boat had been reported, showing distress signals, but nothing was found.-Rewards, £7 16s.

JUNE 21ST. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. The Kentish Knock Light-vessel had reported that a yacht had carried away her mast, but the yacht cleared herself and went on her way.-Rewards, £4 15s. 6d.

JUNE 27TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX. An aeroplane had crashed into the sea, but a fishing boat rescued the pilot.

The life-boat towed in the aeroplane.- Rewards, £5 2s. 6d. (For a full account, see “ Services by Shore-boats,” Shoreham, page 95.).