DEC. 10TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK, CAISTER, NORFOLK, AND LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

At 8.20 P.M. the coastguard reported that the steamer Willowpool, of Hartlepool,was sending out S.O.S. signals fourteen miles N.E. of Yarmouth. A S. by E. breeze was blowing, with a heavy ground swell, and the night was very dark. The Great Yarmouth and Gorleston motor life-boat Louise Stephens was launched at 8.45 P.M. and she saw signals from the Newarp Light-vessel, went to her, and found that she had on board thirty-six survivors of the Willowpool, which had been set on fire by enemy action. Three were injured ; fourteen had very little clothing.

All thirty-six were taken aboard the life-boat.

On her way home she saw signals from the Cockle Light-vessel, so she informed the Caister life-boat station, and then went on to land the thirty-six men. She reached Gorleston at about 2.45 in the morning. The Caister pulling and sailing life-boat Charles Burton was launched at one in the morning and made for the Cockle Light-vessel. There she was told that the Newarp Light-vessel was signalling, but she could not reach the Newarp owing to the state of the tide and, as the Lowestoft motor life-boat had arrived, she returned to her station, arriving at 5.10 A.M. Lowestoft had heard from the coastguard at midnight that the Cockle Lightvessel was firing distress rockets and the motor life-boat Michael Stephen s was launched at 1.15 A.M. She spoke to the St. Nicholas, Cockle and Newarp lightvessels, and the last-named reported a vessel burning flares two miles to the eastward, but the life-boat found only the burning Willowpool. Returning to the Newarp the life-boat remained alongside until 7 A.M. as there was a thick fog, and then resumed her search in daylight. She could find nothing, and returned to her station at 9.47 A.M.- Rewards : Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, £19 16s. 6d. ; Caister, £43 7s. 6d. ; and Lowestoft, £33 1s.