APRIL Launches 53. Lives rescued 40.

APRIL 1ST. - FLEETWOOD, LANCASHIRE.

At 1.30 P.M. a message was received from the Wyre Lighthouse that a ship’s lifeboat needed help. A moderate W.S.W. wind was blowing with a slight sea. At 1.40 P.M.

the motor life-boat Ann Letitia Russell was launched and found the boat, which belonged to Blackpool, with two men on board, one and three-quarter miles E.N.E. of the lighthouse.

In the shallow water the life-boat could not go alongside. She anchored and veered down as near as possible and then fired a line, but it fell short of the boat. The tide however, was rising, and later the lifeboat was able to go alongside the boat, which was half full of water, and rescued the two men who were exhausted. She returned to her station at 5.30 P.M. - Rewards, £5 12s. 6d.

APRIL 1ST - 2ND. - STORNOWAY , ISLAND OF LEWIS. During the forenoon of the 1st April, a strong easterly wind sprang up increasing to a whole gale, with a rough sea. The harbour was very congested with vessels taking shelter. One of these, the Italian steamer Verbania, of Naples, in ballast, which had been towed into Stornoway. short of coal, while bound from Aarhus to Newcastle, dragged her anchors and fouled several coal hulks. The coal hulk Black Miner, of Stornoway, was in grave danger of being fouled and at 4.30 P.M., the motor life-boat William and Harriot was launched and landed the twelve men, on board the hulk, returning to her station at 5.30 P.M.

The Black Miner held to her moorings.

On the following day the Verbania was again in difficulties and went ashore near Holm Point. A light westerly wind was blowing and the sea was slight. In response to a red flare the motor life-boat launched at 2.15 A.M., but found the crew were in no immediate danger. She stood by for a time and returned to her station again at 3.30 A.M.

The VERBANIA was later refloated with the help of an Admiralty trawler. - Rewards : £3 5s. 6d. ; and £6 11s.APRIL 5TH. - ANSTRUTHER, FIFESHIRE.

At 5 A.M. a message was received from the coastguard that a vessel was ashore at Balcomie Bay. A strong N.E. breeze was blowing, with a rough sea. At 5.25 A.M. the motor life-boat Nellie and Charlie was launched and found the Norwegian motor vessel Bjornhang, of Oslo, aground. Three of her crew had already reached t h e shore in the ship’s small boat. The life-boat went alongside but the captain of the Bjornhang did not wish to abandon ship, although most of the crew wished to do so.

Seven of them came on board the life-boat.

but the captain and mate remained on board the ship. As the weather was improving, and they were not in immediate danger, the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 8.50 A.M. Later the captain and mate landed in their small boat. - Rewards, £9 4s.

APRIL 7TH. - BLYTH, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At 6.25 A.M. the coastguard reported that an aeroplane had crashed in the sea three miles south of Blyth. A light S.W.

breeze was blowing with a choppy sea. The motor life-boat Joseph Adlam was launched at 6.50 A.M. One survivor from the aeroplane was picked up by a naval speed boat, and the life-boat found a parachute, but the other two airmen could not be found, and the bodies were recovered later by a naval speed boat. The life-boat returned to her station at 9.30 A.M. - Rewards £4 16s. 6d.

APRIL 9TH. - LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK.

At 6.50 P.M. the assistant mechanic reported a small boat in difficulties. A strong N.N.W.

wind was blowing, and the sea was rough.

The motor life-boat Michael Stephens was launched at 7.5 P.M. and found the boat drifting towards the Newcome Sands. The three men in her had left the minesweeper Waverley for line-fishing, but had lost their anchor and had exhausted themselves in their efforts to make harbour. The life-boat rescued them, took their boat in tow and brought them into harbour at 8.10 P.M. - Rewards, £20 2s. 6d.

APRIL 9TH. - LYTHAM - ST. ANNES, LANCASHIRE.

The police reported at 2.30 A.M.

that rockets had been seen north of Southport Pier, and the motor life-boat Dunleary put out at 3.10 A.M. A moderate N.W.

breeze was blowing, but the sea was smooth and the weather fine. The life-boat found the S.S. Afon Gwili, of Llanelly, on the north bank near Salters Buoy. There was not enough water for her to get near the steamer, but she was able to land two of her crew on the bank and they walked to the steamer and went aboard. The master had sent for a pilot and a tug. After taking her two men aboard again the life-boat brought out a pilot, and with his help the steamer got off on the next tide, without the need of a tug.

The life-boat returned to her station at 10 A.M. - Rewards £14 1s. 6d.

APRIL 10TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT. At about 6.50 P.M. the naval authorities reported that a tug was ashore on the North GoodwinSands. A strong N.N.E. breeze was blowing and the sea was rough. The motor life-boat Prudential was launched at 7.5 P.M., and found the steam tug Fairplay I ashore, with heavy seas breaking over her. Letting go her anchor the life-boat veered down to the tug, but the captain refused to leave her.

As night was approaching and the coxswain considered his own position dangerous, the life-boat moved to deeper water, after the crew of the tug had again declined to abandon their vessel. Two hours later the tug burned flares and the life-boat again closed in. The tug was now lying with a heavy list to port There was not enough water, and the life-boat, after shipping two heavy seas, struck the sands heavily She also struck the tug and was damaged Telling the crew of the tug that she would come in again on the rising tide the life-boat drew near: with some difficulty, and awaited daylight At daybreak the Fairplay said that she would probably float at high water, but that her engine was disabled. Tugs came to her help and she was refloated and towed in. The life-boat returned to her station at 7.50 A.M. after twelve hours on service An increase in the usual money awards on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew.- Standard rewards : £12 19s. 6d. ; additional rewards to crew, £9 ; total rewards, £21 19s 6d.

APRIL 15TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. Just after midnight on the 14th April the coastguard reported a vessel to the N.E. by E. of Britannia Pier, which was not showing distress signals but which appeared to be ashore on Scroby Sand. A S.W. breeze was blowing - increasing later to gale force - and the sea was very heavy. The motor life-boat Louise Stephens was launched at 1.20 A.M., and as she neared the N.W. Scroby Buoy she saw morse signals on a hand torch. She found the motor vessel Heemskirk, of Rotterdam, fast aground. She was bound, laden, from Blyth to Antwerp and had a crew of six.

The captain would not leave her but asked that messages be sent to his agents for a tug.

The lifeboat tried but failed to send the message by wireless to Cromer and Yarmouth and then stood by, At daylight the tide had ebbed and the Heemskirk was safe for a time, so the life-boat went back to harbour and asked for a tug. She then returned to the steamer and asked the captain if he would take the tug’s hawser He replied that he would try to get off himself. The wind was now increasing and there was a heavy swell making on the sands. When, at ten o’clock, the captain asked if the life-boat would get him the tug’s hawser, the coxswain had to say that the weather was now too bad and asked the captain if he would abandon ship.

He replied that he would stay on board, and he tried to refloat the steamer, but his engines stopped Again the coxswain asked what the captain intended to do, as the weather was getting very bad. By 12.20 P.M. heavy seas were breaking over her, and the men were in the wheelhouse, with their life-jackets on, waving to the life-boat to come alongside.

She did so, with great difficulty, and took off two men. Then a heavy sea flung her twenty yards from the ship, and at the same time slewed the steamer round. The life-boat then approached from the other side. A heavy sea breaking over the steamer nearly washed the captain and mate overboard, but the life-boat got alongside and the four men jumped aboard her. As the life-boat drew away from the steamer she struck the bottom heavily, slightly damaging her keel. She made for Yarmouth, where she landed the six rescued men at 1.30 P.M., and returned to her station, arriving at 2 P.M. An hour later she again went out to the Heemskirk, which had floated off and was adrift in Barley Picle.

A tug also went out. Life-boatmen went on board the steamer and made fast a tow-rope.

Then, with the life-boat standing by, the tug brought the steamer into harbour about 5.30 P.M.

An increase in the usual money awards on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew for the first service.- Standard rewards, £18 18s. 6d. ; additional rewards, £11 ; total rewards, £29 18s. 6d.

Second service, property salvage case.

APRIL 15TH. - CAISTER, NORFOLK.

During the afternoon a motor fishing boat was seen to be in difficulties. A strong W. by N.

wind was blowing with a heavy ground swell.

The pulling and sailing life-boat Charles Burton was launched at 7.35 P.M. and found the motor fishing boat Don’t Know, of Great Yarmouth, with a crew of two, nearly in the breakers off Caister Shoal. Her engine had broken down and her anchor was dragging.

The life-boat towed her in and returned to her station at 9 P.M. - Rewards, £29 5s.

APRIL 16TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT. A steamer was seen ashore on the North Goodwin Sands at about 7 P.M. and the motor life-boat Prudential was launched at 7.26 P.M. A westerly wind was blowing, with a moderate sea, and at times snow and hail squalls. The life-boat found the vessel to be the S.S. Alba, of Panama, of over 3,400 tons, laden with grain for the continent from the River Plate. She stood by her until, at high water the following night, she was refloated by six tugs. The life-boat returned to her station at 8.30 P.M. having been out for thirty-seven hours. - Property salvage case.

APRIL 19TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

Early in the morning five fishing boats left to lift their crab pots. A N.E. wind of gale force got up with a rough sea and heavy rain, and two of the boats returned. As the weather grew worse the No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched at 10.20 A.M., and escorted the other three boats, Success, Venus and Provider, to harbour in turn. She returned to her station at 1.45 P.M.

- Rewards, £4 16s. 6d.

APRIL 22TH. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET.

At 6.30 P.M. the Wyke Regis coastguard reported that a motor boat was drifting about a mile off Wyke. A moderate S.E. breeze was blowing, with a very heavy swell. Themotor life-boat William and Clara Ryland was launched at 7.15 P.M. and came up with the motor boat three and a half miles N.W.

of Portland Bill. She was the Edith May, of Weymouth, with a man and boy on board.

Her engine had broken down, and had not the life-boat arrived when she did the Edith May would have been driven ashore, with the almost certain loss of her crew, for the swell was breaking with tremendous force on Chesil Beach. The life-boat was just in time to rescue the man and boy, and with their boat in tow, she reached her station again at 10.50 P.M. - Rewards, £7 10s.

APRIL 22ND. - RAMSGATE, KENT. At 2.10 P.M. a message was received from the naval base that a vessel was sinking south of Gull Buoy. A gentle E.N.E. breeze was blowing, with a slight sea. At 2.20 P.M. the motor life-boat Prudential was launched and found that the Norwegian steamer Bravore, of Farsund, coal laden, had been mined. Only a little of her stern was now above water.

No one was on board. Of the crew of twentyfive of the Bravore, two had been picked up badly injured by the Dutch S.S. Budga. Two others were picked up by another vessel and landed at Deal. The remaining twenty-one were lost. The two men on the Budga were brought ashore by the life-boat, which returned to her station at 3.50 P.M. - Rewards, £5 3s.

APRIL 22ND. - SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK.

At 5.20 P.M. the Skeldon Hill coastguard telephoned that a barge half a mile away was flying a signal. The weather had been foggy, with a strong easterly wind blowing and a moderate sea, but the fog cleared and the flag was seen to be the red ensign upside down, a distress signal. At 5.35 P.M. the motor life-boat the Foresters Centenary was launched. She found the barge M a h e l a h , of London, laden with Admiralty stores, and brought ashore the officer in charge. As the barge was in difficulties on a lee shore, it was decided to bring ashore the other three members of the crew, and the life-boat went out again at 6.30 P.M.

The barge was made as safe as possible and the life-boat returned with the three men at 8.5 P.M. The barge’s cable held and she was still at anchor on the following day. Later her crew returned to her and went on their way. - Rewards, £19 9s. 6d.

APRIL 25TH. - THE MUMBLES, GLAMORGANSHIRE . A t 7 P . M . t h e coastguard reported that a trawler had been mined and torpedoed some four miles from the signal station. The sea was smooth, with a light S.W. wind. The motor life-boat Edward Prince of Wales was launched at 7.30 P.M. and found the vessel to be the S.S. Seminole, of London, of 10,000 tons, bound from Nova Scotia for Swansea. A naval trawler was already on the scene and had taken off several injured men. The life-boat stood by for some time and returned to her station at 12.12 A.M. - Rewards, £10 4s.

APRIL 26TH. - GALWAY BAY. At 5.30 A.M. the local doctor asked that the life-boat should take a boy to Galway for an immediate operation. A moderate S.E. wind was blowing and the sea was calm. All the local boats were away fishing. The motor life-boat K.E.C.F. was launched at 6 A.M. and, as no ambulance could be summoned to the nearer coast of Connemara, she took the boy to Galway. On arrival he was at once operated on, and his life saved. The life-boat returned to her station at 5.0 P.M.

- No expense to the Institution.

APRIL 27TH. - WALMER, KENT. Shortly before 6 A.M. a Kingsdown boatman reported that a steamer was ashore in Old Stairs Bay, Kingsdown. There were patches of fog, with a light south-westerly wind blowing and a smooth sea. The motor life-boat Charles Dibden (Civil Service No. 2) was launched at 6.6 A.M. and found the Dutch steamer Helder, of Amsterdam. She had a crew of thirty eight on board and was laden with sugar and wheat from the West Indies. Two Deal motor boats helped the life-boat to run out a kedge anchor, and when the tide rose the steamer was hauled off at 2.30 P.M. The life-boat escorted her to an anchorage in the Downs, and returned to her station at 3.45 P.M. - Property salvage case.

APRIL 29TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

At 4.10 P.M. the coastguard reported that a vessel was ashore at Robin Hood’s Bay, six miles to the south of Whitby. There was a dense fog, with a light S.E. wind and a strong ground swell. The No. 1 motor life-boat Mary Ann Hepworth was launched at 4.20 P.M. and found the S.S. White Toft, of Middlesbrough, of over 400 tons, laden with steel and carrying a crew of fifteen. She lay on the rocks, full of water and with heavy seas washing over her. Going in stern first the coxswain took the life-boat alongside and rescued the crew. She returned to her station at 7 P.M. A letter of appreciation was sent to the coxswain and an increase in the usual money award on the standard scale was granted to each member of the crew.- Standard rewards to the crew and helpers, £4 16s. 6d. ; additional rewards to crew, £3 ; Total rewards, £7 16s. 6d.

APRIL 3 0 T H . - WICK, CAITHNESSSHIRE.

At 12.10 A.M. information was received that a vessel was in distress on the North side of Wick Bay. A fresh S.E. breeze was blowing, with a heavy sea. The motor life-boat City of Edinburgh was launched at 12.30 A.M. and found the Aberdeen steam trawler Strathalford, with a crew of ten, hard and fast on the rocks. She lay almost surrounded by them and the seas were breaking over her. The life-boat could not get alongside, but she was able to pick up one man who had been washed overboard.

Meanwhile the coastguard life-saving apparatus had come into action and, with the lifeboat standing by and playing her searchlight on the trawler it rescued five men. Three had already been drowned. One man was still on the trawler clinging to the rigging.

After several attempts the life-boat got aline to him and hauled him aboard. She returned to her station at 5 A.M. - Rewards, £8 1s.

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

APRIL 1ST. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. A small yacht, with three men on board, was in distress in a gale, but the men were rescued by a fishing smack. - Rewards, £8 9s.

(See Sheerness, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 144.) APRIL 1ST. - CLOVELLY, DEVON. An R.A.F. aeroplane had come down into the sea very near the shore, but the help of the life-boat was not needed. - Rewards, £8 0S. 6d.

APRIL 2ND. - WALTON AND FRINTON, ESSEX. An R.A.F. Hurricane aeroplane was reported to be in distress near the Cork lightship, but nothing could be found.

- Rewards, £6 12s. 6d.

APRIL 3RD. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM, AND WHITBY, YORKSHIRE. A British Spitfire fighter aeroplane and a German Heinkel bomber had come down in the sea thirty miles east of Hartlepool, but the five German airmen and the British pilot were rescued by two steamers. - Rewards : Hartlepool, £4 4s. ; Whitby, £4 16s. 6d.

APRIL 3RD. - HOLY ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND.

A vessel had been reported to be on fire six miles N.N.E. of the Longstone Lighthouse, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £5 2s. 6d.

APRIL 5TH. - THE MUMBLES, GLAMORGANSHIRE. An aeroplane had fallen into the sea, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £11 8s.

APRIL 7TH. - WESTON - SUPER - MARE, SOMERSET. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £13 13s.

APRIL 9TH. - STROMNESS, ORKNEYS.

A raft had been seen, but an aeroplane reported that there was no life on board, and the life-boat was recalled by wireless.- Rewards £4 16s. 6d.

APRIL 12TH. - TENBY, PEMBROKESHIRE.

An aeroplane had been reported down in Carmarthen Bay, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £5 4s. 6d.

APRIL 14TH. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE, AND SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

An R.A.F. aeroplane had been reported down in the sea several miles off Mablethorpe, but nothing could be found.- Rewards : - Skegness, £8 1s. 6d. ; The Humber, permanent paid crew, 9s.

APRIL 14TH. - WHITBY, YORKSHIRE.

A bombing aeroplane had been reported down in the sea some twenty miles out, but nothing could be found. The life-boat covered seventy miles. - Rewards, £13 12s.

APRIL 15TH . - RAMSGATE, KENT.

Aircraft had been reported down in the sea about thirty miles east of Ramsgate, but the life-boat was recalled by other aircraft which had already made a search. - Rewards, £7 16s. 6d.

APRIL 15TH. - LONGHOPE. ORKNEYS.

Vessels had been reported ashore, but only one was found and she did not need help.- Rewards, £9 6s.

APRIL 15TH. - THURSO, CAITHNESSSHIRE.

Two drifting ship’s boats had been reported off Dunnet Head, but both were empty. - Rewards, £5 3s. 6d.

APRIL 15TH. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

A Blenheim bomber had been reported down in the sea, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £20 12s. 6d.

APRIL 16TH. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.

An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, but nothing could be found.

- Permanent paid crew.

APRIL 16TH. - ROSSLARE HARBOUR, CO. WEXFORD. A fishing boat had gone aground, but she floated off and did not need help. - Partly paid permanent crew.

Rewards, £2 7s.

APRIL 17TH. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

An aeroplane was reported to have fallen into the sea in flames, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £6 14s. 6d.

APRIL 20TH. - TOBERMORY, ARGYLLSHIRE.

A little girl had been reported missing on an island, and the life-boat with its searchlight searched the shores of the island by night without success. Next day the girl was found by another boat. - Rewards, £6 5s.

APRIL 20TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT. A steamer had struck a mine and had sunk within three minutes, but her crew were rescued by another steamer. - Rewards, £5 3s.

APRIL 21ST. - WALMER, KENT. Cries for help were heard coming from the sea, and found later to be from a man who had jumped overboard from the S.S. Montferland, of Amsterdam, but he was picked up by a boat from a Norwegian steamer. - Rewards, £19 7s.

APRIL 22ND. - HOWTH, CO. DUBLIN.

Two small fishing boats were at sea in bad weather, but they made harbour without help. - Rewards, £10 12s.

APRIL 22ND. - SKEGNESS, LINCOLNSHIRE.

A Hurricane fighter aeroplane had been reported missing, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £7 8s.APRIL 23RD. - RAMSGATE, WALMER, AND MARGATE, KENT. A steamer had been mined and had sunk off the North Foreland, but her crew were taken off by naval vessels. - Rewards : Ramsgate, £5 3s. ; Walmer £14 12s. 6d. ; Margate, £9 8s.

APRIL 25TH. - PORT ERIN, ISLE OF MAN. The French steamer Benerau Mitznigr, of Marseilles, had been in collision, but she was able to go on her way without help.- Rewards, £5 8s. 6d.

APRIL 26TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT. A vessel had been reported aground on the Goodwin Sands, but was found to be afloat and anchored close to the sands. - Rewards, £5 3s.

APRIL 26TH. - CLOUGHEY, CO. DOWN.

A motor boat had gone aground in dense fog, but was able to get off unaided.- Rewards, £6 15s.

(See Cloughry, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 145).

APRIL 29TH . - WALMER, KENT. A motor boat which had been expected in before sundown had not returned, but she got in later without needing help. - Rewards, £19 7s.