JANUARY 16TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON. NORFOLK. At 1.51 P.M. the coastguard reported that a motor vessel was flying a distress signal south of Palling Look-out. A moderate N.E. gale was blowing, with a very heavy sea.

There were snow squalls and the weather was extremely cold. At 2.14 P.M. the motor life-boat Louise Stephens was launched.

Visibility at times was only a boat’s length, but the life-boat found the motor vessel Ashanti north of Horsey, with a crew of nine.

The Ashanti had anchored three-quarters of a mile from the beach, and her anchor had been dragging in the heavy sea, but when the life-boat arrived at four o’clock the master had hauled down his distress signal and was trying to get an offing. He said that he did not need help at present, but asked the lifeboat coxswain what he had best do in the circumstances. It would soon be getting dark, his vessel was sailing light, the wind was dead on shore, and the sea was heavy.

The coxswain advised him to make for shelter in Yarmouth Roads and the master then asked if he could get through the Cockle Gat.

The coxswain replied that he thought he could if he followed the life-boat. The lifeboat then bore away at once, with the Ashanti following her closely, and reached the Cockle Light-vessel just as night was coming on. The life-boat then piloted the Ashanti through the Cockle Gat which was closed to traffic as there were in it unmarked wrecks of vessels which had been mined in the fairway, and it was suspected unexploded mines as well. To add to these difficulties, all lights were extinguished. Both boats however got safely through into Yarmouth Roads and the Ashanti anchored under the lee of Scroby Sands. The life-boat then went alongside to ask if the master needed any further help. He said that he did not, and was very grateful to the life-boat for the help which it had already given them. The coxswain then approached the examination vessel and asked that the harbour lights might be put on to enable her to enter harbour.

This was done and the life-boat returned to her station and was ready for service again at 6.45 P.M. The weather was so cold when the life-boat returned after her four hours at sea that her decks were covered with ice and the crew’s life-belts were frozen to them.

A  letter of appreciation was sent to COXSWAIN C. A. JOHNSON, and an increase in the usual money awards on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew, - Standard rewards to crew and helpers, £15 9s. 6d. ; additional rewards to crew £10 ; total rewards, £25 9S. 6d..