FEBRUARY 11TH. - WALMER, KENT. At 12.55 A.M. a message was received from the Deal coastguard that a Norwegian tanker had been mined east of Kingsdown. A light southerly breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. The weather was fine, but hazy. At 1.15 A.M. the motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) waslaunched and found the Norwegian tanker Gallia, of Oslo, two miles east of Kingsdown, laden with petrol, bound for Amsterdam.

The fore compartment of the tanker was full of water. The naval authorities and the captain of the tanker asked the life-boat to stand by until daylight. She put one of her crew on board the Gallia, and when it was light enough took the captain of the tanker round his ship so that all damage could be inspected from the outside. At 7 A.M. the life-boat took ashore telegrams addressed to the owners. She then returned to the Gallia and piloted her into shallower water in the Downs, where she was anchored. The lifeboat returned to her station at 12.45 P.M. - Property salvage case..