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..