June Launches 67. Lives rescued 178.

JUNE 2ND. - RAMSGATE, KENT. The life-boat helped in bringing wounded men ashore from a vessel.

For details see “ Evacuation of Men of the British Expeditionary Force and the French Army from Dunkirk,” page 80.

JUNE 2ND. - DOVER, KENT. The lifeboat rescued twenty-three men from the Swedish steamer Emma and fifteen. British soldiers from a disabled motor boat.

For details see “ Evacuation of Men of the British Expeditionary Force and the French Army from Dunkirk,” page 79.

JUNE 4TH. - BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT, AND SELSEY, SUSSEX. At 1.15 A.M. a message was received at Bembridge from the Foreland coastguard, that an aeroplane had come down in the sea south-west of the coastguard hut at Hayling Island. A south-east wind was blowing, with a moderate sea. At 1.30 A.M. the motor life-boat Jesse Lumb was launched, and close inshore found four men in a rubber boat. One was injured.

Their aeroplane had sunk. She took them on board, and after permission had been given by the examination vessel, landed them at Haslar Hospital, Gosport. She returned to her station at 5.45 A.M. At Selsey news was received from the coastguard at 1.20 A.M.

that the aeroplane was down. At 1.40 A.M.

the motor life-boat Canadian Pacific was launched, but she was recalled when it was learned that the Bembridge life-boat had rescued the men. - Rewards, Bembridge, £10 11s. ; Selsey, £11 15s. JUNE 4TH. - MARGATE, KENT, The life-boat rendered assistance after a French warship had been mined, and landed sixty five French sailors who had been rescued by another ship. Later she went out again, with a naval officer on board, and visited vessels anchored off the harbour.

For details see “ Evacuation of Men of the British Expeditionary Force and the French Army from Dunkirk,” page 80.

JUNE 4TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT. The life-boat rescued sixty-eight French soldiers from two boats.

For details see “ Evacuation of Men of the British Expeditionary Force and the French Army from Dunkirk,” page 80.

JUNE 5TH. - DOVER, KENT. The lifeboat rescued fifteen French soldiers from an open boat.

For details see “ Evacuation of Men of the British Expeditionary Force and the French Army from Dunkirk,” page 79.

JUNE 6TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT. At 11.53 A.M. a message was received from the Ramsgate coastguard that a vessel was on fire in the Gull Stream abreast of the coastguard station. A light north-east breeze was blowing, with a slight sea. At noon the motor life-boat Prudential was launched and found that the S.S. Harcola, which had been leading a north-bound convoy, had struck a magnetic mine and had sunk in the Gull channel. Twenty-two survivors, who had been picked up by various small vessels, were transferred to the life-boat, which landed them at Ramsgate. She then returned to the Harcola and rescued the master and eight other officers, naval ratings and a Trinity House pilot. The life-boat returned to her station at 4.55 P.M. - Rewards, £4 10s.

6d.

JUNE 6TH. - TYNEMOUTH, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At 5.32 P.M. the South Shields coastguard reported that three boys were marooned on rocks. The tide was half flood, and the weather fine, with a slight sea.

A motor boat in charge of the acting coxswain was immediately sent out and the motor life-boat John Pyemont followed at 6.5 P.M. with the honorary secretary, Mr. E.

Selby Davidson, on board. The boys were rescued by the motor boat and transferred to the life-boat, which then took the motor boat in tow. Forty minutes after putting out the life-boat landed the boys at Tyne Dock.- Rewards, £3 9S.

JUNE 9TH. - MARGATE, KENT. At 12.27 P.M. a message was received from the Margate coastguard that a vessel had been mined at the N.E. Spit Buoy. It was calm and the sea smooth. At 12.30 P.M. the motor life-boat The Lord Southborough (Civil Service No. 1 ) was launched and on her way met the motor vessel Brabant, which hailed her. She went alongside and found that the vessel which had been mined was the steamer Empire Commerce, and that seventeen survivors, three badly injured, were on boardthe Brabant. She took them on board, returned at once to Margate and landed them at 1.15 P.M. Half-an-hour later she was again on her way to the Empire Commerce, part of whose crew was still on board. She found, however, that further help by the lifeboat was not needed as the tug Plumer and two drifters were standing by. At the request of the master of the Plumer she took in tow an empty barge and brought it into Margate Roads, returning to her station at 4.30. P . M . - Rewards, £5 15s. 6d. (See Margate “ Services by Shore-boats,” pp. 146).

JUNE 10TH. - DUNGENESS, KENT. The life-boat landed three British soldiers from a lightship.

For details see “ Evacuation of Men of the British Expeditionary Force and the French Army from Dunkirk,” page 80.

JUNE 11TH. - NEWHAVEN, SUSSEX. At 12.50 P.M. the coastguard reported a vessel sinking and men on a raft drifting out to sea, east of Seaford. The weather was calm. At 1.5 P.M. the motor life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpott was launched and found the vessel to be the motor vessel St. Ronaig, of Glasgow.

She had a crew of eight and was bound with potatoes from Jersey for Newhaven. She was thought, to have struck a mine. A naval vessel commanded by Lieut. Commander H.

L. Wheeler, R.N., the Institution’s southern district inspector of life-boats, had picked up a body and the life-boat brought this and another body ashore The Southern Railway tug Richmere rescued four men who were injured Nothing was seen of the other two members of the crew. The life-boat returned to her station at 4 P.M. - Rewards, £5 19s.

JUNE 11TH. - DOVER, KENT. At 4.25 P.M. a message was received from the duty staff officer at Dover that a boat was drifting four miles off the Port War Signal Station, and might have people on board. A fresh W.S.W. wind was blowing, with a moderate sea At 4.45 P.M. the motor life-boat Agnes Cross, on temporary service at Dover, was launched, and saw the boat picked up by one of H.M. trawlers. She went alongside and found that the boat was the cabin cruiser Matilda, which had been drifting with no one on board. She took over the Matilda from the trawler and towed her into Dover.- Rewards, £4 15s.

JUNE 12TH. - RAMSGATE, KENT. At 8.44 A.M. the North Goodwin Light-vessel JUNE 13TH. - WEYMOUTH, DORSET, At 7.50 A.M. a message was received from the coastguard that the oil tanker British Inventor, of London, 7,000 tons, had been torpedoed or mined near the Shambles Lightvessel and was sinking. The weather was very fine and the sea calm. At 8.10 A.M. the motor life-boat William and Clara Ryland was launched, the branch honorary treasurer, Mr. K. H. Mooring Aldridge, acting as assistant motor-mechanic. On reaching the British Inventor she found that an armed yacht had already taken off twenty-five of the crew, eight of them injured. The remainder. fifteen in number, including the master, officers and engineers, the life-boat took off. She then stood by the steamer until she was taken in tow by two Admiralty tugs, but before reaching harbour the steamer foundered at 1.30 P.M. An increase in the usual money awards on the standard scale was made to each member of the crew. - Standard rewards, £3 2s. 6d. ; additional rewards to crew, £3 ; total rewards, £6 2s. 6d.

JUNE 13TH. - NEWHAVEN, SUSSEX. At 7.45 P.M. a violent explosion was heard off the harbour. It was the minesweeper Ocean Sunlight which had struck a mine. The weather was fine, with a calm sea and a slight S.W.

wind. At 7.57 P.M. the motor life-boat Cecil and Lilian Philpott was launched, but her help was not needed, as H.M.S. Forward had picked up five survivors of the crew of fourteen.

At the request of the senior naval officer the life-boat salved gear from the minesweeper and brought it in. - Rewards, £8 11s. 6d.

to be followed in order to refloat the steamer.

The life-boat returned to her station at 5.30 P.M. - Property salvage case.

JUNE 16TH. CROMER, NORFOLK. At 7.48 A.M. a message was received from the coastguard that the S.S. Brika, of Swansea, was ashore on the Haisborough Sands. A N.N.E. breeze was blowing, with a light sea.

It was foggy. At 8.5 A.M. the motor life-boat J. B. Proudfoot, on temporary duty at the No. 1 station, was launched and found the Brika, 7,000 tons, loaded with iron ore, stranded a mile east of the North Middle Haisborough Buoy. The life-boat coxswain went on board her. The Admiralty tug Muria arrived, and the life-boat passed a rope from her to the Brika. The tug started to tow at 2.45 P.M. and the Brika refloated and was able to go on her way. The life-boat coxswain remained on board her during the whole of the operations, advising the captain when the tow should begin and the direction southerly breeze was blowing and the sea was reported that a vessel had struck a mine one calm, At 8.55 A.M. the motor life-boat Prudential was launched and found that the and a half miles to the N.W. A light vessel was the Belgian steamer Yvonne. She had already sunk. Two of her crew had been picked up by H.M.S. Arley and landed by naval motor boat. No trace of further survivors could be found, but the life-boat found and brought ashore two mangled bodies. She returned to her station at 10.55 A.M. - Rewards.

£2 13s.

JUNE 17TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. At 9.45 A.M. on the 16th June, a vessel in the Barley Picle was flying the “ Not under control ” signal. She was kept under observation. At noon a tug went out but found that the vessel, the motor vessel Summity, of London, bound for Yarmouth with coals, did not need help although she was aground. A light N.N.E. wind was then blowing, with a moderate sea. At 10P.M. the wind was increasing, but the motor life-boat Louise Stephens could not go out as the port was closed. When the boom had been lowered, she put out at 3.45 A.M. on the 17th June and, with the help of the life-boat and of a sister ship, Grit, the Summity was refloated at 7 A.M. The life-boat escorted her into Yarmouth Roads and was ready for service again at 8.52 A.M. - Rewards, £17 1s.

JUNE 18TH. - DOVER, KENT. At 2 P.M.

information was received through the coastguard that a naval cabin cruiser appeared to be in need of help about three miles from Sandgate. A moderate E.N.E. gale was blowing, with a rough sea. The motor lifeboat Agnes Cross, on temporary duty at the station, put out at 2.30 P.M., and at 3.45 P.M.

found H.M. auxiliary Dulcibella, with a crew of four. Her engine had broken down. The life-boat towed her in, arriving at 7.30 P.M.- Partly paid permanent crew. Rewards, £4 15s.

JUNE 20TH. - DUNGENESS, KENT. At 2.55 A.M. information was received from the Dover naval authorities that a torpedoed steamer was lying helpless two miles east of Dungeness. A fresh E.N.E. wind was blowing, with a choppy sea. At 3.15 A.M.

the motor life-boat Charles Cooper Henderson was launched and found the steamer Roseburn, of West Hartlepool, bound with wood from Canada to London, sinking slowly.

Some of her crew, who were in a ship’s boat, were taken into the life-boat. Another of the steamer’s boats was missing, but this was found later to have been picked up by an Admiralty drifter and taken to Dover. A tug attempted to tow the Roseburn to Dover, but she had to be beached at Dengemarsh and the life-boat remained alongside. She landed an injured man, and at 1.30 P.M. put nine more of the steamer’s crew ashore. As a tug had arrived and was standing by the stranded steamer, which still had some of her crew on board, the life-boat returned to her station, arriving at 2 P.M. - Rewards, £30 12s.

JUNE 21ST. - MINEHEAD, SOMERSET.

At 8.26 A.M. the coastguard reported that a ship’s boat was drifting down channel six miles north of Hurlstone Point. A fresh easterly breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. The motor life-boat Kate Greatorex put out at 8.49 P.M., and picked up the boat, which was empty, covered with oil, and apparently belonged to the S.S. James McGee, of Wilmington, U.S.A. The life-boat towed it in, arriving at 12.30 P.M. - Property salvage Lybster fishing boat Ferny had already got the aeroplane in tow. Accompanied by the life-boat, the fishing boat towed it into Wick Harbour, which was reached at 9 P.M. - Rewards, £6 17s. 6d.

JUNE 23RD. - ST. PETERPORT , GUERNSEY. At 1 P.M. the harbour master telephoned to the coxswain asking for the lifeboat to go to Alderney to take off six people, two of whom were injured and would have to travel on stretchers. This was a part of the general evacuation of people from Alderney when, after the fall of France. it was impossible to defend the Channel Islands against attack by Germany. The weather was fine, with a moderate N.E. wind, but there was a rough sea in the tideways. At 1.45 P.M. the reserve motor life-boat, Alfred and Clara Heath, on temporary duty at the station. was launched, and reached Alderney at 6 P.M. She left again with the six people at 11.15 P.M., but the sea was so rough that she had to return to Alderney, arriving half an hour after midnight. At 3.45 in the morning she set out again and reached St. Peter Port at 7 A.M. The Rewards, amounting to £11 3s., were not paid at the time, for the Germans occupied the Channel Islands a few days later, and the Institution’s cheque was returned by the Post Office. A new cheque was sent in 1945.

JUNE 25TH. - TORBAY, DEVON. At 7.13 P.M. a message was received from the Berry Head coastguard that a small boat, with two people on board, appeared to be in distress 2 miles S.W. by S. of the Torquay coastguard look-out hut. A W.N.W. breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. At 7.30 P.M. the motor life-boat George Shee was launched. She found the boat, which was the yacht Elsie, of Torquay, but with great difficulty, as it had capsized and was floating with its keel level with the water, and rescued a woman who was only half conscious. Later it was learned that the other occupant of the boat, a man, had attempted to swim ashore to get help, but had been drowned. The lifeboat returned to her station at 9.59 P.M.- Rewards, £4 19s.

JUNE 26TH. - HOLY ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND.

At 3.25 P.M. information was received from the coastguard that a steamer was ashore on Swadman Reef. The weather was fine, with a light S.E. wind, and the sea was smooth. The motor life-boat Elizabeth Newton, on temporary duty at the station, was launched at 3.44 P.M. She found that the vessel on the reef was the Grimsby case. steam trawler Helios, with a crew of nine, J UNE 2 1 S T. - WICK, CAITHNESS bound from the fishing grounds for Grimsby.

SHIRE. Shortly after 6 P.M. the coastguard The tide was rising and the life-boat stood by reported that an R.A.F. seaplane was on the until the Helios refloated and was able to go on her way. The life-boat returned to her sea one and a half miles east of Occumster, station at 5.53 P.M. - Rewards, £4 13s. 6d.

and was drifting, with her engines stopped, towards Clythness. A fresh S.S.W. breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea. The JUNE 27TH. - DUNGENESS, KENT. At motor life-boat City of Edinburgh was 12.27 P.M. a message was received from the launched at 6.20 P.M. and found that the Sandgate coastguard that a Hurricane fighter aeroplane had come down in the seaabout six miles S.S.W. of Dungeness. A light westerly breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth. At 12.50 P.M. the motor life-boat Charles Cooper Henderson was launched with a scratch crew, most of the regular crew being away fishing. Women helped to launch her, When the life-boat reached the position given there was no sign of the aeroplane and she continued her search to the south. Two aeroplanes then appeared and led the lifeboat to a position 15 miles S.S.W. of Dungeness.

Here she found an airman, unconscious, but with his head and shoulders above water One of the life-boat crew jumped overboard and put a rope round him and he was got on board the life-boat The crew gave him artificial respiration and this was continued for twenty minutes when one of H.M. speedboats came alongside, and the rescued man was transferred to it and taken to Dover.

The life-boat then returned to her station, arriving at 5 P.M. - Rewards, £8 1s. 6d.

JUNE 28TH. - ARKLOW, CO. WICKLOW.

At 2.30 P.M. information was received that the fishing boat Venturer, of Arklow, was in distress in Courtown Bay. A southerly wind was blowing, with a rough sea. At 3 P.M.

the motor life-boat Inbhear Mor was launched and found that the Venturer’s engine had broken down. She had no sails and had drifted about seven miles when the life-boat reached her. There were two men on board, who were taken into the life-boat, and with the Venturer in tow the life-boat returned to Arklow, arriving at 6 P.M. - Rewards, £5 3s. 6d.

JUNE 30TH. - THURSO, CAITHNESSSHIRE At 5.35P.M. a message was received from the Wick coastguard that an auxiliary fishing boat was in distress six miles E.N.E. of Dunnet Head. The wind was light and variable and the sea smooth. At 5.45 P.M. the motor life-boat H.C.J. was launched and found the fishing boat Flora Dora, of Grimsby, with her engines broken down. A patrol boat had got her in tow and took her into Scrabster Harbour.

The life-boat escorted them and returned to her station at 9.10 P.M. - Rewards, £12 5s. 6d.

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

JUNE. 1ST, WICK. CAITHNESS-SHIRE.

An explosion had been heard on board H.M.S. Astronomer, thirty miles away, but the life-boat found nothing, and it was learnt later that the survivors had been picked up by trawlers. - Rewards, £13 6s.

JUNE 2ND. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.

An aeroplane had come down in the sea, one mile E.N.E. of Easington, but the life-boat’s help was not needed.- Permanent paid crew.

JUNE 3RD. - BLACKPOOL, LANCASHIRE.

An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea six miles S.W. of the life-boat house, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £13 14s.

J UNE 3 RD. - BEMBRIDGE, ISLE OF WIGHT. It had been reported that two of the crew of three of an aeroplane had left their machine by parachute, three miles south of the watch-house, but a piece of parachute was all that could be found. News was received later that the aeroplane had been found and that the pilot was safe. - Rewards, £9 6s.

JUNE 3RD. - CROMER, NORFOLK. A vessel had been reported ashore on the Haisborough Sands, but she refloated and went on her way. - Rewards, £26 2s.

JUNE 3RD. - DOVER, KENT. A small boat was reported to have broken down, it was believed, with troops from Dunkirk on board, but nothing could be found. - Rewards, £3 15s.

JUNE 5TH. - MARGATE, KENT. Six white rockets had been seen by the Barrow Deep Light-vessel, but no vessel in distress could be found. - Rewards, £18 12s.

JUNE 7TH. - WALMER, KENT. At 10.28 P.M. a message was received at the life-boathouse from the Royal Engineers Signals at Princes Golf Club, that a vessel near there was showing flares, and at 10.45 P.M. another message came from the coastguard that a vessel was ashore near Shellness. There was thick fog, with a light W. breeze and a smooth sea. At 11 P.M. the motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched and searched along the coast to Princes Club.

Soon after she put out an air-raid started.

She was caught in the beam of a searchlight and was immediately machine-gunned by enemy aircraft. Fortunately none of the lifeboat’s crew was hit. The life-boat continued her search but could find nothing and returned to her station at 1.45 A.M. - Rewards, £13 7s.

JUNE 7TH. - ARRANMORE, CO. DONEGAL.

A merchant ship had been reported mined and torpedoed and sinking rapidly, but other vessels had gone to her help and the life-boat found that she was not needed.

While the life-boat was on her way, the pilot of an aeroplane saw her, did not know that she was steering to a given position, thought she must be out in her reckoning, and dropped a message in a bottle asking if she was all right or if she wanted her position and her course to the next life-boat station. He asked her to reply by flags. Then, not being certain if the message had been received, he dropped a second bottle asking “ Did you get our first bottle ? ” and giving the life-boat her latitude and longitude. The crew did not need them but they were very grateful. - Rewards, £9.

JUNE 7TH. - THE HUMBER, YORKSHIRE.

Seven soldiers had gone fishing in a small boat. There was a dense fog.

Nothing was found, and it was learned later that the men had been picked up by a trawler. An aeroplane was also reported to have come down in the sea near Kilnsea, but nothing was found. - Permanent paid crew.

Rewards, 6s.

JUNE 8TH. - MARGATE, KENT. A rubber boat, with one person on board, had been seen four miles to the north of Foreness, but nothing was found except an empty case and some small pieces of wreckage. - Rewards, £4 19s.

JUNE 9TH. - WALMER, KENT. Distress signals had been seen four miles N.E. of the coastguard station, but nothing was found, nor had three vessels which the life-boat spoke seen any signals. - Rewards, £13 1s.

JUNE 9TH. - DOVER, KENT. Information had been received that what appeared to be a rubber boat was adrift, but nothing was found, except some wreckage. - Rewards, £8 15s.

JUNE 9TH. - HASTINGS, SUSSEX. A small pleasure boat had been reported overdue, but was found abandoned on the rocks, east of Hastings. - Rewards, £23 7s. 9d.

JUNE 10TH. - HOLYHEAD, ANGLESEY.

An aeroplane had been reported down off Rhoscolyn, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £5 14s.

JUNE 12TH. - POOLE AND BOURNEMOUTH. DORSET. The Dutch motor vessel Prinses Juliana had been blown up, but the survivors had been picked up by a pilot boat. - Rewards, £4 4s.

JUNE 13TH. - BARRA ISLAND, HEBRIDES.

A drifting ship’s boat had been reported eighty-four miles west of Greenhead, Isle of Barra, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £18 14s.

JUNE 13TH. - SWANAGE, DORSET. A small vessel was on fire, but she had burnt to the water's edge. As she might continue to burn in the darkness, or become a danger to navigation, she was sunk by the life-boat.- Rewards, £18 10s.

JUNE 15TH. - SHOREHAM HARBOUR, AND NEWHAVEN. SUSSEX. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea to the east of Shoreham, but it was later found near Littlehampton, and the services of the lifeboats were not needed. - Rewards : Shoreham Harbour, £4 10s. ; Newhaven, £5 19s.

JUNE 18TH. - DUNGENESS. KENT. An Admiralty yacht’s engine had broken down, but her crew were able to repair it. - Rewards, £10 17s. 6d.

JUNE 18TH and 19TH. - ST. HELIER, JERSEY. During the afternoon of the 18th of June a ship had been reported to be on fire about eight miles to the south-south-west of St. Helier Harbour, but the life-boat could find nothing. It was thought to be a vessel taking part in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from St. Malo, and possibly other vessels rescued the survivors.

The honorary secretary, coxswain and other members of the crew were away from the station, engaged in the work of the evacuation from St. Malo, and the bowman acted as coxswain.

On the morning of the 19th of June a local vessel which had gone to help in the evacuation from St.. Malo was long overdue. and the life-boat went, to look for her, but the missing vessel was brought in by a Belgian steamer.

A cheque amounting to £15 11s. 6d. for rewards for these two launches was sent, but it was returned by the Post Office, as the Germans had then occupied the Channel Islands. In 1945 a new cheque was sent, but the station was then able to pay out only £10 15s. 6d. of the rewards.

JUNE 19TH. - THURSO, CAITHNESSSHIRE.

Two men had been cut off by the tide, but they reached safety unaided.- Rewards, £9 11s.

JUNE 19TH. - MARGATE, KENT. Red flares had been seen four miles N.N.E. of Foreness Point, but nothing could be found.

-Rewards, £12 8s.

JUNE 20TH. - NORTH SUNDERLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea, S.E. of Beadnell, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £15 3s. 6d.

JUNE 20TH. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM.

The coastguard had reported some wreckage, thought to he an aeroplane or a submarine, several miles east of Horden, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £4 19s. 6d.

JUNE 20TH. - GREAT YARMOUTH AND GORLESTON, NORFOLK. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea twelve miles east of Yarmouth, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £7 13s. 6d.

JUNE 20TH. - HASTINGS, SUSSEX. An aeroplane had come down in the sea but small boats gave all the help needed. - Rewards, £20 5s. 9d. (See Hastings “ Services by Shoreboats,” page 146.) JUNE 21ST. - COVERACK, CORNWALL.

A steam drifter appeared to be on fire, but another drifter took her in tow. It was later learned that her engines had broken down.- Rewards, £7 16s. 6d.

JUNE 22ND. - HARTLEPOOL, DURHAM.

The French naval patrol boat La Bastiase had blown up and sunk in a few minutes, but the sixteen survivors of her crew were rescued by the examination vessel at the Tees. - Rewards, £4 19s. 6d.

JUNE 22ND. - BLYTH, NORTHUMBERLAND.

After an air-raid alarm had been given it, was reported that distress signals hadbeen heard, but nothing could be found.

Rewards. £10 18s.

JUNE 25TH. SALCOMBE, DEVON. The coastguard had reported a vessel in distress off Start Point, but nothing could be found.- Rewards, £3 18s.

JUNE 26TH. - MARGATE, KENT. The engine of the Admiralty motor yacht Jinty had broken down and she was dragging her anchor, but her engine started again just as the life-boat was taking her in tow.- Rewards £12 8s.

JUNE 28TH. - ST, PETER PORT, GUERNSEY, On 26th of June the honorary secretary at St Helier, Jersey, telephoned to the Institution that he was unable to get a crew to take his life-boat to Cowes, which it had been arranged that he should do, if the Germans prepared to occupy the Channel Islands. The chief inspector then telephoned to St. Peter Port, Guernsey, where the honorary secretary was holding the life-boat ready to leave for England at half-an-hour’s notice, asking him to send the life-boat, the reserve boat, Alfred and Clara Heath, to tow the Jersey boat, Howard D., to Guernsey, in the hope that both might then be brought to England. The Guernsey boat was just arriving at St. Helier at 7 P.M. on 28th June, when German aeroplanes attacked both islands. One of the aeroplanes machinegunned the Guernsey life-boat and killed the son of the coxswain, Frederick Charles Hobbs, who was a member of the crew. The Guernsey boat then returned without the Jersey boat, and on the following day, 29th June, the honorary secretary telephoned to the Institution that the governor had asked that the life-boat should not leave Jersey. To this the chief inspector agreed. Rewards amounting to £32 8s. were granted. £7 10s.

being paid locally at the time and the balance of £24 18s. sent from London in 1945 A letter was written to the honorary secretary at Guernsey on 29th of June to say that the dependent relatives of Harold P. Hobbs, the coxswain’s son, would be pensioned by the Institution, but no reply was received and nothing more was heard of either life-boat.

After the war it was learned that Harold Hobbs had left a widow and a small son, and that a pension had been paid by the States of Guernsey until June 1945. The Institution granted a pension to his widow and to her child as from the date of Hobbs’ death, on the scale laid down for sailors, soldiers and airmen killed in action.

The two life-boats fell into the hands of the enemy. The St. Helier boat was used by them as a life-boat on five occasions and rescued thirty-five lives. When the islands were freed the Institution had her overhauled and she continued her work at St.

Helier. The St. Peter Port reserve boat was armed by the Germans and used as a fishing patrol boat. She was found to have been so mishandled that she was useless for further service.

JUNE 29TH. - DUNGENESS, KENT. An aeroplane had been reported down in the sea seven miles from Dungeness, but nothing was found. - Rewards, £10 16s. 6d.

JUNE 29TH . - TORBAY, DEVON. A motor boat had been reported in difficulties off Meadfort Beach, but she was able to reach harbour under her own power. - Rewards, £4 13s. 6d.

JUNE 29TH. - KILMORE, CO. WEXFORD.

It was reported that a rocket had been seen over Saltee Island in the direction of the Coningbeg Lightship, but it was later learned that it was a flare which had been dropped from a seaplane. - Rewards, £19 13s. 6d.