SEPTEMBER MEETING RATHCOURSEY, CO. CORK. While sailing a racing dinghy on the morning of the 23rd July, 1940, a boy and girl were capsized in East Ferry Inlet, Queenstown Harbour. A squally S.W. wind was blowing against the strongly ebbing tide. The accident was seen by Mr. H. Richins, ex-trooper of the Life- Guards, who promptly put out in a rowingboat and rescued the boy and girl, who were both exhausted. - Rewards, £1.

HAISBOROUGH, NORFOLK. About 3.30 in the morning of the 26th July, 1940, an aeroplane crashed into the sea off Haisborough Gap. The Cromer life-boat and a motor boat both put out to the rescue. The motor boat was manned by two brothers and an R.A.F.

officer. They found nothing but wreckage, and then, as the tide ebbed, the dead airmen were found among the wreckage. - Rewards, £1 and 2s. for fuel used.

(See Cromer, “Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 92.) FOLKESTONE, KENT. About 4 in the afternoon of the 31st July, 1940, a British aeroplane was seen to fall in flames during an air battle, one hundred yards east of the Victoria Pier. Four men in a motor boat searched for about an hour. but the aeroplane had been burnt out and her crew with her. - Rewards, £1 10s. and 2s. 6d. for fuel used.

BERNERA, ISLE OF LEWIS. Early in the afternoon of the 1st August, 1040, a coastwatcher reported having seen what appeared to be a ship’s boat about three miles from the Flannan Isles, and four men put out in a motor boat at 2 o’clock. A fresh S.W.

breeze was blowing, with a moderate sea.

The four men searched throughout the night, but found nothing, and returned at 8 A.M.

the following morning. They had been out for eighteen hours. - Rewards, £6, £1 for use of the boat and £1 10s. for fuel used.

ABERYSTWYTH, CARDIGANSHIRE. At 9.30 in the morning of the 1st August, 1940, the coastguard asked the owner of the motor boat Emerald Star to go out to a spot where aircraft were searching for survivors of an aeroplane down in the sea. The weather was fine and the sea smooth. Three men put out in the motor boat. They picked up one airman alive, then another unconscious who could not be revived, and then a third who was very exhausted and whom, with much difficulty, they rescued from a rubber boat. A motor boat from New Quay also went out, and the Aberystwyth life-boat picked up the body of the fourth member of the aeroplane’s crew. - Rewards, £3 7s. 6d.

(See Aberystwyth, “ Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 93.) SHERINGHAM, NORFOLK. At 4.36 in the afternoon of the 7th August, 1940, the Sheringham motor life-boat was called out to an R.A.F. bomber which was down in the sea about six miles N. by W. of Sheringham.

The sea was smooth, with a light easterly wind, but it was low water, and as there might be difficulty in getting the lifeboat away quickly, a motor boat, with a crew of seven men, also put out. However, the services of neither were needed. as the bomber’s crew. of three men were picked up by a trawler. - Rewards, £6 13s. and 10s. for fuel used.

(See Sheringham, “ Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 98.) ALDEBURGH, SUFFOLK. On the morning Of the 11th August, 1940, while the No. 1 life-boat was under overhaul, and the No. 2 life-boat out on service, a message came that an aeroplane was down in the sea five miles from Shingle Street look-out. A strong N.W.

breeze was blowing, with a rough sea. The naval authorities asked that a motor boat night be sent to the rescue, and the Peggy, with a crew of four, put out at 12.45 in the afternoon. She searched, but without success, until an R.A.F. speed boat arrived and took over the search. The Peggy then returned, arriving at 3.30. - Rewards, £2 and 5s. for fuel used.

KILCUMMIN, Co. MAYO. The Swedish motor ship Canton was torpedoed in the Atlantic, on the 9th August, 1940, seventy miles N.W. of Ireland, while bound from Calcutta to Liverpool. She had a crew of thirty-two. One of her boats, with sixteen men in it, arrived near Kilcummin at 10 in the morning of the 11th August. A northwest wind was blowing at almost gale force ; there was a very heavy sea ; and the boat was in danger of being wrecked. Eight men put out in a rowing boat and, at great risk to themselves, brought the Canton’s boat through the dangerous currents to safety.- Rewards, £8.

SCARBOROUGH, YORKSHIRE. At 2.15 in the morning of the 13th August, 1940, the coastguard reported that distress signals had been seen from an aeroplane on the sea about six miles N.E. of Scarborough. The weather was fine and the sea calm. To save time it was decided to send out a motor boat, instead of the life-boat, and the life-boat’s coxswain and motor-mechanic put off in the latter’s boat. They searched for four hours, but found nothing. - Rewards, £2 and 7s. 6d.

for fuel used.

PORTLAND, DORSET. A fierce air battle took place over the Weymouth and Portland district about mid-day on the 13th August, 1940, and several aeroplanes fell into the sea.

The Weymouth life-boat was out searching for airmen for seven hours. One man had been reported swimming off Osmington, and at 1.30 in the afternoon the coastguard asked Mr. Miller, of Osmington, to go out in his motor boat to help in the search. He returned about 3.30 and reported that the airman had been picked up by a naval vessel. - Rewards, 12s. 6d. and 2s. 6d. for fuel used.

(See Weymouth, “ Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 94.) PORTLAND, DORSET. At 5.30 in the afternoon of the 15th August, 1940, there was an air battle west of Weymouth, and at 9.30 that evening it was reported that cries for help had been heard from the rocks between Blackmor and Portland Bill. Three fishermen put out from Fortuneswell, but found nothing and returned at 12.15 next morning. A search of the cliffs by the coastguard was also without results. - Rewards, £3.

FOLKESTONE, KENT. At 11.30 in the morning of the 15th August, 1940, there wasan air battle over Folkestone, and several aeroplanes were reported down in the sea.

Naval vessels put out, as also did two motor fishing boats from Folkestone, and a rowing boat from Sandgate. They had ten men on board, The naval vessels picked up two airmen, and the three boats were not needed.

- Rewards, £3 15s. and 10s. for fuel used.

BONCHURCH, ISLE OF WIGHT. At 5.19 in the afternoon of the 16th August, 1940, the coastguard saw a man in. a parachute over Sandown drifting seaward. Naval speed boats and a flying boat went out, and Mr. Gould, of Bonchurch, put off in his motor boat with another man. Mr. Gould found nothing and returned, but when he heard that a man had been seen swimming he went out a second time, Finally returning at 8.30 without having found anything.- Rewards. £1.

PORTRUSH, Co. ANTRIM. On 16th August, 1940, two motor boats, with nine men on board,, took part with the life-boat in an unsuccessful search for eight survivors from a Swedish vessel who were reported adrift on a raft. - Rewards, £512s.6d. and £1 17s. 6d. for fuel used.

(See Portrush, “Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 99.)

VENTNOR, ISLE OF WIGHT. About 2.30 in the afternoon of the 18th August, 1940, aeroplanes were reported to be down off Dunnose Head. The Bembridge life-boat put out to their help and various other vessels, including private boats owned by Messrs. Spencers, of Ventnor, and Mr. Gould, of Bonchurch. Messrs. Spencers sent out two boats, which rescued a German pilot.

Mr. Gould made two trips, but found nothing.

- Rewards, Messrs. Spencers, £2 ; Mr.

Gould, £1 5s.

(See Bembridge, “ Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 100.) WATCHET, SOMERSET. About 8.30 in the evening of the 18th August, 1940, information was received at the life-boat station that four soldiers were marooned on the cliffs near their camp at St. Audries Bay, and four men were sent out in a shore-boat as more suitable than the life-boat. A naval patrol boat towed her up channel and the men closely examined the shore, but they could see nobody. They returned at 10.30 P .M. - Rewards, £2 5s.

PORTHDINLLAEN, CAERNARVONSHIRE.

About 2.15 in the afternoon of the 19th August, 1940, the life-boat coxswain, who was at the boathouse, had his attention called to the sailing dinghy Redskin, which had capsized in the bay about a mile away.

A moderate northerly wind was blowing, with a choppy sea. With the second coxswain and another man, he at once put off in a rowing boat, and rescued three people, who were clinging to the upturned dinghy.- Rewards, £1 10s.

BONCHURCH, ISLE OF WIGHT. On the afternoon of the 24th August, 1 9 4 0 , aGerman airman came down by parachute in the sea about a mile and a half off Luccombe.

Mr. Gould, of Bonchurch, put out with another man in a motor boat, but failed to reach the airman who was being driven along in the water by the wind. He was rescued by a naval launch. Two rowing boats put out, manned by soldiers, and Mr. Gould towed them into Shanklin. - Rewards, £1.

HERNE BAY, KENT. About 4 in the afternoon of the 24th August, l 9 4 0 , a n explosion was heard to the north of Reculver and a few minutes later a man was seen coming down by parachute. A motor boat, manned by three men, put out from Herne Bay and picked up a German airman.- Rewards, £1 2s. 6d. and 2s. 6d. for fuel used.

(See Margate, “Accounts of Services by Life-boats,” page 100.)

HOLY ISLAND, NORTHUMBERLAND. At 2.25 in the afternoon of the 25th August, 1940, the coastguard saw a sailing boat capsize in the narrows about half a mile from the Island. He telephoned Mr. R. Kyle, who. with three other men, ran down to the shore and put out in a rowing boat. A strong westerly wind was blowing. The four men found two young men clinging to the upturned boat, and but for the promptitude of their rescuers they would almost certainly have lost their lives. - Rewards, £1 10s.

PORTRUSH, CO. ANTRIM. At 4.16 in the afternoon of the 28th August, 1940, the coastguard reported a small boat in difficulties near the Carr Rocks, with the people on board waving for help. A moderate westerly wind was blowing, with a moderate sea. A coastguard and other men put out in a motor boat and towed this boat, and another boat, in to Portrush harbour. - Reward, a letter of thanks.

CASTLETOWN, ISLE OF MAN. At 7.45 in the evening of the 29th August, 1940, the Castletown coastguard reported a small motor boat in difficulties in Castletown bay. The motor had broken down and the boat, with four boys aboard, was being carried out to sea. A strong westerly wind was blowing, with a rough tideway. Two men put off at once in a motor yacht, and brought in the boys and their boat. - Rewards, £1.

LLANDUDNO, CAERNARVONSHIRE. About 3 in the afternoon of the 3lst August, 1940, the life-boat coxswain was told that signals of distress were being shown by two rowing boats, which had been caught in a strong S.W. wind, with a moderate sea running.

Three life-boatmen put off at once in a motor launch and brought in the two boats. There were two people in each boat, all very exhausted. - Rewards, £1 2s. 6d. and 2s. 6d. for fuel used.