JANUARY 29TH. - BRIDLINGTON, YORKSHIRE. At 1.50 P .M. a message came from the Bridlington coastguard that rockets had been seen eight to ten miles E.S.E. of the coastguard station. A strong E.S.E. gale was blowing, with a heavy sea.

At 2 P.M. the motor life-boat Stanhope Smart was launched. While on her way to the position given by the coastguard she saw the S.S. Gripfast, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, making for Bridlington Bay with distress signals flying. The life-boat spoke her, and found that she had been bombed and machinegunned by enemy aeroplanes, some of her crew had been wounded, and the steamer was making for Bridlington to get a doctor.

Two of the life-boat’s crew were put on board her to pilot her in. The captain of the Gripfast said that the S.S. Stanburn had been bombed and sunk, and that there were four men on a raft about ten miles to the southeast.

The life-boat went at once in search of the raft through very heavy seas and snow squalls, and in the darkness searched all round the area for about sixteen miles, but could find nothing. She then made for her station and, when off Bridlington, again spoke the Gripfast which was then attempting to enter the harbour. The weather was getting rapidly worse and the captain of the Gripfast asked her to stand by. The Gripfast failed to make the harbour, was driven behind the south pier and stranded on the beach. The life-boat then made for the harbour through heavy broken water and took a heavy sea on board which threw her on her beam ends.The coxswain got her head to sea and counted his crew. It was 11 P.M. when the life-boat entered the harbour. It was then decided that she should return to her station.

Leaving the harbour she again met heavy seas, and used oil to make them smoother while running for the beach. Again she took heavy seas on board and was laid on her beam ends, and again the coxswain got her head to sea and checked his crew. She reached the beach safely at one in the morning of January 30th. - Rewards, £31 12s.