NOVEMBER 16-20TH. - SOUTHEND - ON - SEA, ESSEX. At about 2.45 P.M. the coxswain received a message from the Warden Point coastguard that a ship was sinking close to the Mouse Light-vessel. A strong easterly gale was blowing, with a rough sea.

The motor life-boat Greater London (Civil Service No 3) was launched at 3.5 P.M., and found the S.S. Dagenham, of London, in shallow water close to the East Cant Buoy.

She had been mined. Fifteen of her crew were taken aboard the life-boat, leaving the captain and six officers. The commodore of the convoy asked the life-boat to stand by the Dagenham, so after landing the rescued men at Southend Pier, she returned to her.

Tugs were standing by, but at 6.30 in the evening they left,. The Dagenham swung stern to the gale and then sunk. Only the forecastle was above water, and the men on board went to the wheel-house, The steamer’s life-boats were washed away. The life-boat steamed round till 4.30 next morning and then went alongside. The six officers came aboard her, but the captain would not leave.

A life-boatman was left with him, and thelife-boat landed the officers at Southend at 11.10 A.M. Thirty-five minutes later a message came from Warden Point that a ship was in distress near the Knob Light-vessel. She was the S.S. Sherbrooke, of Montreal, but she did not need the life-boat’s aid as tugs had her in tow. The life-boat then went back to the Dagenham, where she found the captain still determined to stay on board as salvage tugs had arrived. The life-boat re-embarked the member of its crew who had been left on board the steamer and returned to her station, arriving at 6.45 P.M. She had been out for 28 hours.

The captain of the Dagenham continued to stay on board and, three days later, on November 20th, the superintendent of the owners asked if the life-boat would again go out to her. No other boat was available, and the motor life-boat Greater London (Civil Service No. 3) was launched at 2.55 P.M., taking with her the steamer’s chief engineer. The captain still refused to leave, and the chief engineer was put on board with him. The life-boat returned to her station at 8 P.M. A few days later a letter of thanks was received from the Dagenham’s chief officer describing the night during which the life-boat stood by : “ A fresh gale was blowing, with a considerable sea running ; but the life-boat stayed on.

As our boats had been swept away, it gave us a comfortable feeling to see her there cruising round, and never leaving us, keeping watch over us all the time. We christened her ’ Old faithful ' .“ - Rewards, £24 5s. 6d. for the first launch. The expenses of the second launch were paid by the owners..