JANUARY 9TH. - ABERDEEN. At 11.40 A.M. a message was received from the coastguard that machine-gun fire and the sound of bomb explosions, from an attack by enemy aircraft on shipping, had been heard east of Downie Point. A fresh S.S.W. wind was blowing and the sea was smooth. At 1.10 P.M. the No. 1 motor lifeboat Emma Constance was launched, but she found only wreckage. Among it she picked up a life-buoy and name-board belonging to the S.S. Gourie, of Aberdeen. She then made a thorough search for survivors but without result. On her way home, as it was getting dusk, she saw a bluish-white light on the surface of the sea and found first a ship’s boat upside down, and then another ship’s boat with seven men in it. As the life-boat approached the second boat, the men on board called out that there were other men in the water. The life-boat turned on her searchlight and saw a man floating face upwards about 100 yards away. She picked him up and then returned to the boat containing the seven men, who jumped on board her. The boat and four of the men belonged to S.S. Finland, which was nearby, and the other men belonged to the Danish steamer Ivan Kondrup, of Copenhagen, which had also been attacked by aeroplanes. The lifeboat towed the boat to the Finland,which took it and the four members of her crew back on board. The life-boat returned to Aberdeen, where she landed the other four men, and then put to sea again to help the Danish steamer Feddy, also of Copenhagen, which had been bombed and set on fire. Only the captain and one of the crew were still on board. The life-boat stood by until 6.50 P.M., when the captain decided to abandon her. He and the members of his crew were taken on board the life-boat which then returned to her station, arriving at 7.20 P.M.

At 2 P.M. the next day, 10th January, the Emma Constance was again launched to stand by the Feddy. She was still on fire, but was being towed to port. By 4.15 P.M.

the steamer had been moored and the fire brigade had gone on board. The life-boat then went to sea again and stood by the Ivan Kondrup, which had been damaged in the engine-room. She helped in an attempt to connect tugs with the steamer, but the darkness, tide, wind and sea combined to prevent it. The life-boat returned to her station at 6.46 P . M ., and was kept ready for immediate service during the night. It was not until 11.30 next morning, 11th ,January, 46 hours after she first put out, that she returned to her moorings. - Rewards: 9th January, £209s.; 10th January, £9 19s. 6d.

(See Aberdeen, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 142.).