JULY 28TH. - THURSO, CAITHNESSSHIRE.

At 3.45 A.M. information was received from the Wick coastguard that a steamer was on fire N.N.W. of Strathy Head.

A N.W. breeze was blowing, with a choppy sea. The motor life-boat H.C.J. was launched at 4 A.M. and met an Aberdeen trawler, which told her that the steamer was the S.S. Orlock Head, of Belfast, that she herself had rescued part of her crew. and that a Grimsby trawler was rescuing the remainder. The Orlock Head, which was bound from the Tyne to Liverpool with cement, had been attacked by a German aeroplane with bombs and machinegun fire. Two of her crew of twenty had been killed and several injured. The lifeboat accompanied the Aberdeen trawler into Scrabster Harbour, and then put out again to meet the Grimsby trawler, in case she should want to transfer the rescued men to her, but the trawler brought them into harbour herself, and the life-boat returned to her station at 7.30 A.M. - Rewards, £7 7s. 6d..