MAY 30TH. - WALMER, KENT. At 4.45 A.M. a message was received from the Deal coastguard that a vessel with dead and wounded men on board had arrived in the Downs and that a doctor was wanted. A light northerly breeze was blowing and the sea was smooth. It was very foggy. At 5.10 A.M. the motor life-boat Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No. 2) was launched with Mr. James Hall, M.B., B.S., F.R.C.S., stretchers and surgical appliances on board. The vessel was the S.S. Yewdale, of Glasgow, and Mr. Hall and a life-boatman were put on board.

There were about 800 troops and crew on board, seventy-seven were wounded and eight were dead. There were too many cases for the doctor to treat himself. He wanted the steamer to get them ashore as soon as possible. It was not easy in the thick fog, and the steamer’s compass and wheelhouse had been shot away, but piloted by the lifeboat the steamer got into Ramsgate harbour and was safely berthed. The life-boat returned to her station at 10.15 A.M. - Rewards, £14 12s. 6d.