JULY 24TH. - CROMER, NORFOLK. At 8 A.M. the naval base at Great Yarmouth reported, through the coastguard, that an aeroplane was down in the sea E. by S. eleven and a half miles from Cromer. A light S.S.W. wind was blowing and the sea was smooth. The No. 1 motor life-boat H. F. Bailey was launched at 8.15 A.M. She had only four of her normal crew of twelve on board.

The rest were out fishing. But she picked up the coxswain from his fishing boat. About eight miles east of Cromer she found a partly inflated rubber boat and two large wheels of a bomber. The wheels she handed over to H.M.T. Star of Orkney, which arrived a little later. Then the life-boat continued her search, and at about 10 A.M. found the body of one of the crew of the aeroplane.

She passed a rope round the body and towed it to H.M. Trawler Epine, whose crew took it aboard. A further search was made, but nothing more was found, and the life-boat returned to her station at 1.30 P .M. - Rewards, £3 16s. 6d.